Braille Sign Generator

8/19/2019 Braille Sign Generator

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The Braille Sign Generator

Ian Murray | Ethan Brown | Jacob Striebel | Kyle Franson


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The Chemic Innovators’ Braille Sign Generator

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary……………………………………………………………………………..3

Statement of Work ………………………………………………………………………………5

Research and Explanation of Existing Technology……………………………………………..8

Financial Plan……………………………………………………………………………….....10

Timeline………………………………………………………………………………………..13

Graphic Concept Representation………………………………………………………………14

Citations………………………………………………………………………….…………….15


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1. Executive Summary

How the Project Functions

The aim of this project is to address the issue of widespread inaccessibility of important

information for the visually impaired (V.I.) by providing a cost effective method for the

production of signage featuring Braille text and large-print, high-contrast English letters. This

project utilizes original software developed by the Chemic Innovators known as the Braille

Sign Generator (B.S.G.), which converts English text into a file that can be processed by a

three dimensional printer. The B.S.G. allows for the production of two-color signs with widths

of three, five, and seven inches, all of which have a height of two inches and a thickness of

0.08 inches. Signs created with this technology are durable and visually appealing. Due to the

inclusion of standard English letters, the signs can be used to give direction to those with and

without visual impairments.

The Impact of External Factors

The main external factors affecting this project are both technological and economic: the costs

and speed of 3D printing. The cost to buy a 3D printer has been on a downward trend over the

past ten years and does not show any indication of stopping — the cost of a mid-grade 3D printer

is down to just under $500 this year from roughly $15,000 in 2004 according to Wize Printing i.

In addition, filament (3D printer ink) prices recently have also begun to fall. 3D printer filament

has relatively low production costs: raw materials cost around $2-per-kilogram while the

finished product is often sold for as much as $55-per-kilogramii. This means that as competition

increases, it is likely that filament prices will continue to fall. Further, the time required for 3D

printing is also decreasing as the technology is improved uponiii. When taking this information

into account, the external factors actually add to the value of our project because the cost and

time needed to make our signs will decrease while the print quality will increase as the

technology advances.

Why the Braille Sign Generator is Innovative

The Braille Sign Generator combines existing technologies for use in a never before seen

application: a customizable Braille sign that anyone can computer generate in seconds and print


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in just over an hour, all within a modest budget. Currently, customized Braille signs will often

cost in excess of fifty dollarsiv, while signs generated and printed using the B.S.G. generally

cost less than one dollar in materials and have the added convenience of being immediately

available following printing, while ordered signs often require long delivery times. Thus, our

signs are a great option for organizations that cannot afford to pay a premium for V.I.

accessibility.

How the B.S.G. Will Help the World

The Braille Sign Generator will help the world by lessening the problem of widespread Braille

inaccessibility. The B.S.G. can achieve this by decreasing the cost of providing Braille and

large-print accessibility to V.I. individuals and thus the cost of employing a V.I. person over

someone without an ocular disability. This is also applicable to schools, where budget cuts in

recent years have made it hard to secure funding for accessibility. Patty Killey, Teacher

Consultant for the Visually Impaired at the Midland County Educational Service Agency,

stated that the signs generated using the B.S.G. had high quality Braille characters that met the

Braille Authority’s regulations, and would be very useful for businesses and institutions

needing low-cost and convenient Braille solutions.

Furthermore, the B.S.G. can be used by businesses to lower the costs associated with the hiring

of V.I. individuals. The cost of quality Braille signs — as previously stated — can often exceed

fifty dollars. That cost can skyrocket into the thousands of dollars for larger organizations

requiring many signs. Thus, this project provides a low cost method to not only improve the

Braille accessibility of blind individuals, but also give businesses the means to hire and cater

to the blind without increased costs, thereby improving the self-sufficiency and quality of life

for visually impaired individuals.


