The rectangular hook tool has the shape of a capital l, where the horizontal and vertical part of the character have the same length of 10 centimetres / approx. 4 inches.
The two parts enclose an angle of 90 degrees. They are equipped as a ruler with measurement indications in centimetres at the top surface and indents per half centimetre along the sides.
The body of the tool is two centimetres wide. On the outer side, near to the rounded corner and to the tips you find finger fitters for easy lifting or extra grip.
The corner between the sides is rounded at the outer side. At the top surface is a groove under an angle of 45 degrees for alignment.
The rulers are ending with a 90 degree hook serving as a pen blocker.
Pushpin markers are located near the rounded corner and near to the tips.
The length of the sides range from three to nine centimetres. The body of the triangle is about 12 millimetres wide. On all three of the outer sides a finger fitter is provided for easy lifting or extra grip. One outer corner is rounded, the other two are sharp. All three corners have a pushpin marker at the top surface.
Along the outside and inside are indents located at every centimetre. They align with each other. In case the length of the side is odd numbered, there is an indent in addition at the halfway position.
The sizes of the squares ranges from two to eight centimetres. The frame that forms the square is one centimetre wide.
Two finger fitters are provided in opposing sides. Two opposite diagonal corners are rounded. The others are sharp. At each corner a pushpin marker is located.
Along the outside and inside a small indent is provided at every centimetre.
In case the length of the side is odd numbered, there is in addition an indent at the halfway position.
Indentations are placed around the outside of the circle frame in which rubber bands can be attached. These indentations are positioned at every 10 degrees seen from the centre of the circle. Slightly wider indents make the positions for 0, 30, 45, 60, 90 degrees, etc. easily recognizable.
When spanning to opposing indentations with a rubber band, they meet the centre, forming also the diameter of the circle.
It also exactly coincides with the degree indications along the circle.
Photo: The compass foot on the edge of the circle frame. The compass scratcher set at 10 centimetres
The compass and the circle frame / circles in a circle
The indents at the edge of the circle frame have the same diameter as the needle of the compass.
Place the compass foot partly on the edge so the needle of the compass fits in indentation of the circle frame. Set the desired radius for the circle to be drawn.
The set radius for the circle determines the length of the curve that can be created.
Fantasy
As an example set the radius at 10 centimetres. Place the compass at 12 o’clock and draw the maximum possible curve. Place the base at 3, 6 and 9 o’clock respectively and create the curves as well.
The curves will cross in the middle of the circle.
Finally trace the circle’s contour and remove the circle frame.
A math teacher came to us with the question: ‘Can you create a 30/60/90 degree version of a triangle tool for the TactiPad’? He wants his students to draw 3D shapes such as cubes, prisms and pyramids. Being interested to improve/extend the Thinkable products we have taken up this challenge.
After describing the details of the tool, we present some of the decisions we made during the design process. You will also find information on some of the aspects of the creation of ‘3D space’ using the TactiPad.
In late summer 2021, Thinkable CEO Jaap Breider was visited by journalist Eskandar Abadi and film maker Shahab Kermani. They produced a video for Deutsche Welle TV (Persian department). Jaap was accompanied and interviewed during one day in his house and company headquarters in Huissen (NL).
Besides receiving his guest, talking about himself and Thinkable, Jaap explains the basics of tactile graphics to the interviewer. Being a blind man himself, he is obviously experiencing something completely new: Jaap draws or plots graphics for him while he also explains the “codes” behind certain ways of drawing from the seeing world.
It is these kinds of moments that keep Jaap inspired since decades. With Thinkable, he constantly works on innovations to give ever more VIPs access to tactile graphic information.
Photo: Spur wheel with 12 teeth (prototype 3D-print)
Detailed description of the spur wheel template
There are different types of spur wheels. This shape represents the mechanical properties with which the force can be maximised. When you interlink two wheels of this type, their teeth always have a point of contact under an angle of 90 degrees when rotating. Although it looks like an arbitrary number of teeth can be placed in a circle, this is not the case.
The wheels in the set have 12 or 15 teeth respectively. The spaces between them – their negative counterparts – are placed on the inside of the round template, so that the drawing result will have its teeth on the outside. The body of the spur wheel has finger fitters in eight positions along the outside for easy lifting or extra grip. You find pushpin markers in the top surface of the body.
