ES1243793U - TIFLOLOGICAL MODEL WITH AUDIO PLAYBACK ACTIVATED THROUGH TOUCH SENSORS (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Typhlological model with audio reproduction activated by touch sensors, characterized in that it comprises at least one relief (1), on the surface of which sensors (2) of conductive material are attached, connected by cables (3) with an electronic control board (4) that integrates an audio reproduction system and is connected to a speaker (5). (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

TIFLOLOGICAL MODEL WITH AUDIO PLAYBACK ACTIVATED THROUGH

TOUCH SENSORS

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention belongs to the field of museography and more specifically to the manufacture of the typhlological models, understanding as such those intended mainly for the blind or visually impaired.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In exhibition spaces, museum spaces, as well as in public buildings and monuments, there are typhlological models or relief representations of all kinds that are mainly aimed at blind and visually impaired people, so that they can access, through the sense of touch, to an understanding of the exposed elements equivalent to that which people without visual disabilities have through the visual experience.

The system usually used for the visually impaired person to obtain the desired information through the model consists of statically identifying, by means of relief symbology and / or a braille system inscription, each element of said model about which you want to inform, accompanied by a legend also in braille system and / or relief symbology in which each element is explained according to its identifier.

To obtain the information, the blind person must look for the symbols, numbers or letters in each element of the model, to later search for them again in the legend and be able to understand what they have been touching.

On the other hand, this type of static systems suffers wear due to tactile friction, which implies the deterioration in the legends through the loss of support and erosion of the braille dots, thereby making it difficult for the blind to understand and the loss of information.

In order to improve the user experience of the models by the blind or visually impaired, there are some inventions that incorporate audio content that is activated by applying touch to the various elements, so that it is not necessary to go to the legend.

Patent document WO2011067801A1 refers to a system that increases the information received by blind people when exposing a sculpture through sound. The system has a panel located within the user's reach, on which a relief reproduction of the piece is located, with a detection unit, and a processor, which identifies the position of the user's finger on the relief, and controls the sound reproduction through speakers. The technology for capturing the user's finger position is optical using infrared light.

The utility model ES1232839U describes a generic typhlological model system connected to an audio system, but without specifying the technological solution of the tactile system.

There are also experiences of typhlological models in which the capture of the tactile signal is carried out by means of electrically conductive paints, which have the drawback of losing efficiency as wear occurs due to the action of touch.

On the other hand, the typhlological models in general are uniquely manufactured, each project normally being a unique development, which implies laborious work to incorporate the activation systems in the reliefs, especially when the details of the reliefs are small.

There are also problems associated with audio reproduction in typhlological models not solved by current systems, such as individualized reproduction in a way that avoids the inconvenience to other people without visual disabilities who may be in the environment of the model, or the language selection in real time used in the recordings by the person who interacts with the model in question.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to obtain a typhlological model that allows the reproduction of audio content activated by touch in order to improve the experience of use of the blind or visually impaired people when receiving information in real time about the elements of the demo they are playing.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain a typhlological model that minimizes the deterioration effect of the information provided due to the effect of wear due to touch, increasing the useful life of the device.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain a typhlological model that allows the flexible incorporation of sensors for the audio reproduction activation tactile signal so that they adapt to the various unique formal designs that can be made of said model.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain a typhlological model that allows the reproduction of audio content by selecting the language used in said reproductions by the person who interacts with it.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain a typhlological model that allows the reproduction of audio content so that it is only heard by each person who interacts with it individually.

The typhlological model system with audio reproduction activated by touch sensors object of the present invention comprises, at least, a system of conductive material sensors, such as copper or other, accessible on the raised surface of the model and connected by cables with a central controller or electronic control board that integrates an audio reproduction system, to which in turn a speaker is connected, so that when touching or approaching a person's fingers to said sensors, a signal is transmitted by means of the capacitive principle and audio recordings are reproduced in correspondence with the area or the touched element of the model.

In one embodiment of the invention, the sensors consist of sheets of small thickness adhered to the relief surface, so that they are accessible to the touch. The shape of the sheets can be varied depending on the areas you want to make sensitive to touch on the surface of the model.

