The most significant risk that could jeopardize the success of our project is the implementation of the embosser system. Most of our design is still theoretical, and we haven’t had the opportunity to test it yet. This component is critical to achieving our MVP, so failing to develop a functional embosser would halt all work. If our initial design does not work as intended, our plan to manage this risk is to modify our system to resemble an existing braille label embossing design. The trade-offs would be slower outputs and this design takes up more space. However, this approach would ensure functionality.
As we finished our Design Report this week, we revised our embosser mechanism to ensure that our device can shift the label media while preserving previously printed text. This update involved integrating an additional motor. All of these changes were reflected in the Design Report. We hope to test this new design soon, and as previously mentioned, we have a backup plan in case this method fails to produce accurate results.
For the most part, our schedule remains the same, with the exception of our CAD design. This week, we hope to complete our CAD design of the embosser system and begin the prototyping and integration process.
A was written by Francesca, B was written by Abby and C was written by Bella.
Part A: With regard to global factors, our design keeps in mind those who are blind or visually impaired. Beyond the simple fact that we are aiming to print in braille, which is targeted or those with visual impairment, we are taking further factors into account, such as the fact that tactile design will be absolutely critical in providing the device to audiences who cannot otherwise see. Our intention is to make the device as easily usable and accessible as possible– simple enough for children, older adults, and those not technologically savvy to understand. We intend to work with the Office of Disability Resources and the Western Pennsylvania School for Blind Children to ensure we achieve these goals.
Part B: Our system is using the simplest conversion of letter to Braille character. For different languages, there exist different short-hands for commonly used words and phrases, but to keep the language accessibility as wide as possible, we will not be including this. In addition, we are using Unified English Braille which is currently being moved to be the universal set of Braille characters. One area where our design culturally falls short, is we are using our OCR to recognize the Latin alphabet. This could be addressed as a stretch goal, but realistically, our scanner will be able to recognize languages that use that alphabet.
Part C: There are several ways our project will be approached considering environmental factors. To reduce our environmental impact, we sourced components such as our microprocessor from within the department, which not only saves us money, but it also reduces transportation related emissions. Another way we are keeping the environment in mind, is by using recycled or biodegradable materials wherever possible for our prototypes. From a design perspective, we are aiming for low power consumption from our device. Perhaps, by integrating a sleep mode or another method to keep wasted power to a minimum. Additionally, our device will be powered by rechargeable batteries, rather than disposable ones and helping to lower long-term environmental waste.