01. TactiPad drawing board

The TactiPad board has a hinge on one of the long sides to be able to open and close the frame. If you open the frame and let it lean a bit back, it stays open. In this position, you can easily place a drawing sheet on the rubber mat. The sheet is somewhat larger than the rubber mat. Make sure that the margins are roughly the same size on all sides.

Slightly close the frame, and let it rest on your hands. Smooth out the surface of the sheet by moving both hands out from the middle to the sides while pressing the sheet. Remove your hands and let the frame drop back in place. For best drawing results the sheet should be placed on the drawing surface as smooth as possible. You may have to try this a couple of times to get it right.

The TactiPad with all its parts can be stored in a case with a handle and a shoulder strap. A special compartment is available for storing the plastic sheets. This compartment is closed by a velcro strap which prevents the sheets from moving during transport. The compartment is below the inner side to which the ruler, set square and protractor are attached using rubber bands. The same rubber bands also keep the compass’ base in place, as well as the frame for the reciever of the TactileView digital pen.
The compass branch, a pen and possibly the digital pen are held in a small compartment.

The branch should be placed with its point and spike flat on the case. There is also a pincushion, in which a number of pins can be stuck. The drawing board itself goes into another compartment, which consists of a frame which covers the grooves with the knobs, but leaves the drawing surface uncovered. When the case is inwardly folded, a velcro band keeps it closed. The drawing surface remains uncovered when the case is folded outwards so that, when the case is carried with the shoulder strap, you can draw while traveling.

The frame

The TactiPad has rails on each of the four sides of the frame. In every rail two moveable knobs are mounted. You can attach the different TactiPad drawing tools to the knobs, and slide them along the rails. The measure designation, which is at all sides of the frame makes it possible to position the tools precisely. Grooves next to the drawing surface indicate 5 centimeter distances. The semi-circle hollows along the rails indicate centimeter and 0,5 centimeter distances. The hollows on the inner side and those on the outer side of the rail have the same width but are lined up differently. This allows you to measure 0,5 centimeter distances.

The origin for the measure designation is located in the upper left corner (when having the hinge pointing to the left or back). The edge of the frame is 3,5 centimeters wide. The diameter of the knobs measures 2 centimeters, and they are placed 1 centimeter away from the outer edge of the frame.

Measure designation

For measure designation in centimeters, 9 millimeter wide semi-circular hollows have been made on a short distance from the edge. They create points between them, each with a distance of 1 centimeter to the next. With those points, it becomes easy to read the exact distance per centimeter. Because the hollows are semi-circular, the distance per 5 milimeters can be read in the deepest point of the hollow. The measure designation can be found at all edges of the drawing surface and on the drawing tools. An exception is the round edge of the protractor. Here the points between the hollows don’t indicate 1 centimeter, but indicate the angle in steps of 10 degrees instead.

Knobs and holes

Black ribbed knobs can be moved along the rails by (un)screwing them. The knobs are 2 centimeters wide and 8 milimeters high. They can be removed by totally unscrewing them. To place a knob back in the rail, place it on a random place in the rail, and slide it all the way to the outer corner, dragging the nut along. Here the knob can be screwed back again.
The drawing tools have holes and wide grooves, to fit around the knobs. By fixing the knob and putting the tool over it, the tools can be tightened. With partially unscrewed knobs, the tools can be moved smoothly across the drawing surface.

Until you have the TactiPad laying on your desk, and the drawing tools in your hand, you won’t really know how the TactiPad feels and what it looks like. Of course, holding it in hand is not always possible. That’s what this detailed description of all parts is for.

The TactiPad is a drawing board with which you can make raised line drawings as VIP (Visual Impared Person). Or others can make raised line drawings for you. The drawing happens on a thin plastic sheet placed on a rubber subsoil.

Working with the TactiPad

Upon firmly pressing the sheet with either a pen or any other pointy device, a raised line will develop. This is a very old technique, which makes use of the so-called ‘emboss’ effect, meaning the plastic sheet will be stretched by the tip of the pen. The transformations can not be undone. In other words: don’t bother bringing your eraser.

General characteristics

The TactiPad is made of plastic, so that it won’t feel cold. The corners are rounded. The size as well as the measure designation are based on commonly used values. The use of the colors black and yellow provides us with a good contrast between different parts. The Tactipad is flat, and therefore easy to take with. Two grooves have been made at the backside, to make it possible to hang the TactiPad just like a picture frame.

Drawing surface of the TactiPad

The surface on which can be drawn, has exactly the size of an A4 paper sheet (29,7 x 21,0 centimeters). The surface exists out of a 4 milimeter thick rubber layer. Below this layer is a thin metal plate. Around the drawing surface is a 3,5 centimeters wide fame, in which a groove and a measure designation are placed.
At the frontside of the TactiPad (with the stands pointing to te back), the bottom layer has been shaped inwards, as compared to the frame. By placing your thumb under the edge, and pressing on the drawing surface with your fingers, the frame can be lifted. When closed, the frame exactly surrounds the drawing surface, and is just as high. The plastic sheet which is used to draw on measures 34 * 27 centimeters, and is tightened under the frame since it’s larger than the drawing surface itself. To keep the TactiPad closed, two flat magnets are placed on the corners of the drawing board, pulling the frame and drawing surface together. This way the sheet is held in place.