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TactiPad – Drawing tools – Art & Science Templates: Spur Wheel

The Spur Wheel Template

Photo: Spur wheel with 12 teeth
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.


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    TactiPad – Drawing tools – Art & Science Templates: Polygon

    The Regular Polygon Template

    Photo: Heptagon polygon template
    Photo: Heptagon polygon template (prototype 3D-print)

    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.


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      TactiPad – Drawing tools – Art & Science Templates: Rectangular hook / L-shape hook

      The rectangular hook / L-shape hook Template

      Photo: Rectangular hook / L-shaped hook
      Photo: Rectangular hook / L-shaped hook (prototype 3D-print)

      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.


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        TactiPad – Drawing tools – Art & Science Templates: Triangle

        The equal sided Triangle Template

         Photo: The six centimetre equal sided triangle of the set
        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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          TactiPad – Drawing tools – Art & Science Templates: Square

          The Square Template

          Photo: The four centimetre square of the set
          Photo: The four centimetre square of the set (prototype 3D-print)

          Detailed description of the square template

          The sizes of the squares ranges from two to ten centimetres. The frame that forms the square is one centimetre wide. So a four centimetre squared template has the inner dimension of four centimetres. The outside is six centimetres in square.

          Two diagonal opposite outside corners are sharp, there you can find the pushpin. The other two corners are rounded. Along the outside a small indent is provided at every centimetre. The inner side has an indent at the halfway position of each of the four sides. In two of the opposing outer sides you find finger fitters for easy lifting or extra grip.

          Utilising the square template

          When you position the square somewhere on the TactiPad in any orientation and then draw along the inner contour, you create your first square. With the square template you can create many more shapes such as diamond, parallelogram, trapezium, and also 3D shapes such as pyramid or cube.

           


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            03. TactiPad – Placing the drawing foil

            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.


            Placing the sheet on the drawing surface

            Smooth out the foil with your hands to remove wrinkles

            06. ClickPad – Activating Text to Speech (TTS)

            To be able to listen to the included audio-information, a Text to Speech system has to be installed on the computer. The TactileView software needs to have access to this system. Using the settings menu of the software, the language, speech rate and volume for the audio-information can be set.

            For information about the installation and use of the TactileView digital pen, please read the TactileView digital pen manual.

            05. ClickPad – Exploring with speech and sound

            With the tactile image placed on the ClickPad, the digital version of the design has to be opened as a file in the TactileView drawing software. The software then has to be switched from design mode to explore mode, using the digital pen (or the option in the View menu or hotkey Ctrl+E). Using the File menu, a design can also be opened in the explore mode straight away.
            This mode also has a menu that can be operated with a long click of the digital pen (open context menu). From here a different file can be selected, matching a different printed tactile image.
            By clicking on the tactile image, the audio-information is played. In case there is no audio-information on that location in the image, a ‘no-audio’ sound is played.

            04. ClickPad – TactileView digital pen and software

            The digital pen is used to click on the tactile image to listen to any included audio-information, and to operate the TactileView software.
            The pen has to be equipped with batteries. In the TactileView drawing software the pen can be tested and calibrated for the ClickPad. To prevent ink from being spilled on the image, it is advised to use the plastic tip included with the TactileView digital pen.

            03. ClickPad – Description

            The TactileView ClickPad

            The ClickPad is a yellow, 5 millimeter thick plate, with anti-slip material on the underside. The ClickPad is available in A4, A3 and US letter format to match the different sizes of tactile images.
            The ClickPad is slightly wider at its four edges, and has notches in which rubber bands are placed. The tactile image is held in place by these rubber bands. In one long side are four holes for storing the ClickPad in a two or four ring binder.

            Magnets in the sides

            Four magnets have been placed in the edges of the ClickPad. Two in one long side, two in one short side. Two magnets are also mounted in the holder for the receiver of the TactileView digital pen. This way, the holder will be attracted to the ClickPad.
            Depending on the page orientation the holder is at the long side (landscape) or at the short side (portrait).
            The holder can be detached and attached again. The magnets make sure that the holder automatically falls in the right position. The receiver for the TactileView digital pen can then be connected to the computer by a USB-cable.
            The right-up marker on the tactile diagram can always be found in the upper right corner. Use this symbol on the diagram to determine the receiver’s position.

            Paper clamps of the TactileView ClickPad

            At every corner of the ClickPad a rubber band is attached which crosses itself as a result of a rotation.
            On 1,5 and 5 centimeter distance from the corners, there are hook-shaped notches in the outer edge for attaching the rubber band.
            To attach the rubber bands, put one around the corner in the two notches farthest from the corner. The band now makes a 45 degrees angle from the long to a short side of the TactileView ClickPad. Hook 2 fingers under the rubber band and rotate so that the band is twisted 180 degrees around your fingers. Pull the rubber band outwards and put it around the corner into the notches closest to the corner.
            On the upper side of the ClickPad, the rubber band crosses itself. On the underside the rubber band runs parallel; one between the notches closest to the corner, and one between the two notches farthest from the corner.
            With the rubber bands in all four corners of the ClickPad, the paper sheet is fastened all around on 16 places. The rubber bands measure around 7 centimeters for the A4 format and 12 centimeters for the A3 format.