An Illustration Book for Visually impaired Persons and a method & device of preparing the same.

Field of invention:

The present Invention relates generally to instruction material for visually impaired (VI) or blind persons. More particularly the invention relates to a method and system of developing illustrations of visual information for VI persons.

Background of the invention:

There is a significant minority of the human population who suffers from visual impairment, including blindness. According to WHO’s fact sheet, there are about 285 million people who are visually impaired (VI) worldwide; about 39 million of them are blind. This VI community requires special attention in the area of education & recreation, the former being a more important consideration since the time they start learning. A variety of methods have been developed for communicating information to the VI community. The Braille, a system of raised dots, is one such method that is widely used by people who are VI to enable them to read & write and has become real boon for this less privileged community. And today, such VI person is indeed not deprived of any necessary information that is available in textual form.

On the other hand printed picture books are effective to communicate visual information to sighted community. Such picture books can include text, as well as visual content such as photographs, illustrations, drawings and other graphical elements. But such picture books have little or no value for the visually impaired segment of the population because, for a person who is born with or who acquires visual impairments, reading requires an additional layer of haptically received information. So today he relies on Braille or audio books to access any visual information for knowledge or on some rudimentary books with different textures of images which are accompanied with a Braille script. Hence, when you think of books for a blind or a VI person, what comes to mind are plain white sheets full of dots. It’s tough to imagine a Braille book with vibrant images that a VI person can enjoy. Hence a problem exists whose solution will be greatly beneficial to VI community world over.

Many proponents have attempted in creating visual material to help the VI community, wherein various ways have been tried. However, these well- intended attempts have not been able to understand specific limitations of the VI community. Such works have reproduced an object as contours/outlines with its inherent complexities in shapes, curves, shades, etc, intact. But effectively it is only through well segregated raised contours/outlines of objects/figures, will the VI community be able to sense the illustrations and visualize & imagine the world naturally and effortlessly. Unfortunately, not enough attention has been given to this limitation of VI persons.

In US4073070A images are recessed (attached) onto pages of the book to form a image outline for defining the area to be colored. The recessed images used could vary the extent of a recession of the several portions of the object in accordance with their actual 3D view. As they vary the recession, the images could confuse the reader and make it more complex to understand. As a result we can see that such picture books are not very popular on institutes/campuses serving the Visually Impaired people. Such methods use a traditional approach of raising the lines, which makes an image too complex, clumsy and difficult for the VI community to interpret. As a result today whatever a VI person can imagine is only from what he can put together from the text/description or story that they read in Braille about the image in question.

Unfortunately very little work is done in this direction and whatever little attempts have been made have not able to see how a VI Persons receives information. Whatever little efforts can be seen in the prior art is directed at reproducing real images as such, without any attempt to adapt them to the special requirements of the VI persons. The above and other limitations of VI persons while sensing an image are not taken care of.

Hence despite the desirability of Illustration Books for visually impaired persons that have illustrations that are adapted to the needs of VI users, such a product has never existed heretofore.

This is where present invention makes contribution to the art by providing a method of creating simplified Illustrations from images, adapted to the needs of VI persons. The present invention provides a system of adapting real images such that they are suitable to the requirements of VI persons.

Objects of Invention:

It is therefore an object of present invention to provide a method preparing simplified raised outline illustrations adapted to the needs of a VI person, such that he can natively relate with the illustrations and enjoy. It is another object of the invention to provide for the specifications of the raised outlines of the said illustrations keeping the requirements and limitations of a VI person in mind.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method of preparing illustration sheets with the said illustrations. It is yet another object of the invention to provide a computer-base- illustration-sheet-printing-device for preparing and printing such illustration sheets. Summary of the Invention:

In accordance with the above objects and advantages of the present invention and in response to the deficiencies of the prior art picture books for visually impaired persons, there is provided an illustration book for visually impaired persons with a plurality of illustration sheets , each said illustration sheet containing a plurality of illustrations. The said illustrations are adapted to the special needs of VI persons. Specifications of raised outlines of an exemplary embodiment of said illustrations are provided. In a preferred embodiment, the illustration sheet has storyline of illustrations therein in Braille, adapted to the simplified illustrations.

A method of developing an illustration sheet developed on a 3D printer is also disclosed, wherein the useful life of an illustration book containing such illustration sheets increases many times over.

A device of computer based printing of said illustration sheets on a 3D printer is also disclosed.

