A Historic Moment: People Who Are Blind View Eclipse in Real Time

New technology created "touchable" eclipse experience

News provided by

American Printing House for the Blind

Aug 22, 2017, 14:06 ET

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time in known history, people who are blind experienced the solar eclipse, as it happened, thanks to a developing technology that allowed them to feel a real time, changing image.

Employees of the American Printing House for the Blind (APH), the co-inventor of the Graphiti™, and students of the Kentucky School for the Blind gathered together to "touch" the sun and experienced this historic event with their friends, family, and co-workers.

For the first time ever, people who are blind were able to directly experience an eclipse as it happened, thanks to developing technology from APH that allowed them to feel a changing image of the sun. Students from the KY School for the Blind and APH employees gathered with their friends, family members, and co-workers to experience this historical event. For many, the experience of “touching the sun” was out of this world. Learn more at www.aph.org.

Graphiti, a device being developed by APH and Orbit Research, combines an array of 2400 movable pins with image software to create a tactile representation. A camera provided the eclipse image, and the shape of the moon and sun crossing paths refreshed every 10 seconds.

For people who are blind, the experience of "touching" the sun, in real time, was a thrill. It also gave participants the opportunity to share in a worldwide event.

"No one was sitting on the sidelines today," said APH President Craig Meador. "Learning equality is not just about providing the same information that people who are sighted have. It's about providing the same social, historical and other experiences that everyone else is enjoying."

The prototype Graphiti used at the eclipse viewing is currently the only one in existence, but APH hopes to have them ready for sale next year. "Ideally we would have had units for everyone around the world today," said Larry Skutchan, one of the Graphiti's developers. "We are excited to see how Graphiti will be used in science classrooms, business workplaces, museums … the possibilities are endless. Just imagine where this technology will be by the time of the next eclipse!"

Learn more about Graphiti and the work of the American Printing House for the Blind at: www.aph.org.

About APH – The American Printing House for the Blind
The American Printing House for the Blind, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in, Louisville, Kentucky, is the world's largest company devoted solely to creating educational, workplace, and independent living products and services for people who are blind and visually impaired.

CONTACT:
Rebecca Snider, (502) 899-2357 (office), [email protected] or
Anne Durham, (502-899-2323, [email protected]
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfH3gSpcHlw

SOURCE American Printing House for the Blind