Glossary

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Audio-tactile interface(also: Audio-tactile system, Talking tactile)

An interactive system that combines physical tactile surfaces with electronic audio feedback, providing spoken labels, descriptions, or sonified data when the user touches specific areas of a tactile graphic or map. Audio-tactile interfaces reduce the cognitive load of tactile…

Braille(also: Braille System, Braille Code)

A tactile writing system used by people who are blind or have low vision, consisting of patterns of raised dots arranged in cells of up to six dots in a 3x2 configuration. Each cell represents a letter, number, punctuation mark, or other symbol. Developed by Louis Braille in…

Interactive 3D Printed Model(also: I3M, Interactive Tactile Model)

A 3D printed physical object augmented with technology that provides audio or other non-visual feedback when users touch or interact with specific areas. These models combine the tangible spatial information of a physical replica with digital annotations, typically using…

Midas Touch Effect(also: Midas Touch Problem)

An interaction design challenge in touch-based and gesture-based interfaces where the system cannot distinguish between intentional activation commands and incidental or exploratory touches. Named after the mythological King Midas whose touch turned everything to gold, the…

Multimodal workshop materials(also: Multi-sensory workshop materials)

Physical materials designed for workshops or educational settings that convey the same content through multiple sensory channels — such as combining visual (large print, high contrast), tactile (braille, embossed textures, 3D printed objects), and auditory (NFC-triggered audio,…

Refreshable Braille Display(also: Braille Display, Braille Terminal, Refreshable Tactile Display)

An electromechanical device that renders Braille characters by raising and lowering small pins through a flat surface, allowing blind users to read digital text output by touch. These devices connect to computers or mobile devices and work alongside screen readers to provide…

Refreshable Graphics Display(also: Tactile Graphics Display, Dynamic Tactile Display)

A device that presents tactile graphics and diagrams through an array of pins that can be individually raised or lowered to create dynamic, changeable tactile patterns. Unlike static tactile graphics (embossed paper or thermoform), refreshable displays can show sequences of…

Tactile Acuity(also: Touch Acuity, Tactile Resolution)

The ability to perceive and discriminate fine spatial details through the sense of touch, analogous to visual acuity for sight. Tactile acuity varies across body regions, with fingertips having the highest resolution at approximately 1-2mm spacing. In the context of…

Tactile Modeling(also: Tactile Demonstration, Touch Demonstration)

A body movement teaching technique where a blind or low vision student explores and inspects a demonstrator's body position through touch, allowing them to understand poses, movements, and form that would typically be learned through visual observation. Unlike physical guidance…

Tactile Replica(also: 3D Replica, Touchable Replica, Haptic Replica)

A physical reproduction of an artwork or exhibit object, often created using 3D printing or traditional sculpting techniques, designed to be touched and explored by hand. Tactile replicas are a key accessibility strategy in museums and galleries for blind and low vision…

Tactile graphics(also: Raised-line graphics, Touch graphics)

Physical representations of visual information using raised surfaces, textures, and patterns that can be explored through touch. Tactile graphics are essential for conveying spatial and graphical information — maps, charts, diagrams, mathematical graphs — to blind and visually…

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