tactile graphics , including tactile pictures , tactile diagrams , tactile maps , and tactile graphs , are images that use raised surfaces so that a visually impaired person can feel them .

they are used to convey non-textual information such as maps , paintings , graphs and diagrams .

tactile graphics can be seen as a subset of accessible images .

images can be made accessible to the visually impaired in various ways , such as verbal description , sound , or haptic ( tactual ) feedback .

one of the most common uses for tactile graphics is the production of tactile maps .

tactile graphic

if the object is too small to examine by touch and recognize details , consider a tactile graphic .
steve landau discusses tactile maps , talking kiosks , the talking tactile tablet and the tactile graphical user interface .
a combination of tooling and collage provides a graphic that is tactually different and easy to read .
all aph tractile graphics information : aluminum diagramming foil , tactile graphics guidelines , diagram kits , swail dot inverter , the good tactile graphic ( video ) , quickdraw paper , etc .
aph’s tactile graphic image library ( tgil ) contains a pool of well - designed templates to aid with the creation of tactile graphics . tgil 2 . 0 features improvements that make the website more accessible and more intuitive . also , we have added a forum for tactile graphic discussions to aid in your design and production needs . all you need to do is register to begin using the free image library to find tactile graphic templates that can be enhanced for your needs .
construction of two types of graphic organizers will be described , the star diagram and the column chart .
this flowchart is designed to help determine the purpose of the image , and whether it can be omitted , described , or a tactile graphic should be created .
when the student needs information from a map / figure / graph to participate in classroom discussions , answer questions , etc . , a tactile graphic should be done .
, ms . hasty discusses special relationship and graphic literacy , moving from models to graphics , and strategies for teaching students to read tactile graphics . ch . 1 : introduction , ch . 2 : spatial relationship and graphic literacy , ch . 3 : moving from models to graphics , and ch . 4 : strategies for reading tactile graphics .
graphiti’s breakthrough technology allows graphics to be depicted by means of an array of variable - height pins . to change to the next graphic , the pins on the refreshable display move up and down to create a tactile representation of the graphic . graphiti can display topographical maps and other features such as grey levels and colors .
remember to keep it simple ; unnecessary information , clutter , may prohibit the student from gaining relevant information therefore making the graphic useless .
the drawn graphics are then examined for clarity , readability , and braille accuracy by a certified braille transcriber . once the design is approved , the graphic is released for tactile production . the graphic goes through a thermography process and is eventually bound into a braille book or bound separately , as in the case of a map .
the present application relates generally to devices for communicating information to a person with sight impairment , and more specifically , to a tactile sensing device connected to a host computer which allows a visually impaired user to interact with tactile graphic - based interactive multimedia applications .
the following simple , tactile graphic organizers were designed by renee toy , librarian at tsbvi , several years ago while she was teaching elementary school . the basic frame for the graphic organizers allows for easily exchanging cards to teach new concepts . ( see pictures ) students enjoy the hands - on activity and gain a better knowledge of content .
edit / proofread the graphic with your fingers , not your eyes , before showing it to a student . beware , if someone says your graphic is
pretty
or
beautiful
, take a second look , your student may not be able to understand it at all .
12 . the system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of tactile control members further includes a tactile alpha - numeric keypad divided into a plurality of boxes being defined by tactile boundaries .
before creating a tactile graphic , one must first decide whether to make it at all . some information can be conveyed through a description and other images may be omitted if they do not communicate additional information .
shimojima , a . : the graphic - linguistic distinction : exploring alternatives . artif . intell . rev . 13 ( 4 ) , 313–335 ( 1999 )
make the tactile graphic as clear as possible . always keep in mind the point of view of the braille reader . it is up to the producer to present the information in a clear , concise manner for the student .
tactile graphics designer ( tgd ) develops software to enable design and use of tactile graphics and tactile audio graphics , especially for blind and low vision users . tactile graphic + sound = tagraphic . design tools are tgd qiktac , tgd pro and - tgd workshop with integrated braille and tactile graphics in a multimedia setting of touch and sound . audiobraille in workshop leads to braille learning including graphics on the same page . audiopix , in workshop leads to speech and sound enhanced tactile images - physics , math , geography ; any subject and also for just plain ' fun ' .
steven landau and karen gourgey describe their research on audio - tactile computing , and discuss development of the talking tactile atlas of the world .
who among tvis either at a school for the blind or in the field has not come upon a graphic organizer that would be particularly beneficial to teach students a concept . graphic organizers present information in a manner that is easy for sighted students to understand . how can these simple tools be adapted for students with visual impairment ?
