Touching the stars: improving NASA 3D printed data sets with blind and visually impaired audiences

TL;DR

This paper discusses advancements in tactile 3D models based on NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory data, aiming to enhance accessibility for blind and visually impaired audiences in astronomy.

Contribution

It introduces technological and programmatic improvements in creating tactile 3D models for better data accessibility in astronomy.

Findings

Enhanced tactile 3D models increase accessibility for visually impaired audiences.

Progress in 3D printing technology improves data representation accuracy.

Development of inclusive educational tools for astronomy.

Abstract

Astronomy has been an inherently visual area of science for millenia, yet a majority of its significant discoveries take place in wavelengths beyond human vision. There are many people, including those with low or no vision, who cannot participate fully in such discoveries if visual media is the primary communication mechanism. Numerous efforts have worked to address equity of accessibility to such knowledge sharing, such as through the creation of three dimensional (3D) printed data sets. This paper describes progress made through technological and programmatic developments in tactile 3D models using the NASA Chandra X-ray Observatory to improve access to data.