Brief Description of Drawings:

The accompanying drawings included to provide a further understanding of the present disclosure, are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure and, together with the description serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. In the figures like reference characters generally refer to the same part or elements throughout this description, in which:

Fig-1 Illustrates an exemplary method of developing illustration sheets in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig-2 is an exemplary illustration sheet

Fig-3 is cross-section (Fig 3A) and top view (Fig 3B) schematic diagram of a part of an exemplary illustration-sheet

Fig-4 is a schematic diagram illustrating various embodiments of exemplary Computer-based-illustration-sheet-printing-device

Detailed Description:

Following is the detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details disclosed is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Each of the appended claims defines a separate invention, which for infringement purpose is recognized as including equivalents to the various elements or limitations specified in the claims. Depending on the context, all references below to the“invention” may in some cases refer to certain specific embodiment only. In other cases it will be recognized that references to the“invention” will refer to subject matter recited in one or more, but not necessarily all, of the claims. All the methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by the context. The use of any or all the examples or an exemplary language (e.g.“such as”) provided with respect to certain embodiments herein is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention otherwise claimed. No language in specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element essential to the practice of the invention.

As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of“a”,“an”, and“the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. As used in the description herein, the meaning of“in” includes“in” and“on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also the use of“Visually Impaired persons”,“VI person”, “VI community”, includes the completely blind persons and whenever any one of these terms are used, it includes reference to other terms, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Embodiments of the present invention relates to an instruction material in the form of an illustration book equipped at providing convenient means of sensing, feeling and visualizing images by blind or visually impaired persons. The fundamental approach of the illustration book with illustration sheets containing raised outline illustrations are best understood by reference to figures, wherein an exemplary embodiment of a typical village scene is considered for the purpose of explanation.

The present invention is an illustration book for visually impaired persons with simplified illustrations of images that provide its user a means of natively sensing the illustrations with haptic touch of their fingertips that comes naturally to them. The adaptations made in the illustrations according to physical limitatations of the VI persons make these illustration books a natural reading wherein he can visualize the images without stretching his imagination too much. Since it comes easy and natural to him, he enjoys being with such illustration books.

The present invention provides its user a mechanism to visualize an image in a way that comes naturally to him. The illustrations in the illustration book for visually impaired persons are designed such that the real life images are simplified to an extent that a blind/visually impaired person is comfortable with level of detailing in the illustration.

The fundamental tenet of this invention is the difference between how a sighted person processes visual information vis-a-vis how a VI person would receive and process such information.. The same is explained hereinafter. As such any actual image/picture has many hues, shades, three dimensional representations, contrasts, perspectives which are meaningful to a sighted person. But a blind or visually impaired person tries to understand an entire image one line at a time. In other words, while a real image is in three dimensions in real world out there, its two dimensional representation on a piece of paper has many three dimensional meanings. Out of many differences as to how a VI person receives information vis-a-vis a sighted person, one main difference is that while a sighted person receives an image AS a WHOLE, i.e. a sighted person sees a complete image together and he can develop a sense of perspective and he can also compare various parts of an image with regards to its various colors, contours, proportions of various parts, etc, a visually impaired person receives information linearly. On seeing a real three dimensional image and comparing them in two dimensions, a sighted person, over time develops a mechanism in his mind as to how to perceive an image that is shown to him in two dimensions on a flat paper. Since a sighted person sees an image as a whole at once, he can relate one part with other parts and develop a holistic perspective. However, a blind person receives an image line by line, literally. He has no clue as to how to relate the present line that he is haptically sensing to other parts of real image. That is if the image that is given to a VI person is that of an elephant, while sensing, say for example its tail with his fingertips, he just gets information about shape of that tail. He does not have other parts of the image of elephant, like its trunk, legs, head etc in front of him. Hence the VI person, while sensing the tail of elephant, cannot compare this tail with head, legs, etc of the elephant in the image. Hence if the image served is with lot of details like the ones that are obviously there in any real life image, a VI person simply cannot comprehend the image, let alone making sense out of it or remembering it. Hence as such the blind person is bound by limitation of receiving images linearly, on top of it, if the lines/outlines of the image are too detailed; he gets entangled in making sense of details in illustrations. Being frustrated of his inability to make sense, he gives up and does not like reading the images haptically.

