The Fabricated Diorama: Tactile Relief and Context-aware Technology for Visually Impaired Audiences

Abstract

The recent popularity of digital fabrication has stimulated cultural heritage professionals to utilise such technologies for a variety of processes, including the creation of digitally fabricated handling objects. The design and production of these objects or replicas, as commonly known, depends on choices that do not only limit themselves to a variety of technologies. This paper presents a focused contribution towards increasing the understanding of the heritage community on how to introduce digitally fabricated objects within context-aware museum experiences for different audiences. The purpose of the project is to enhance enjoyment, learning and appreciation of cultural and natural heritage while avoiding the ''technological fetishism'' which often appears along with the introduction of new technologies. In particular, the paper presents research focusing on the needs of visually impaired and blind audiences; it describes the development of a context-aware tactile experience within the Booth Museum in Brighton (UK); evaluates the developments with this target audience; and presents the preliminary results of the research.