Researchers
Dr Nazlina Shaari (Contact details available to registered journalists from the link below)
Ong Wan Fen
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)
Informative design on textiles for the visually impaired involves utilizing the Braille, new codes/symbols to deliver information about colours, textures, labels as well as aesthetic values on textile for the benefit of the visually impaired. Through this method, the visually impaired can acquire essential knowledge and information by themselves, allowing easier accessibility and enabling them to get a better picture of the textiles.
The visually impaired person has difficulties to purchase their apparel by themselves as there is no special coding for them to identify the colours and sizes. The invention involves the use of a new method to allow the visually impaired to sense the embossed Braille on textiles regarding the information of the textile products. The informative design consists of applying embossed Braille and the colour codes/symbols on textile as a guide for the visually impaired.
The colour codes/symbols are printed on tectiles with embossed dye to give the embossed texture. The unique feature of this product is that the informative design appears as a part of the normal visual deisgn of the T-short for normal persons, but at the same time it works as a functional design for the visually impaired. The essential information of the product can be known by sensing it with fingers. It has great potential, which can benefit the visually impaired locally and internationally.
This research won a Gold Medal at the 2006 Geneva International Inventions Expo