Moreover, since every blind or substantially visually impaired person receives information through haptic senses of his fingertips and because human finger tips have certain structure they have limitation as to how they can receive meaningful information. One such limitation is that if two or three lines are too adjacent to each other, fingertips cannot decipher as to whether it is one Single THICK line or 2-3 adjacent lines. Another limitation of sensing with fingertips is that on a line if there are too many bends/angles/turns which are too nearby/adjacent, VI person gets confused and in an attempt to make sense therein, he loses the context of the whole image. Ultimately finding himself ill-equipped, he drops his attempt to understand the image. To resolve this problem, the present invention has developed a method of preparing simplified illustrations adapted for specific requirements of visually impaired persons, from real life images. The same is described hereinafter.

Figure 1 illustrates steps involved in an exemplary illustration development process in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

From the exemplary image (1A), first of all an outline of important objects in the exemplary image (1A) is developed (IB). Next, if there are overlapping objects (like the dog, man and woman in front of the hut in this case), they are identified as shown in (1C).

Then, if such overlapping objects are insignificant to the whole image and accompanying story, they are removed (e.g. dog (1B1)). And if they are important, objects are shifted apart such that overlap is eliminated as in (ID). Then, since the objects in (ID) are still in non-standard, vague and unclear shape like real objects, they are converted into illustrations as shown in (IE).

Then Braille cues are inserted for important illustrations, like hut, tree, woman with baby etc as shown in (IF). As far as possible they are inserted inside objects. Finally if any accompanying text is provided with the original image, it is checked for consistency with the final Illustration as in (IF) and if there are inconsistencies like mention of dog in the text, the text is adapted accordingly and its Braille is shown at the prescribed place according to running theme of the Illustration Book, say at the lower half of the page in the present embodiment as shown the illustration sheet in the exemplary embodiment as (23).

Now that an exemplary method of preparing a preferred embodiment of an illustration sheet (2) of the Illustration book for visually impaired person is described, characteristics of the raised outlines of an exemplary embodiment of illustrations are described hereinafter.

The illustrations are developed from raised outlines that are suitable for haptic sensing by a visually impaired person. A VI person senses the lines haptically through his finger tips and they are most comfortable when such lines are of particular characteristics. In particular when they move their fingers around the said raised lines they move around outer edges of the said raised lines. In particular, for comfortable sensing of raised outlines by a VI user, the lines should not be sharp at the top. For that sufficient width of raised lines is required. This will ensure sufficient base of raised lines and necessary rounding off of these lines at the top would be possible.

In a preferred embodiment, the raised lines of the said illustrations would have a height (H) in the range of 0.75mm to 1.25mm. The preferred width (W) of the base of the raised lines that is most comfortable for a VI person is in the range of 1.75mm to 2.25mm. This will ensure that the raised lines are sufficiently rounded off at the top. And for comfortable distinction between the lines, a preferred minimum distance between adjacent raised lines is more than 4mm. Similarly since every fingertip has certain base area, say around 25 sq mm, they cannot decipher any bends on a line which are too close by. Accordingly in order that a VI person can visualize the bends on a line, in a preferred embodiment of illustrations, any bends on the raised lines therein would have bends if any, at a distance (A) not less than 10mm. Moreover, for a VI person to understand that an adjacent raised line may belong to an object (illustration) a preferred minimum recommended distance between such adjacent objects/illustrations (D) on a preferred illustration sheet would be more than 10mm. These specifications are recommendery in nature. When exceptionally the recommendations need to be overlooked like the kid in the lap of woman (21), such incidences are to be minimized and accompanying Braille should describe the illustration like (22).

Moving over to another aspect of the disclosure that is preferred method for developing the illustration sheet and developing raised outlines thereon. Regular Braille books are thick ones, bulky and weighty. Since they are bulky, they are stored in stacks, one over other. And with passage of time, the Braille embossing on the pages therein get flattened and hence become useless for users. To provide a solution to this chronic problem, in a preferred embodiment, a method of printing Illustration books on 3D Printer is disclosed, wherein, instead of the raised dots/lines being embossed from back side, they are grafted on a full base/sheet. Rather than by pressing a sheet from back side to develop embossing on the front side, when we print an illustration sheet on 3D printer the raised lines and Braille are cultured/populated on a complete sheet which does not have hollow cavities on the back side. When a sheet has hollow cavities on the back side, if we stack them, due to heavy weight the cavities would tend to cave in and the embossing would get flattened on the front side. Since the illustration sheets printed on 3D printer do not have hollow cavities on the back side the embossing on such illustration sheets don’t get flattened even if they are stored for long time or when they are stacked on a huge pile. With the strength of base intact and there being no hollow parts on the back of illustration sheets, even after multiple uses and even after being stored for a long time, the raised lines and Braille dots remain intact. This increases the useful life of illustration books containing illustration sheets so prepared by many fold. And it makes the illustration book useful many times over. Thus problem of raised lines/Braille getting flattened over time or over weight is solved by printing the illustration sheets printed on 3D Printers.