any number of types of software applications may be run on the system as the system is designed to operate with the standard operating systems of today ' s personal computers . the standardization of the overlays permits the user to be comfortable with any number of graphic - based interactive multimedia applications which are based on the present system . some exemplary tactile graphic - based interactive software applications include but are not limited to an audio / tactile atlas of world maps ; educational curriculum applications ; and instructional / entertainment game applications .
a collage tactile graphic can be created using a variety of craft materials that can be found in craft stores or recyclables . possible materials for creating the area include braille paper , cardboard , handi wipes , textured paper , fine sandpaper , needlepoint backing or fabric .
software that contain these components are the best tools to use when producing computer generated tactile graphics . third - party software containing mainly svg tools are : corel draw , adobe illustrator , and microsoft office ( word and powerpoint ) . these applications can be used to produce tactile graphic illustrations for science , math , geography , and business classes .
when it is necessary to show size relationship between objects , consider tactile graphics .
to learn more , read teaching tactile graphics adapted from materials by lucia hasty .
figure 1 . tactile 3d model of a leaf , its structure and tissues .
this is a list of tactile maps and atlases available through the princeton braillists .
konstantinos s . papadopoulos describes the production and testing of some experimental tactile maps .
the authors discuss the possibilities of electronic haptic maps , using
new and off - the - shelf hardware—force feedback and vibrotactile mice
to
enable nonvisual access to onscreen map or graphic material .
11 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tactile control members includes a set for tactile directional arrow members permitting movement through a menu of the software application and a tactile enter member permitting the user to convey an affirmative command to the host computer .
tactileview creates pictures for people who can not see . these pictures are transformed for them into tactile graphics . blind people can read them by touch and interpret the tactile material . easy to use tools are available for the design and production of tactile pictures , diagrams and maps .
3 . the system of claim 2 , wherein the identification region occupies a top portion of the overlay and the one or more tactile identification members comprises a plurality of tactile identification bars .
advantageously , the system 10 of fig . 1 provides a standardized system for tactile graphic - based interactive multimedia applications . because system 10 uses hardware that is commercially available , it is relatively easy to assembly and use and is also of relatively low cost . the range of professionally - produced software titles that are available or will be available and the high quality of these multimedia applications are additional advantages of the present system 10 . by developing a uniform , standardized approach for tactile graphic - based interactive multimedia applications , users have instant familiarity with the operation of the application and only have to learn the specifics of the new application .
tactile greeting cards , flashcards , shapes and rhymes books , raised shapes counting cards , etc .
a microscopic world at the touch : learning biology with novel 2 . 5d and 3d tactile models
joint braille authority of north america / canadian braille authority tactile graphics committee . ( 2011 ) . guidelines and standards for tactile graphics , 2010 , web version - february 2012 . retrieved from urltoken
figure 5 . tactile 3d model showing the formation of a fungal colony and hyphal cell growth .
products included on this site include tactile maps , map skills training , and voice output globe .
this site has links to research on tactile mapping and visual variables in spatial and map cognition .
urltoken demo of talking tactile tablet , a new computer peripheral device , along with an authoring tool that allows teachers of blind and visually impaired students to create talking tactile pictures for the ttt .
berlá , e . p . ( 1982 ) . haptic perception of tangible graphic displays . in schiff , w . & foulke , e . ( ed ) tactual perception : a sourcebook . cambridge : cambridge university press .
this calibration step is important due to the use of high resolution equipment , e . g . , the touch workpad 20 . precise superimposition of the tactile shapes of the overlay 50 over the pressure sensitized regions of the touch screen ( touch pad 40 ) must be achieved to guarantee correspondence of tactile objects formed on the overlay 50 to appropriate audio responses . this is especially true for applications which have complex graphic images .
teaching or communicating with blind persons using tactile presentation of the information , e . g . braille displays
drawings produced by computers can turn into raised lined ( embossed ) graphics for the visually impaired . the most effective software applications for computer generated tactile graphics are those that contain scalable vector graphic ( svg ) components , such as : lines , shapes , freeform drawing tools , beizer drawing tools , arrows , patterns , shapes fill , and line weight .
static and interactive tactile maps are discussed in the context of providing survey and mobility information to people who are visually impaired or blind . the heterogeneous nature of visual impairment is examined , as is the nature of tactile perception . technologies associated with tactile maps are reviewed and the application of interactive tactile maps for populations , in addition to those who are visually impaired , is also considered . cybercartography has considerable potential in this respect .
