Baylor University Chemistry Professors Innovate First-of-Its-Kind Tactile Learning Device for Students with Blindness or Low Vision

High-school students with the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired conduct chemistry experiments in the lab of Baylor University chemist Bryan F. Shaw, PhD, whose research team is making the study of chemistry and other central sciences accessible to students with blindness or low vision.

Baylor University chemistry professors, led by Dr. Bryan F. Shaw, introduce a groundbreaking tactile learning device designed to make science accessible for students with blindness or low vision (BLV). The device utilizes an innovative codex developed through lithophane, an ancient art form, allowing the conversion of scientific textbook images into tactile formats. Dr. Shaw's research, conducted in collaboration with Dr. John L. Wood, showcases the success of the device through experiences with students from the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI).

For the first time, blind high school students can visualize nanoscopic and microscopic imagery at the same resolution as their sighted peers, thanks to a groundbreaking tactile sensing device developed by Dr. Bryan F. Shaw at Baylor University.