Moving over to the yet another aspect of the disclosure , e.g. computer based printing device for developing illustration sheets from an image and printing the same on a 3D Printer is described hereinafter.

Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary computer-based-illustration- sheet- printing-device, which can be used with embodiment herein and can comprise, for example, a scanner, a 3D Printer, a data storage means, etc. The computer-based-illustration-sheet-printing-device (400) includes a controller/processor (401), at least one input scanning device (402) operatively connected to the processor (401), at least one communication port (input/output) (403) operatively connected to the processor (401), at least one non-transitory computer storage medium means (404) operatively connected to the processor (401) and at least one 3D printing means (405) operatively connected to the processor (401).

The input/output device (403) is used for communications to and from the computer-based-illustration-sheet-printing-device. The processor (401) controls various actions of the computer-based-illustration-sheet-printing- device. A non-transitory computer storage means (404) (which can be optical, magnetic, etc) is readable by the processor (401) and stores instructions that the processor (401) executes to allow computer-based- illustration-sheet-printing-device to perform its various functions such as those described hereinafter.

In such a computer-based-illustration-sheet-printing-device 400, the processor (401) receives an image 1A. The image (1A) comprises at least one visible object. The processor (401) processes the image (1A) to identify at least one visible object therein. The said processor (401) processes the said at least one visible object to identify at least one set of outlines (1A). The said processor (401) stores the set(s) of outlines in the computer readable storage means (404) as second image (IB).

The said processor (401) processes the said second image (IB) to identify overlapping objects therein, if any. The said processor (401) further processes the said second image IB to remove insignificant overlapping objects e.g dog (IB 1) therein, if any. The said processor (401) stores such processed outline as third image (1C) in the computer readable storage means (404). The said processor (401) processes the said third image (1C) to shift apart overlapping objects therein, if any (1C1, 1C2, 1C3) and stores such processed image as fourth image (ID) in the computer readable storage means (404). The said processor (401) processes the said fourth image ID to convert at least one object therein into an illustration of raised outlines as per the specifications delineated hereinabove in this disclosure and stores it on computer readable storage means (404) as fifth image IE. The said processor (401) processes the said fifth image IE further for adding Braille cues at appropriate places IF and optionally adding a Braille Story Text or description appropriately below the illustrations, with the assistance and intervention of the computer operator. Such processed final image 1G is stored by the said processor (401) on computer readable storage means (404) as 1G. The said 3D printing means (405) prints the final image as raised outline illustration sheet (2).

Many computerized means are discussed hereinabove. Computerized means that include chip-based central processing Units (CPU’s), input/output devices (including graphic user interface GUI) memories, processors, scanners, 3D Printers, etc are well-known and readily available devices by renowned manufacturers such as EPSON, HP, Apple, etc. Such computerized devices normally include input/output devices, power supplies processors, electronic storage memories, wirings, etc. For the purpose of brevity a detailed description of them are omitted here from to allow the reader to focus on the main invention.

It will be appreciated that the above disclosed and other features & functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other embodiments and systems. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims. The claims can encompass embodiments in hardware, software and/or combination thereof. Unless specifically defined in a specific claim itself, steps or components of the embodiments therein cannot be implied as limitations to any particular order, number, position, size, shape, angle, color or material.

Advantages of the Invention:

The present disclosure provides an Illustration book containing illustration sheets for visually impaired (VI) persons that have illustrations adapted to the needs of such VI persons. Such illustrations are natively received by the VI users.

The present disclosure also provides for specifications of raised outlines of such illustrations keeping in mind specific requirement and anatomy of the figure tips of the VI persons.

The present disclosure also provides for method of preparing illustration sheets such that VI persons are comfortable in using them.

A computer based device of printing the said illustration sheets on 3D printers is also disclosed.