Utilising the spur wheel template
The spur wheel is a relative complex tool to use / shape to create. We recommend to use one to two push pins to fixate to tool on the TactiPad. Draw the inner contour of the spur wheel and you have created the first step into the mechanical domain or flower design.
Once you have interlinked two spur wheels, you will experience a complex issue: finding the perfect position for one tooth on the one and two teeth on the other wheel to “bite each other”. This gives you an impression of how delicate spur wheel systems are in mechanics.
Detailed description of the regular polygon template
The set contains templates for regular polygons with five, six, seven, eight and nine corners referred to as pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon and nonagon respectively. The radius of the polygons ranges from two to eight centimetres.
In a regular polygon all corners have the same angle. The corners are interconnected with lines that have all the same length. Another way to describe a polygon: A polygon consists of a number of equal leg triangles where the top corners of all equal legged triangles are at the same position. So they are arranged in a circle like slices of a pie. The distance from all corners to the centre point is the same.
The body of the tool is two centimetres wide. It is shaped as a triangle where one side is not present. It could be described as a jaw hook. The angle between the two sides is less than 90 degrees. Near to the rounded outside corner and near to the tips you find pushpin markers. One side of the polygon tool contains a number of wholes, indicating the number of corners of the particular polygon.
The side with the wholes is referred to as ‘radius side’. This radius side has a centimetre indication in the top surface and indents every half centimetre. The inner side of the side with the finger fitter to the far right is referred to as ‘drawing side’. The drawing side has the same number of indents as found on the radius side.
To construct the polygon, the pen position in the radius side has to correspond with the one in the drawing side, measured starting at the inner corner. As an example, a groove as a visual tactile clue ending at the four centimetre radius indication shows the direction to look for the corresponding indent in the drawing side and/or the respective bisectrix position. The value for the radius is measured starting at the inner sharp corner and increases towards the tip. The once selected position at the radius side is going to be the centre of the polygon.
At the outer side of the drawing side you find indents as well. They indicate the position for the bisectrix of the equal leg triangle. The outside corner in between the radius side and the drawing side is rounded to allow for alignment with the ruler; the distance from the sharp hook to the ruler remains the same when you move/rotate the polygon tool.
Utilising the regular polygon template
The regular polygon tools are mainly used to create these shapes. You can also create mandalas. You have to use at least one pushpin to mark the centre of the polygon. A second pushpin is handy to mark the position to draw to along the drawing side.
Detailed description of the rectangular hook template
The two sides of the rectangular hook are under an angle of 90 degrees and are 10 centimetres long. The body of the tool is two centimetres wide. The corner between the sides is rounded at the outer side. The sides are ending with a 90 degree hook. Near the rounded corner and near to the tips, you find push pin markers.
You find indents for 30, 45 and 90 degrees at the rounded corner for alignment with the ruler. There are centimetre indicators along the inner side on the top surface. The inner sides have indents every half centimetre. At the outer side you find indents to perform a 30 or 45 degree rotation in reference to the inside angle. On the outer sides, near to the tips you find a finger fitter for easy lifting or extra grip.
Utilising the rectangular hook template
When you drawing along the two sides towards the inner corner you create two lines with a 90 degree angle. When you connect the two endings of the previously created lines you will get an irregular triangle on the TactiPad. By rotating and/or mirroring a triangle, you can create shapes such as diamond or kite.
Photo: The six centimetre equal sided triangle of the set (prototype 3D-print)
Detailed description of the triangle template
The templates for the triangles are of the type equal sided triangle. The length of the sides ranges from three to eight centimetres respectively. One outer corner is rounded, the other two are sharp. Along the outside you find indents at every centimetre. They correspond with the corners at the beginning/ending of the inner sides. The body of the triangle is about 12 millimetres wide. On the top surface, you find pushpin markers.
The inner sides have an indent at their halfway position.
On one of the outer sides you find a finger fitter for easy lifting or extra grip.
Utilising the triangle template
When you place the triangle template somewhere on the TactiPad in any orientation and then draw along the inner contour, you create your first triangle.
With the equal sided triangle you can create other shapes: a rectangular triangle of 30, 60 or 90 degrees, a diamond and star.
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