eriksson , y . : tactile pictures : pictorial representations for the blind , pp . 1784–1940 ( 1998 )
the interactive tactile tools include raised tactile directional control buttons permitting the user to scroll through menus or the like which are announced by the human voice narrator . other tactile tools include a back button / escape button , an enter button , and a fully operational tactile numerical keypad having standard numerical keypad boxes . each overlay preferably includes other features in uniform locations which permit the user to easily and quickly identify one overlay from another overlay .
a sheet for placement over the upper surface of the work pad , the overlay having a work space which bears tactile indicia which corresponds to a selected software application , the overlay including a tactile graphical user interface ( tgui ) formed thereon , the tgui having a plurality of tactile control buttons , each tactile control button causing an input signal to be generated when the respective tactile control button is pressed and contacts the upper surface of the work pad , the control signal being communicated to the computer which processes the input signal and performs an operation .
text alternatives may help some people who have difficulty understanding the meaning of photographs , drawings , and other images ( e . g . , line drawings , graphic designs , paintings , three - dimensional representations ) , graphs , charts , animations , etc .
we have also included a pdf download of marco schuffelen’s manual on producing tactile graphics . marco has distilled the experience of 20 years’ work at the netherlands library for the blind into an exceptional resource for people making tactile graphics .
the blind audio tactile mapping system ( bats ) project focuses on making spatial information accessible to people without vision .
new types of ink ( these allowed production of high quality tactile maps with long durability on ordinary paper . )
the problem with bitmap drawing applications is line weight . tiger embossers can only determine bitmap line weight at 1 point even if the line on the drawing appears to be thicker . scalable vector drawings lines can be determined as either being 1 , 3 or 6 points by a tiger embosser . having these line thickness options can provide more opportunity to draw detailed tactile graphic illustrations .
conference programme , proceedings , and abstracts for the 1st and 2nd conference on tactile diagrams , maps and pictures . best practice guidelines for the design , production and presentation of vacuum formed tactile maps – ann gardiner and chris perkins .
conference programme , proceedings , and abstracts for the 1st and 2nd conference on tactile diagrams , maps and pictures . best practice guidelines for the design , production and presentation of vacuum formed tactile maps  ann gardiner and chris perkins .
nomad is a touch sensitive pad that can be connected to a pc running mentor software . draw shapes on a piece of paper lying on the pad to be reproduced by the software on the computer screen . the paper can then be put in an embosser and the screen image embossed over it . the resulting tactile graphic can then be positioned back on the nomad pad for further work .
tactile atlases and anatomical graphics . 76 leabrook lane princeton , new jersey 08540 phone : ( 609 ) 924 - 5207
robert jaquiss , jr . , recounts the role his parents played
in providing him with a foundation of experiences and skills in using tactile materials throughout his schooling .
he describes the process his father invented for making tactile maps .
tmap allows visitors to this site to download and emboss customized tactile street maps of any location in the united states .
[ 0025 ] fig . 6 is a perspective view of an interactive audio - tactile system according to another embodiment .
building a template document for tactile graphics using tiger software 3 and 4 with microsoft word ( 1 . 1 mb )
2 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the overlay has a tactile identification region formed thereon and defined by an identification boundary and one or more tactile identification members formed within the identification boundary at select x and y coordinates , the arrangement of the one or more tactile identification members within the identification boundary providing an identification pattern which uniquely identifies the overlay .
the ability to read tactual graphics and charts is essential as part of a braille student’s literacy program . explicit instruction in the reading and interpretation of tactile graphics is critical for students who are tactile learners . the student cannot fully participate in the core curriculum when presented with lessons or assessments involving charts and tables if the student is not able to read and interpret tactile graphics .
tactile graphics by polly k . edman 544 - page paperback book , isbn 0—89128 - 194 - 0 , $ 59 . 95
this paper presents the use of scalable vector graphics ( svg ) to help people with visual impairment read audio - tactile maps .
tactile graphics by polly k . edman 544 - page paperback book , isbn 089128 - 194 - 0 , $ 59 . 95
13 . the system of claim 1 , wherein the overlay includes a tactile plate number which provides unique identification indicia for each overlay .
the design of each laserline™ graphic is based upon more than a decade of field research including all aspects of pattern fill types , placement of braille labels , and techniques for illustrating depth . engineered designs and high - resolution pattern fills , line styles , and directional indicators yield successful access and comprehension to complex visual information .