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2. Statement of Work

Initial Research and Completed Work

After the inception of the idea for the Braille Sign Generator, the initial course of action was

aimed at verifying that the idea of 3D printed Braille was (1) needed and (2) viable. Our

preliminary research foremostly looked into the accessibility and practicality of current Braille

printing technology. It was discovered that the most frequent method for creating Braille was

with a Braille embosser, which generally are owned only by Braille book publishers because

an embosser of robust quality often has a price tag in the tens of thousands of dollars v. In

addition to the costly nature of these machines, Braille embossers simply cannot produce

durable signs. This, combined with the high cost of commercially available signs, puts

accessibility to the visually impaired out of reach for many organizations.

After this initial research we established the aim of our project: to create a software application

with an intuitive interface that will allow any individual with access to a 3D printer to create

custom Braille signage in a cost-effective manner. Our next step was to look into the file

formats supported by 3D printers and how Braille

characters could be stored in this format. The STL

(STereoLithography) format was chosen because it is

the most prevalent format for 3D modeling. After

familiarizing ourselves with the format, we began

using SketchUp to generate files of anything drawn in

the program.

Next, a library of the twenty-six letters and additional

characters such as numbers and punctuation was

compiled. With these files we created a program that

outputs the user’s desired text containing large-print

English and Braille in an STL file. An interface was then developed allowing the user to easily

input the text desired. In addition, the program was updated to automatically resize the English

text to fit the selected sign size. Once the software has finished running, the STL file can be

loaded into the 3D printer’s software and the sign can be printed.

B.S.G. Features


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Future Continuation of Work

We now address the necessity of making this technology accessible to those who need it. This

will be achieved in two ways. For those with access to a 3D printer, we will publish the B.S.G.

as a web application. This way, any client who wishes to make low-cost signage would have

to do no more than visit the website that hosts the application, use the B.S.G. program, and

either print it themselves or take it to the closest commercial 3D print shop. As 3D printers

become more common as consumer goods, this will provide a more affordable and convenient

method of production. For those without access to a 3D printer, we will offer direct sale of the

signage. We will generate and print the signs, then use a 3rd party delivery service, such as UPS

or FedEx, to deliver the product to the customer. As our business expands, we will utilize the

profits and technological advances in 3D printing technology to expand. The decreasing cost

and increasing quality of 3D printers will allow us to serve customers better and better in the

future.

We will also test our product through real-world market development. According to Mrs.

Killey, several locations throughout mid-Michigan are not up to code regarding their Braille

accessibilityv. For example, Logan’s Roadhouse in Midland has blatantly incorrect signage,

and justifies their refusal to correct it on the expensive cost. We plan on approaching the

establishment with samples of our signs, and offering them an inexpensive alternative to

commercially available signs. This will not only serve to evaluate the durability our signage,

but also spread the word about our business.

Furthermore, we plan on contacting the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory

Affairs, which handles V.I. service throughout the entire statevi. Through them, we will

research the need for our product in new applications, and discover which markets – both public

and private – are in greatest need for our signage. We will then contact representatives in these

markets, and expand our market reach.

We will also increase the quality of the signs. As reported by Mrs. Killey, Braille destruction

is a major problem throughout various establishments, particularly schoolsv. People often pick

at the Braille on signs, eventually reaching a point where the signs are simply useless to those

who need them most. Through further research, we will investigate the best size and shape of


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dots to perfect both legibility and durability. Even if there is no combination to create a more

durable character, the low cost of our signs will still lower the financial burden of replacing

these signs in case of vandalism.

Finally, we plan on improving the B.S.G. software. Currently, our signs reflect “Braille 1”

standards. This means that the text does not use contractions, and can only handle capital and

lowercase letters, some punctuation, and numbers. Over time, we plan on increasing the

sophistication of the software, allowing for features such as braille contractions, advanced

punctuation, and the use of symbols like arrows. This will allow for greater clarity in

communicating messages to the V.I. through signs.


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Figure 1: The Basic Concept of a 3D Printer

3. Research and Explanation of Existing Technology

Explanation of Technology Used

This project is built upon 3D printing technology, and a software application we created usingthe Java programming language. The 3D printer in use for the B.S.G. works by feeding

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic

filament from the cartridge to the extruder vii. The

extruder then heats the plastic to 215° Celsius, and

feeds the melted ABS through the nozzle. The nozzle

then moves around the printer, while extruding

plastic onto the print bed, creating the desired object.