In another embodiment of the invention, the sensors consist of cylinders, also of conductive material, inserted inside holes made in the relief, so that one of their bases is accessible to the touch on said surface. Being small in diameter they can be easily located in the different shapes that the relief may have.

In any of the embodiments, the surface of the model and, therefore, of the sensors, can be covered with paint or textured coatings that increase or decrease the sensitivity of the touch sensors depending on the type and layer thickness used in them. Through the control board, the sensitivity of these sensors can be regulated according to the desired experience of use.

In any of the embodiments, a sensor panel located in a specific area of the model can be incorporated in which the user can select the language used by the audio reproductions by touch, using raised symbols or braille text corresponding to every sensor and language available.

In any of the embodiments, the listening of the audio reproductions can be limited to the person who interacts with the typhlological model, substituting the emission of the sound through the speaker or speakers by a mobile electronic device, such as a smartphone, carried by This person and equipped with headphones, which communicates wirelessly with the control board, using a communication protocol, such as Bluetooth.

Throughout the description and the claims, the word "comprises" and its variants are not intended to exclude other technical characteristics, additives, components or steps. For those skilled in the art, other objects, advantages and characteristics of the invention will emerge in part from the invention and in part from the practice of the invention. The following examples and drawings are provided by way of illustration and are not intended to restrict the present invention. Furthermore, the invention covers all possible combinations of particular and preferred embodiments indicated herein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of said description, where, by way of illustration and not limitation, the next:

Figure 1.- Shows a schematic representation of the invention according to a preferred embodiment.

Figure 2.- Shows a detailed axonometric view of the invention according to a preferred embodiment.

Figure 3.- Shows a schematic representation of the invention according to another preferred embodiment.

Figure 4.- Shows a detailed axonometric view of the invention according to another preferred embodiment.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Using the numbering adopted in Figures 1-4 of this document to identify the elements that make up the typhlological model system object of the present invention, we proceed to the description of said elements for two preferred embodiments of the invention.

The typhlological model system object of the invention is formed in a preferred embodiment by a relief (1), on the surface of which sensors (2) consisting of sheets of conductive material, such as non-limiting copper, are attached, connected by cables (3) with an electronic control board (4) that integrates an audio system and is connected to a speaker (5), being electrically powered by a power source (7).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shape of the sensor sheets (2) adapts to the shape of the surface of the relief (1) where they are adhered.

In another embodiment of the invention, the sensors consist of cylinders (6) of small diameter and also of conductive material inserted inside holes made in the relief (1), so that one of its bases is accessible to the touch on said surface.

In any of the embodiments of the invention, a group of sensors (8) grouped in a panel (9) can be incorporated for the selection of the language of the audio reproduction, through relief symbology or braille text (10) in correspondence of each sensor and selectable language.

In any of the embodiments of the invention, the electronic control board (4) can communicate wirelessly with a mobile electronic device (11) carried by the user and provided with a specific software application (12), to which they are connected headphones (13) through which audio reproductions are emitted instead of through the loudspeaker (5).

Claims (5)

1. Typhlological model with audio reproduction activated by touch sensors, characterized in that it comprises at least one relief (1), on the surface of which sensors (2) of conductive material are attached, connected by cables (3) with an electronic control board (4) that integrates an audio reproduction system and is connected to a speaker (5). 2. Typhlological model with audio reproduction activated by touch sensors according to claim 1, characterized in that the conductive material sensors (2) have a form of sheet adhered on the relief surface (2) adapted to the shape of said surface. 3. Typhlological model with audio reproduction activated by touch sensors according to claim 1, characterized in that the conductive material sensors (6) are in the form of cylinders inserted inside holes made in the relief (2), such that one of the its bases are accessible to the touch on the surface of said relief (2). 4. Typhlological model with audio reproduction activated by touch sensors according to claim 1, characterized by incorporating a panel (9) with sensors (8) that allow selecting the language used in the audio reproduction through raised symbols or braille text (10) in correspondence of each sensor and selectable language. 5. Typhlological model with audio reproduction activated by touch sensors according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control board (4) communicates wirelessly with a mobile electronic device (11) carried by the user and provided with an application for Specific software (12), to which headphones (13) are connected, through which audio reproductions are broadcast.