Envision the Future was launched on March 20th by Matterhackers and Enablingthefurture.org and ended on May 8th. For the record, this design global competition aims at helping blind and visually impaired people. Contestants should create 3D printable designs that any age group would use in their classroom or an assistive device to make daily life easier.
Winners in the Under 18 Category
Samsuchin’s design won the first place winner in the Under 18 category. His prizes are a MatterHackers PRO Series PLA, a MatterControl T10, and a LulzBot Mini 3D printer
Samsuchin explained that “with the USA Braille Map, the visually impaired can now comprehend the states in the USA. Each state has their two letter abbreviation in braille and every state border has different elevations so he [he] can get a better understanding of the territories for each state.”
The second place in the same category was granted to the SpottyX Braille Multiplication Educational Tool of Robert Van Zyl. The tool is supposed to help students to practice multiplication. A $100 MatterHackers gift card and a Crafty 3D Printing Pen constitute his prizes.
The last place in this category was given to SebDrummer. His tool Music For All helps him to win a $50 gift card to MatterHackers.
Winners in the Over 18 Age Category
Georges Jonathan won the first prize with his Rubik’s Cube Braille Tiles. His 9 year daughter and he precisely won a LulzBot TAZ 6 3D printer, a MatterControl T10, and three spools of MatterHackers PRO Series PLA.
“If someone is color blind [he] can also use different color plastic to accommodate for the colors [he] can’t differentiate. What makes [the] design unique is [the use of color filament so that] a sighted person can work together with a person who is blind. [They also] added an orientation line at the bottom of each tile. This allows as the cube is turned that the braille user knows where the bottom of each tile is.”
In the second place, Justin Larson intends to help students with a Rotational Line Graphing Tool. He won a $100 MatterHackers gift card and a Crafty 3D Printing Pen for his design.
With a $50 MatterHackers gift card as prize, Mike Curtis stands out with the Tactile Circuit Blocks design.
