Initial Planning and Coordination

I.  Project Description & Merits

To create a 2-dimensional tactile display system for the visually impaired based on electrovibration. This will benefit a community who struggles with visualization by guiding and giving them the opportunity to sense tangible feelings. Also with this type of system, it can be applied to many daily agendas, such as reading public maps or utilizing public facilities.

II. Group/Team Communication
Our team consists of Aaron Buckley and Yu Lin (Vivian) Tay. We will be using Google Drive to share our research and documents. For communication, we will email each other for updates and to collaborate.

III. Prior Work/ Resource Inventory

We have read about the tactile display using electrovibration and the implementation for the 2D tactile display. For example, the impacts of pulse polarity and the way the experiments showing polarity effect in electrovibration were conducted for the tactile display.

IV. Technology analysis

• electrical engineering
• iOS programming
• logic circuits

V. Competence

• mechanical physics
• electrostatics and circuit design.
• iOS Programming for image/ video processing

VI. Safety
There is a potential risk for electric shock if the current is not managed properly. However, the amount of current needed for electrovibration is incredibly low and the shock produced should cause no harm. Therefore, there is little risk involved with this project.

VII. Equipment, materials & budget

• computer tablet as a platform to perform the developed electrovibration system (e.g. iPad)
• a film on top of the tablet. it will be made of insulating material and see-through conductive coating.
• an audio cable

VIII. Schedule
We are planning to understand the iOS programming within two weeks and will proceed to modify the codes. Then, we will spend two weeks studying circuit design, then proceed to design our own circuit.Then, we will build the circuit over the course of two months. Afterwards, we will spend another month trying to integrate it on to an iPad with the film. Once integrated, we will spend another month trying to improve our design and fix issues. Afterwards, we will spend the rest of the school year working with groups 8 and 9 to see our software opportunities and developing other applications for our design like public information displays.