The ABS then rapidly cools to a solid state. Once the

print is finished, the object can be removed and used.

Discussion of Potential Competitors

As stated earlier, Braille embossers are one of the

most frequently used personal Braille creators. They

serve a similar function to the B.S.G., but have some key weaknesses. The most significant

shortcoming is cost-related. A low-quality Braille embosser costs at minimum $3,000, with

more sophisticated models exceeding $20,000v. This makes it impossible for many institutions

to afford, while making it impractically expensive for those who can and only need a few new

or replacement signs. Furthermore, these embossers were designed for the creation of books,

and therefore lack the durability that the B.S.G.’s signs offer.

There are also technologies for creating braille that have emerged after the beginning of the

2015 A.H. Nickless project. On November 7th, 2014, Shubham Banerjee created a software

that will create Braille using Lego Mindstormsviii. However, Mr. Banerjee’s project differs

from the B.S.G. in several ways. First, Mr. Banerjee’s project requires making a Braille Printer

out of plastic Lego bricks. The B.S.G. differs in that it uses already existing, readily available

3D printer technology to create the Braille, and therefore these printers already have an

established foothold in the market, and are more accessible to the interested client.

Furthermore, Mr. Banerjee’s project is more relatable to a Braille embosser than the B.S.G., in


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that it creates the Braille on paper, and in one color. The B.S.G.’s durable plastic design and

two-color support means that it is more properly equipped as signage, and helps those who

only need high-contrast, large-print English letters, instead of Braille. Finally, the user-friendly

design of the B.S.G.’s interface means that everyone is able to use the software, instead of just

those familiar with the Lego Mindstorms design program.

Additionally, on December 12th, 2014, a small French company named Yoocan3D announced

a project similar to the B.S.Gix. Yoocan3D markets a small, user-friendly program that follows

a similar process to the Chemic Innovators’ program. However, the B.S.G. serves a market that

Yoocan3D does not, because Yoocan3D only operates in French. This means that they cannot

feasibly market their product in the United States. More importantly, Yoocan3D does not

provide the high-contrast non-Braille characters along with the Braille on their signs, severely

limiting their functionality in a real-world setting because they cannot be read by all people.

Overall, competition is not much of a factor for the B.S.G.


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4. Financial Plan

Fund Gathering

The costs associated with the long term functioning of the project would be maintaining 3D

printers used, purchasing filament, and maintaining the servers the website is hosted on. Server

costs could easily be covered by advertising, and the printing costs could be covered in the

costs of signs ordered from us. The average materials cost for a medium sign (2”x5”) is roughly

$0.55. However, wear on equipment must also be accounted for. If we assume the 3D printer

can run for 1,000 hours before needing repairs, and budget $400 to cover these repairs

(Replacing the extruders, print-bed and power supply would cost $280, leaving an extra $120

for the unexpected), the cost of a medium sign rises to about $1.18. We plan on charging $10

plus shipping and handling for each of the signs ordered, resulting in an $8.82 profit, whichwill more than cover all printing costs and provide compensation for labor. Below is a table

and accompanying graph illustrating the projected revenue and expenses per unit sold.

Graphics for Purchasing Signs through The Chemic Innovators

Sign Size Materials Cost Upkeep Cost Revenue Profit

Small -$0.33 -$0.43 +$10.00 +$9.24

Medium -$0.55 -$0.64 +$10.00 +$8.82

Large -$0.76 -$0.77 +$10.00 +$8.47

$-

$200.00

$400.00

$600.00

$800.00

$1,000.00

$1,200.00

$1,400.00

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140

REVENUE VS. UNITS SOLD

Revenue Cost of Printer


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As shown by the graph, it will take only about 75 signs to fully pay off or purchase a new

printer. The magnitude of this profit can be clearly seen when projecting a real-world

application. Consider the fact that Central Middle School in Midland is completely renovating

the facility to function as a restored elementary school. As a two-story public facilities, this

accounts for upwards of 200 signs. Assuming that they need to replace their signs to

accommodate reuse, one can use the following cost projections to understand the benefits of

using the B.G.A. through the Chemic Innovators (Prices will be similar for those using our web

application, as most 3D printing services charge $0.50 per cubic centimeter of material.)

