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Marjon Tas

13.01 Troubleshooting

This section lists the issues that have occasionally happened during tests, and how to solve them should they occur again.

Arm blocked

If the movement of the arm has been obstructed, shut the MDA down with the on/off switch at the back. See section 2.02 “Unobstructed drawing”.

Lost connection (TactileView)

In some cases, TactileView will lose the connection with the MDA after it has been running for a while. The simplest way to solve this is to restart TactileView; the MDA should then function normally again.

Interface not accessible

First try restarting your browser. If this does not solve the problem, restart the MDA.

No connection possible (TactileView)

When the MDA still fails to respond after restarting TactileView, first check if all the cables are connected correctly. Next, check if the COM port (see chapter 10.01) is still entered correctly.

Drawing foil tears

The drawing foil is very thin and can tear when too much force is applied. To stop this from happening again, make sure the drawing foil is fixed on the TactiPad as tight as possible. Avoid drawing too many intersecting lines, as these will weaken the foil. Lastly, make sure to replace the foil before between each drawing.

Slow or jittery movement (TactileView)

When the MDA does not operate as smoothly as it normally would, it is best to switch it off and restart TactileView.

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Pass your upcoming math exams with the MDA

Graph sketched on the TactiPad by the MDA

The motorised drawing arm (MDA) is capable of sketching a wide variety of designs, created with the TactileView software, right onto the TactiPad drawing board. We will be demonstrating the full setup of our system at the SightCity exhibition in Frankfurt. We will show you how a student can use it to pass the upcoming math exams, or how a teacher can use our system to prepare math assignments. Of course, a great variety of different subjects can also be sketched…

Read more

Two MDAs pre-ordered; are you next?

The moment has finally come: after a busy development period, we are proud to announce that the Motorised Drawing Arm (MDA) is now available for pre-order!

For us, it has been a very inspiring period since we first showed you this product idea. The MDA has certainly attracted a lot of attention so far!

The outcome of the development is a unique product to create tactile diagrams in a brand new way.
In short, a design from the TactileView sofware is sketched on the TactiPad drawing board by a motorised stylus, creating a reased line drawing.

Computer rendered image of the first production model of the MDA

New interactive applications
By combining accurate digital tactile graphics with the ability to expand these by hand, the MDA opens up a wide range of new interactive applications for students, teachers and professionals. Designs can be quickly reproduced for multiple users, for example several students in a classroom.

On our restyled Thinkable website, you can find all details about the use of the MDA or the different applications we have in mind.

MDA Smart Module
The MDA can also be extended with the Smart Module. Instead of connecting the MDA with USB to your computer, this Smart Module will enable you to wirelessly sketch a design on the MDA. You can even operate the sketching process via the browser on your smart phone or tablet!

Pre-order your MDA (and get a bonus)
We are currently preparing to first production run for the MDA, with an expected delivery date of June 30th 2018. You are invited to place your pre-order to be one of the very first people to start using the MDA. Better still, all pre-orders will receive the MDA Smart Module for free!

If instead you are interested in ordering the MDA at a later stage, we would also be very grateful if you could already let us know that you are interested. You can simply use our order page to notify us.

Experience the MDA at the ZieZo, CSUN and SightCity exhibitions
We have three exhibitions scheduled at which you can explore the possibilities of the MDA:

– March 16th and 17th at the ZieZo exhibition in Utrecht, the Netherlands;
– March 21st to 23rd at the CSUN Assistive Technology conference in San Diego, California. You can find us in the Irie-AT booth, nr 605;
– April 25th to 27th at the SightCity exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany.

Our open, transparent prototype will allow you to see all the inner workings behind the MDA’s drawing mechanism up close, while a computer generated render will show you the looks of the production model.

Parabola symbolising the year's end

New parabola tool on the TactiPad

With the end of the year fast approaching, we hope you can look forward to enjoying the holiday season.

For us, the end of the year resembles the curve of a parabola. Things will gradually slow down for a well-earned rest, until midnight on the 31st of December when everyone is holding their breath to welcome 2017. In the new year, everything will be picking up speed once more with renewed enthusiasm.

Plans for 2017

We are pleased to let you know that the GraphGrid accessory set for the TactiPad has been extended with three additional tools. These allow you to draw perfect parabolas, hyperbolas and concave or convex lenses.

But more on that later – for now, we want to wish you a merry Christmas and the happiest of New Years!

