TactIcons: Designing 3D Printed Map Icons for People who are Blind or have Low Vision

TL;DR

This paper tackles the challenge of translating visual map icons into accessible tactile cues for blind and low-vision users by developing representational 3D tactile icons (TactIcons) and rigorously testing them via a two-study design. It demonstrates that a substantial subset of icons can be instantly recognized without a legend and identifies a larger set that are learnable with legend support, ultimately delivering a verified corpus of 67 icons and practical guidelines. The authors also propose a concrete methodology for co-design and touch testing that accounts for individual differences in tactile perception and familiarity, with an emphasis on inclusivity and real-world applicability. The work has implications for standardizing tactile iconography, expanding accessible map design, and guiding future in-the-wild evaluations and manufacturing approaches.

Abstract

Visual icons provide immediate recognition of features on print maps but do not translate well for touch reading by people who are blind or have low vision due to the low fidelity of tactile perception. We explored 3D printed icons as an equivalent to visual icons for tactile maps addressing these problems. We designed over 200 tactile icons (TactIcons) for street and park maps. These were touch tested by blind and sighted people, resulting in a corpus of 33 icons that can be recognised instantly and a further 34 icons that are easily learned. Importantly, this work has informed the creation of detailed guidelines for the design of TactIcons and a practical methodology for touch testing new TactIcons. It is hoped that this work will contribute to the creation of more inclusive, user-friendly tactile maps for people who are blind or have low vision.

Figures (8)

• Figure 1: A variety of symbols used on print maps to represent camp grounds. There is little standardisation but all are effective for instant recognition.
• Figure 2: Representational print icons and corresponding abstract tactile icons for land use, adapted from an example map in the Guidelines and Standards for Tactile Graphics by the Braille Authority of North America BANA2010guidelines.
• Figure 3: Aims and outputs across this paper's two studies.
• Figure 4: Icons developed to represent a barbeque area based on brainstorming and reference to print icons. Minor adjustments such as adding and refining the scallops on the tongs are not shown here. Percentages indicate recognition accuracy for sighted/BLV touch testers, where 'nt' = not tested.
• Figure 5: Icons for park and playground maps (left) and shop maps (right) recognised by 80% or more of blind touch testers in Study 2. Icons with a dashed blue outline had an association rate less than 80% by blind testers. Icons with a dotted red outline had a recognition rate less than 80% by sighted testers.