The Smart Tangible Manipulator, known colloquially as "The Quad," adds a new twist to prior research to add new ways to interact with digital materials in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Our goal is to bring a true physical dimension to the digital learning of graphics, increasing the accessibility of education for diverse learners. The focus of this project is to develop an inclusive tool for learning shapes that can be used in different educational contexts. The Quad leverages aspects of physical and virtual environments to support learners with a variety of educational backgrounds. 

The first prototype of The Quad is a quadrilateral because it serves as a simple basis for complex and foundational geometric properties. With The Quad, learners can explore angles and side lengths and their relationships to one another. A simulation is being developed in conjunction with the physical Quad to allow users to manipulate physical and virtual shapes in tandem, in both directions.

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This  material  is  based  upon  work  supported  by  the  National  Science Foundation under Grant No. 1644538. Any opinions,  findings  and  conclusions  or  recommendations  expressed  in  this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

TeleTangibles is a research initiative aimed at redefining technology driven STEM learning through the integration of haptic (touch-based) interactions. By bridging embodied learning, inclusive design, and advancements in mechatronic technology, this project seeks to create tangible learning resources that enhance engagement and accessibility for all students, particularly those with visual impairments. In collaboration with experts in inclusive design, haptic technologies, and learning sciences, we are developing flexible, interactive tools that can function independently or alongside digital simulations. Through an iterative co-design and development process with educators and students, we aim to explore how sensorially diverse learners interact with STEM concepts by physically manipulating objects that communicate through touch. This work paves the way for a more inclusive, multimodal approach to STEM education that ensures all learners, regardless of visual ability, can engage meaningfully with tangible and digital learning experiences. 

The TacTiles project is a concept started by one of our collaborators, Anna Shvarts of Utrecht University VET, primarily directed to assist blind and low vision students in better understanding basic algebraic concepts faster and at a younger age. For years complex mathematics has been limited mostly to writing on paper and getting these concepts across to someone with blindness or low vision has always been a challenge. TacTiles consists of a board and tiles, where tiles of different areas are used to represent numbers and variables based on their dimensions. By introducing algebra as a physical concept we can pair the value of integers and variables with a tangible sense. Combining this with computer vision to introduce an automatic equation checker we can streamline the ability for students to learn key concepts. In the future we aim to target this system to be a standard in all education; blind, low vision, and full vision. We hope that this project can pave the way for even more robust learning methods in the field of mathematics and science