Based on the gaps identified through the induction phase I went through a process of co-designing a drawing toolkit with my participants. Information gathered from the co-design sessions informed the development of each prototype. This section provides steps I took to inform the development of 4 Prototypes.

Initial co-design sessions with P1 informed the development of Prototype 1 These sessions consisted of analyzing their current artwork and trying to create a drawing they wanted based on the materials available at home. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic all sessions were conducted virtually via Zoom.

Findings from the Co-Design Session were noted as follows:

Findings were noted as follows:

• In order to add more detail to their creations P1 found 3D designs more accessible. Having prior knowledge and a memory pattern of how to create lilies out of Origami helped P1 develop her 3D artwork. Other tools and strategies used involved spirograph patterns, which involved creating background spirals out of stencils and tactile pipe cleaners to add details to the stems.

• P1’s next creation involved creating a 3D turtle shell, in order to create a visual model of the turtle shell P1 along with insights from the researcher built a skeleton of the creation using a bowl, an orange and fins using paper.

• Further development of the shell involved cutting out cardboard pentagons, P1 tried to cover her bowl using multiple pentagons, however was not able to complete the shell due to limitations in shapes. It was found that creating individual shapes to form the shell was an arduous process and P1 noted that it would be beneficial to include a variety of geometric shapes that could help create 3D structures and help build visual models for blind.

Inferences:

• Tactile feedback and 3D elements were preferred methods to create structures for P1.

• Per P1’s feedback creating individual shape tiles was challenging, hence the drawing tool concept needs to incorporate an easy method to create 3D structures.

Prototype 1

The concept design provides opportunities for individuals who are blind to be able to create 3D drawings from a set of geometric tiles with QR-codes (machine-readable code consisting of an array of black and white squares, typically used for storing URLs or other information for reading by the camera on a smartphone). Each tile could then be scanned into the digital environment to simultaneously create a 3D digital file that can be saved as well as shared with others. This prototype provides bi-manual continuous haptic feedback to create models for individuals who are blind while providing a digital representation of the same model in order to collaborate with sighted individuals.

The next set of co-design sessions with P2 involved analyzing architectural drawings.

Findings from co-design sessions with P2 are listed as follows:

• Wax Sticks may provide the option of creating line based drawings and adding additional details to a figure. Due to the nature of wax sticks being flexible and providing tactile feedback they might be a beneficial component of the drawing toolkit.

• P2 indicated some difficulties with using scissors, although difficulty with scissor use may not be a common challenge, an easy opening loop scissor adaptation can be considered as an additional component of the drawing toolkit.

• P2 indicated confusion among sighted users regarding the color of the wax sticks, it can be considered to make single color wax sticks to avoid such confusion.

• P2 indicated challenges with using wax sticks during some components such as landscape design and handrail design process and suggested that 3D geometric shapes might be beneficial for creating these components.

Inferences:

• Toolkit needs to incorporate components that provide opportunities for 2D raised line as well as 3D components.

• Wax can be added to the toolkit, however custom waxsticks may be required to avoid confusion with colors.

These findings informed further development of Prototypes.

Prototype 2

The Wizard of Oz method was used to test the experience of scanning tiles while simulating creating digital files that can then be saved and shared as well as exported to a 3D printer or CAD software. The Wizard of Oz method provides an efficient technique to test user interaction with computers and facilitate rapid iterative prototyping. This method was used with P1.

Wizard of Oz Prototyping Process:

STEP 1: CREATING EASY CAD MODELS USING TINKERCAD

CAD Models of geometric tiles were created based off an off the shelf magnetic tile set and imported into the Tinker CAD program.

STEP 2: PROVIDING P1 WITH OFF THE SHELF GEOMETRIC TILES

P1 was provided with an off the shelf set of magnetic geometric tiles, P1 identified the shapes present in the set as square, triangle, right triangle and rectangle.

STEP 3: WALKING P1 THROUGH THE

WOZ PROCESS

P1 was walked through the process of the Wizard of Oz Prototype in which they would hold individual tiles up to the computer. Once they received auditory feedback saying “tile detected”, they could then go on to place the tile in order to create a structure.

STEP 4: CREATING A HOUSE

P1 followed the process of holding each tile up to the computer while the researcher provided auditory feedback such as “square tile detected”, “triangle tile detected” and so on. P1 then went on to connect the pieces together to form a simple structure of the house. The researcher at the same time manually placed the CAD models of the individual pieces to create a virtual model of the house using the same shapes.

Based on findings from co-design sessions and prototyping a toolkit was built. Prototype 3 consisted of the analog (non digital) materials of the drawing tool.

Prototype 3:

The aim of creating this prototype was so that it can be shipped out to participants for the evaluation phase i.e. to test how effective the components are in creating a variety of drawings and structures.

STEP 1: CREATING 3D PRINTED GEOMETRIC TILES:

CAD Models of the geometric shapes were created based on the inductive phase and co-design sessions with participants. Shapes includes were square, triangle, right triangle, pentagon, half sphere and half cone . The designs were constructed to provide for manual addition of earth magnets to the shapes post printing.

STEP 2: CREATING WAX STICKS

Wax Sticks were made using a) 1 wax covered toilet wax bowl ring, b)1/2 cup paraffin wax c)yarn. The paraffin and wax bowl ring were melted and mixed together using a double boiler method and yarn was dipped and into the melted wax and then dried on wax paper to create wax sticks. Single colored yarn was used and 2 sizes of wax sticks were created for short and long lines.

STEP 3: ADDING MAGNETS TO 3D PRINTED SHAPES

Earth magnets were added to the 3D printed shapes using industrial glue.Magnetic polarities were tested using a polarity tester to avoid shapes repelling from each other.

STEP 4: ASSEMBLY AND SHIPPING

The 3D Drawing Toolkit was assembled and shipped to the participants to evaluate the effectiveness of the components in creating drawings and designs.

Prototype 4 consisted of testing the feasibility of the digital component. A digital scanning app was created using Augmented Reality (AR) in an open source gaming engine, Unity.

This was done through the following steps.

STEP 1: ADDING QR CODES TO SHAPES

Individual QR codes were added to 3 triangle tiles. Each QR code was linked to the CAD model of the shape. A simple pyramid was created using 3 triangles.

STEP 2: SCANNING SHAPES WITH APP

Each of the triangles was scanned with a camera, after each QR code detection the app was able to provide audio feedback indicating the shape had been detected.

STEP 3: AUDIO FEEDBACK AND VIRTUAL MODEL

Following the detection of the shape the app simultaneously created a virtual model of the same size and shape. After scanning the shape, the app provided audio feedback indicating the model had been created.

STEP 4: SAVE VIRTUAL MODEL AS OBJ.FILE

After scanning the shape, the app provided audio feedback indicating the model had been created. Clicking on a button helped save the 3D model as an OBJ. file which could then be exported to a collaboration.