Introducing new braille grid and measurements grid

In this newsletter, we would like to announce that Thinkable will shortly release a new version of TactileView, the most powerful tactile graphics editor available on the market. In this version, the emphasis lays on new convenient tools that will help you with accurate alignment of texts and objects in your design. With these, getting the right page layout has never been easier.

Introducing the braille grid and measurements grid

In the upcoming version of the TactileView software, the new braille grid and revised measurements grid will be introduced. These are great tools that help you to manage the layout of your design by easily aligning and placing text labels and graphic elements.

Highlighting the braille grid (above) and measurements grid (below)

The braille grid is primarily used to align text labels in a regular grid and conform to certain layout guidelines, whereas the measurements grid is mostly used to align objects and visualize their size.

Using these grids, you can easily:

  • Manage the size of inserted objects (measurements grid)
  • Control distances between elements (measurements grid)
  • Place text labels in a regular grid or on the same row/column (braille grid)
  • Align objects with text labels (subsequently using both alignment grids)

ATIA 2016 logo
Hands-on demonstration at the ATIA
Held on February 3-6 in Orlando, Florida, the ATIA conference is one of the largest international conferences on assistive technology. To get a hands-on demonstration of the TactiPad drawing board and TactileView software, including the new features in the upcoming release version, visit Irie-AT in booth 804 at the ATIA.

Inspirational story

Molecular structure of dopamine

Recently, we were contacted by Emily Schlenker, a blind pre-medical student at Wichita State University. She was born without sight, but that hasn’t slowed down her fascination with organic chemistry. For us at Thinkable, it’s stories like hers that drive our passion for tactile graphics. We are excited to share it with you as end-of-year inspiration.

Molecular structure of dopamine

Blind ‘visual learner’

Emily says: “The TactiPad has been instrumental in my transformation from a fearful and anxious student who lacked the confidence to speak up in class or go to my professor in private with my questions, into a strong participant in lectures and study sessions who is often right on the money with the answers.”

Another intriguing aspect of her story is that she describes herself as being a visual learner, regardless of her visual impairment. “My brain thrives on pictures,” she says, “my mental acuity and ability to do organic chemistry in my head from memory has improved exponentially. If I can draw, I can remember.”

Aid for assignments and exams

Despite the initially steep learning curve, she has rapidly become very skilful in making tactile drawings that enable her to get the most out of her participation in the academic world. “After working with the TactiPad, I am now confident enough to present my pictures as visual aids for my questions or as parts of assignments. Hearts and happy faces are alright, but this thing is life altering. Without it, I would not be preparing to take the MCAT exam next summer.”

For us, it certainly was heart-warming to read Emily’s personal story. If you too have experience with the Thinkable products that you wish to share with other (future) users, do not hesitate to contact us!

Read Emily's full story here

We wish you a wonderful holiday season from us at Thinkable and all the best in 2018!

TactileView – Get better results with the new tutorial section

Are you producing tactile images and other materials for blind readers, or planning to do so? And would you like to discover how TactileView can help you to create outstanding tactile graphics with minimal effort?

Then our manual page and newly added tutorial section might be the ideal place for you to start. Our first tutorial covers how to find a suitable image on the internet and which software functions to use to convert it into a tactile diagram. With either the step by step guide or the included video, you will find out how easy it can be to produce your very own high quality tactile graphics.

Screenshot of the TactileView manual page

The tutorials will show you the process of creating tactile graphics, whereas the manual section explains each software function separately and more extensively. If you wish to discover more about any of the software functions that are used in the tutorial, simply follow the links in the tutorial, which will bring you to the various richly illustrated manual sections that will cover them in more detail.

Windows 10 supported

Microsoft has recently released their latest version of their operating system – Windows 10. For those that wish to upgrade we have good news: support for TactileView v2.200 also includes Windows 10.

In case you are using printer drivers for your printer or embosser that where supplied from the manufacturer, you may have to check the producer’s website to make sure they are compatible with Windows 10.

Presenting the MDA’s prototype 2

Motorised Drawing Arm - prototype 2

In recent months, we have made major progress again in the development of the Motorised Drawing Arm (MDA). In this newsletter, we are excited to share the latest developments. We also invite you to come and see the device in action at the TifloInnova exhibition on 17-19 November in Madrid (for further details, see below).