3 townline circle , rochester , ny 14623 - 2513 ( 585 ) 427 - 8260 ; fax : ( 585 ) 427 - 0263 a membership organization for braille transcribers . nba membership includes quarterly newsletters that contain articles on improving tactile graphics , workshops and handouts regarding tactile graphics .
new types of papers ( swell paper permitted the user to download , print , and produce tactile maps using a thermal image enhancer . )
at appropriate moments during a session , the user may be asked to place a new tactile overlay 50 on the touch pad 40 . after placing the new tactile overlay 50 on the touch pad 40 , the calibration and identification routines , described above , are repeated . this process continues until the user decides to end a particular section by pressing the first tactile button 150 in the upper - right corner of the overlay 50 . in one embodiment , the first tactile button 150 performs both a back stepping operation and an escape or quit operation . in this embodiment , pressing the first tactile button 150 once causes the application to return to a previous menu or the like , if applicable . pressing the first tactile button 150 twice causes the application to terminate ( quit function ) and the system 10 shuts down until the user begins a new session .
an overlay comprising a sheet for placement over an upper surface of the work pad , the overlay having a work space which bears tactile indicia which corresponds to a selected one of the interactive software applications , the overlay including a tactile graphical user interface ( tgui ) formed thereon , the tgui having a plurality of tactile control members , each tactile control member having associated x and y coordinates on the grid array , the application of force to the respective tactile control member causing a corresponding location output signal to be generated and communicated to the host computer which processes the corresponding location output signal as a control signal which directs the performance of an operation , wherein the work space and tgui occupy different regions of the overlay .
ann gardiner and chris perkins explain each step in designing and creating vacuum formed tactile maps . their approach enables anyone to prepare useful raised graphics .
find out how you can create a free tactile map with a 3d printer , embosser , or on swell paper , or order one online .
based in the uk , providing tactile diagrams , maps and pictures for blind and partially sighted people of all ages and all walks of life .
thermal enhancer : the thermal enhancer takes a map printed on swell paper and by applying heat , raises the ink to make a tactile map .
the touch pad receives a tactile graphic overlay and has a frame with a fastening mechanism or the like to hold the frame in a closed position so that the overlay lays motionless on the touch pad during use of the system . different overlays are used for different interactive software applications which are run by the host computer . according to one aspect of the system , all of the overlays have common layout elements which permit the system to have standardized features regardless of which application is running .
‘signs’ – it’s a simple word , but it understates the range of what we do , as anyone who has visited our factory knows . yes , we can do you a simple sign , but the heart of our business is beautiful , high quality digital printing , and an extensive range of robust finishing options – right up to our robust grp encapsulation . not to mention our wider experience in : graphic design , framing , tactile routed or sandblasted timber signs , and sign installation .
online resource listing , including sources of materials , directions on creating object books , a listing of books , videos , journal articles , web sites , documents and human resources for preparing and teaching the use of quality tactile graphics . lots of information about tactile graphics all over the tsbvi site !
the exemplary tgui 130 includes a first tactile button 150 which performs one or more operations . the first tactile button 150 is located in an upper - right corner of the overlay 50 and in the exemplary embodiment , is in the shape of a “ + ” sign . as with the other tactile members of the overlay 50 , the first tactile button 150 extends outwardly from the overlay 50 toward the user so that the user can easily locate the member 150 by running his or her finger over the overlay 50 . in each application , pressing the first tactile button 150 performs an operation and because the system 10 is advantageously standardized , pressing the first tactile button 150 performs the same or similar operations regardless of which application is currently running . for example and according to one exemplary embodiment , the first tactile button 150 operates as a back button if it is pressed once and operates as an escape button if the member 150 is pressed twice . these features will be further elaborated on in detail when figs . 3 - 5 are described .
8 . the system of claim 7 , wherein the data processor which receives location output signals generated when the plurality of tactile calibration members are pressed causing the work pad to generate corresponding calibration output signals , the calibration output signals indicating the present x and y coordinates of each of the tactile calibration members .
a new computer peripheral device , along with an authoring tool that allows teachers of blind and visually impaired students to create talking tactile pictures for the ttt .
raised printing for tactile graphics and braille , produced from hard copy originals or electronic files supplied by the customer , from materials available in tactile vision files or from designs commissioned by organizations or individuals . applications include maps , calendars , books , business and greeting cards , labels and a wide range of teaching materials .
furthermore , these devices do not provide high quality interactive programming and tactile media that supports interactive learning and entertainment . what is needed in the art and has heretofore not been available is a audio - tactile device which overcomes the above - noted deficiencies and provides a high quality interactive experience for a visually impaired user .
millar , s . ( 1974 ) . tactile short - term memory by blind and sighted children . british journal of psychology , 65 , 253 - 263 .