Cost of Re-Signing CMS through The Chemic Innovators

Sign Sign Size Cost Per Sign Number of Signs Total Cost

Rooms (100-150) Small $10.00 50 $500.00

Rooms (200-250) Small $10.00 50 $500.00

Restrooms

(Men)

Medium $10.00 4 $40.00

Restrooms

(Women)

Medium $10.00 4 $40.00

Offices Medium $10.00 15 $60.00

Exits/Entrances Large $10.00 6 $60.00

Other Facilities Large $10.00 6 $60.00

Miscellaneous N/A $10.00 10 $100.00

- - - - $1360.00

Cost of Re-Signing CMS through JustBrailleSigns (Economy Style)

Sign Sign Size Cost Per Sign Number of Signs Total Cost

Rooms (100-150) Small $24.00 50 $1200.00

Rooms (200-250) Small $24.00 50 $1200.00

Restrooms

(Men)

Medium $43.00 4 $172.00


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Restrooms

(Women)

Medium $43.00 4 $172.00

Offices Medium $29.00 15 $435.00

Exits/Entrances Large $41.00 6 $246.00

Other Facilities Large $41.00 6 $246.00

Miscellaneous N/A $20.00 10 $200.00

- - - - $3871.00

As seen by these tables, even with a 1,300% profit margin, the Chemic Innovators’ product will still

save Central Middle School over $2,500. We can then use this profit to expand our business. By

purchasing more and better 3D printers, we will be able to better serve the community with an increased

stock of higher quality signs.

Spending Report

Table of Itemized Costs

Description Deposit Withdrawal Total

Grant +$1000.00 $1000.00

3D Printer -$649.00 $351.00

Shipping -$7.15 $343.85

Filament -$56.00 $287.85

Filament -$56.00 $231.85

Donation to MHS

Programming

Club

-231.85$ $0.00


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5. Timeline

Achieved Project Deadlines

Project Aspect Date Completed By How It was Done

Initial Idea Development 10 October 2014 The initial concept was

developed largely through

team brainstorming and also

individual reflection.

Phase One Report First Draft 17 October 2014 Each team member wrote their

own first draft.

Phase One Report Final Draft 24 October 2014 The final draft was formed by

combining the best parts of

each individual in the group’s

draft.

Software Structure Plan 7 November 2014 The software was initially

structured by two members of

the group.

First Successful Sign Print

(Braille Only)

19 November 2014 With the basic software in Beta

phase, the first test sign was

successfully created

Updated Software

Architecture

12 December 2014 The software was redesigned

and programmed by one group

member.

First Successful Sign Print

(Braille and English)

15 January 2015 With primitive functional

software, the first legible sign

was created.

Software Fully Functional 29 January 2015 The software was brought to a

fully functioning status through

the work of all team members

Graphical Interface

Completion

19 February 2015 Two members of the group

worked together to establish a

working interface.

Phase Two Report Drafting 13 March 2015 Two team members wrote their

own first drafts.

Phase Two Report Final Draft 30 March 2015 The best parts of each first

draft were combined and the

product of this jointly edited to

create the final report.


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6. Graphic Concept Representation


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7. Citations

i 3D Printer Price over Time. (2014, January 1). Retrieved October 23, 2014.ii Covert, A. (2014, February 20). 3-D Printing "ink" is way too Expensive. Retrieved October 23, 2014. iii Krassenstein, B. (2014, June 10). 3D Systems Just Broke the Speed Barrier, Surpassing Traditional

Injection Molding Manufacturing Techniques. Retrieved March 27, 2015.iv Braille Restroom Signs. (n.d.). Retrieved January 15, 2015. v P. Killey, personal communication, March 28, 2015.vi LARA - MI Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2015.vii Beginner's Guide to 3D Printing. (2013, September 30). Retrieved March 29, 2015.viii Mendoza, H. (2014, November 11). Intel Capital Funds 3D Braille Printer Created by 13-Year-OldBoy. Retrieved March 29, 2015.ix A, J. (2014, November 1). YooCan3D, Making Life Easier for Visually Imapaired People. RetrievedMarch 28, 2015.

Documents

Braille Sign Generator