Wings to Dreams: 3D Models for Accessibility
Volunteer 3D modeling for Chain for Change. I made printable models of the solar system, human anatomy and plants that visually impaired students can learn from by touch.
Astronomy, anatomy, botany
MODEL DOMAINS
Visually impaired students
AUDIENCE
Overview
A drawing of a heart in a textbook doesn't help a student who can't see it, but a 3D-printed model they can hold does. I volunteered as a 3D artist for the Wings to Dreams initiative by Chain for Change, making detailed models that were printed and used as learning materials.
What I modeled
- The solar system, as sets of planets where size and surface texture carry the information you'd normally get by looking.
- Anatomical models, including the heart. The chambers and vessels had to be simplified but still come out right after 3D printing.
- Plants, like leaves and flowers, with the small details made a bit bigger so you can tell them apart by touch.
The main constraint
Every feature has to be big enough to feel, strong enough to survive a classroom, and printable without supports ruining the surface. A lot of my time went into balancing accuracy against those limits.
Why I did it
It connects with my work at Partnership in Education and Mathematics Initiatives in Nepal, since access to education is something I care about. This time it just meant using Blender instead of a whiteboard.
APPENDIX A // MEDIA
IMAGE SLOT · AWAITING UPLOAD
IMAGE SLOT · AWAITING UPLOAD