Motorised Drawing Arm - prototype 2

MDA prototype 2

The first important improvement in the second MDA prototype is the use of a new type of motor that applies pressure to the pen. The new setup will ensure that the pen can move over the height of the 8 TactiPad buttons irrespective of their positions. Also, the new motor better accommodates the slight variations in height across the TactiPad. This results in a consistent quality of the tactile lines across the entire drawing surface.

In the following video, you can see the remarkable speed and precision of the new prototype is if you selected an image from the catalog and pressed the sketch button:

USB connection and WIFI access

Besides connecting the MDA via USB directly to the computer, it can now also be connected wirelessly via Wifi because of the addition of a Raspberry Pi to the system. This way, it can even be operated using your mobile phone or any other mobile device! This offers brand new ways for students and teachers to work with educational graphics.

MDA catalog

Currently, the TactileView software includes a catalog with thousands of ready-to-use tactile graphics. We plan to set up a similar catalog of images specifically for sketching on the MDA.
You can already visit our demo version of the MDA catalog, which includes a first set of designs as an example. In the future, you can directly drive your MDA from this online catalog from any browser on your pc, mobile phone or tablet.

Your suggestions

We are very interested to hear which content you would like to produce when you would have an MDA on your desk. When visiting the MDA catalog page, we welcome you to think about which categories or which specific pre-made graphics you would like to find in the catalog. Or even better, send us your ideas or images that you would like to see produced on the MDA!

TifloInnova exhibition in Madrid

Jaap and Niels from Thinkable will be present at the TifloInnova exhibition, giving a hands-on demonstration of the TactiPad drawing board, TactileView software and of course the new MDA prototype.

The exhibition is held from 17-19 November in the ONCE Sports and Cultural Centre in the north of Madrid. Admission is free for all visitors. When you are there, we invite you to pay us a visit in booth 4. For further details, see the TifloInnova website.

Come visit us at SightCity 2015 in Frankfurt, Germany

Map of Germany in TactileView

On May 20-22, Germany’s biggest annual exhibition in the field of specialized aids for the blind and visually impaired – SightCity 2015 – will be held in the Sheraton Hotel in Frankfurt, Germany.

This year we will join our German distributor, Blista Brailletec, in booth D1 in the main exhibition hall. Visit us to get a hands-on demonstration of the TactiPad drawing board or get a feel of the possibilities of tactile graphics with TactileView.

We are looking forward to meet you in Frankfurt!

Presenting the MDA’s prototype 2

Motorised Drawing Arm - prototype 2

In recent months, we have made major progress again in the development of the Motorised Drawing Arm (MDA). In this newsletter, we are excited to share the latest developments. We also invite you to come and see the device in action at the TifloInnova exhibition on 17-19 November in Madrid (for further details, see below).

Motorised Drawing Arm - prototype 2

MDA prototype 2

The first important improvement in the second MDA prototype is the use of a new type of motor that applies pressure to the pen. The new setup will ensure that the pen can move over the height of the 8 TactiPad buttons irrespective of their positions. Also, the new motor better accommodates the slight variations in height across the TactiPad. This results in a consistent quality of the tactile lines across the entire drawing surface.

In the following video, you can see the remarkable speed and precision of the new prototype is if you selected an image from the catalog and pressed the sketch button:

USB connection and WIFI access

Besides connecting the MDA via USB directly to the computer, it can now also be connected wirelessly via Wifi because of the addition of a Raspberry Pi to the system. This way, it can even be operated using your mobile phone or any other mobile device! This offers brand new ways for students and teachers to work with educational graphics.

MDA catalog

Currently, the TactileView software includes a catalog with thousands of ready-to-use tactile graphics. We plan to set up a similar catalog of images specifically for sketching on the MDA.
You can already visit our demo version of the MDA catalog, which includes a first set of designs as an example. In the future, you can directly drive your MDA from this online catalog from any browser on your pc, mobile phone or tablet.

Your suggestions

We are very interested to hear which content you would like to produce when you would have an MDA on your desk. When visiting the MDA catalog page, we welcome you to think about which categories or which specific pre-made graphics you would like to find in the catalog. Or even better, send us your ideas or images that you would like to see produced on the MDA!

TifloInnova exhibition in Madrid

Jaap and Niels from Thinkable will be present at the TifloInnova exhibition, giving a hands-on demonstration of the TactiPad drawing board, TactileView software and of course the new MDA prototype.

The exhibition is held from 17-19 November in the ONCE Sports and Cultural Centre in the north of Madrid. Admission is free for all visitors. When you are there, we invite you to pay us a visit in booth 4. For further details, see the TifloInnova website.