landau , s . , gourgey , k . : development of a talking tactile tablet . information technology and disabilities 7 ( 2 ) , 4 ( 2001 )
a computer - based system permitting a visually impaired user to interact with tactile graphic - based interactive software applications is provided . the system includes a host computer having a data processor and a drive for running the interactive software applications and a pressure sensitive work pad . the work pad has x and y pressure sensitive members disposed in a grid array for providing unique location output signals corresponding to each different location on the grid array . the work pad is operatively connected to the host computer and an overlay comprising a sheet is placed over an upper surface of the work pad . the overlay having a work space which bears tactile indicia which corresponds to a selected one of the interactive software applications and also includes a tactile graphical user interface ( tgui ) formed thereon . the tgui has a plurality of tactile control members which generate location output signals when pressed . these output signals are communicated to the computer which processes the signals as control signals directing the computer to perform an operation . methods of calibrating the overlays and identifying the overlays are also provided .
jerry clark and deanna durr clark describe the use of a gis ( geographic information system ) and coordinate digitizer to create customized tactile maps on micro - encapsulated paper .
sheppard , l . , aldrich , f . : tactile graphics : a beginner’s guide to graphics for visually impaired children . primary science review , 29–30 ( 2000 )
7 . the system of claim 6 , wherein the calibration system includes a plurality of tactile calibration members formed on the overlay and arranged according to a predetermined pattern .
this embodiment is more compact and permits easy transportation of the device 300 while not jeopardizing any of its capabilities . in both embodiments , the computer ( either host computer 100 or computer device 310 ) interprets the user ' s presses on the tactile graphic overlay 50 in exactly the same way that it does when a mouse ( not shown ) is clicked while the cursor is over a particular region , icon or other object of a video screen associated with the computer . the present systems thus opens the world of “point and click” computing to visually impaired users .
embossers : romeo , thomas , marathon , juliet , bookmaker , braille express , brailleplace , ped - 30 ; signmakers : prestobraille and kgs braille labeler ; print / braille devices : transend and gemini print and braille embosser ; braille translation software from duxbury systems ; tactile graphics hardware & software : et - graphix , tactile image enhancer ( tie ) and tie jr . ; thermo - pen , flexi - paper™ ; tactile graphics designer ( tgd ) pro software , tagpad from repro - tronics ; braille paper
this podcast describes the tactile maps designed by josh miele of smith - kettlewell eye research institute . ( they can be downloaded at urltoken and embossed by the user . )
brenda madrazo and juan gabriel solorzano describe the challenges of tactile map design , share design guidelines , discuss the braille system , and offer a literature review on the field .
tactile diagrams , maps and pictures allow access to visual graphical information for blind and partially sighted people , and can greatly enhance their independence in education , work and leisure .
embossers : romeo , thomas , marathon , juliet , bookmaker , braille express , brailleplace , ped - 30 ; signmakers : prestobraille and kgs braille labeler ; print / braille devices : transend and gemini print and braille embosser ; braille translation software from duxbury systems ; tactile graphics hardware & software : et - graphix , tactile image enhancer ( tie ) and tie jr . ; thermo - pen , flexi - paper
; tactile graphics designer ( tgd ) pro software , tagpad from repro - tronics ; braille paper
we have a small collection of images on this site , similar to the table mountain diagram alongside , for you to use as resources for making tactile graphics using the piaf .
quick tac 4 is a free program that can be used to create tactile graphics with any braille embosser and even embedded into dbt ( duxbury braille translator ) and megadots documents .
drawing that look like a picture are called bitmaps . these drawing applications may not have svg drawing components , however , they can be used to produce tactile graphics if a swell ( encapsulated ) paper device is doing the embossing . swell paper devices are : tactile image enhancer ( tie ) or picture - in - a - flash ( piaf ) .
berlá , e . p . ( 1981 ) . tactile scanning and memory for a spatial display by blind students . journal of special education , 15 , 341 - 350 .
[ 0036 ] fig . 2 illustrates a basic touch overlay 50 prior to being decorated with specific tactile details that are associated with one or more interactive software programs . all of the touch overlays 50 have the following similar components . first , the touch overlay 50 has one or more calibration tactile members . the exemplary overlay 50 in fig . 2 has three tactile members , namely first , second and third calibration tactile members 52 , 54 , and 56 . the calibration tactile members 52 , 54 , 56 are in the form of defined projections which extend outwardly from a first surface 51 of the overlay 50 . the first surface 51 is the surface which faces the user when the overlay 50 is placed and secured within the touch workpad 20 . an opposing second surface 53 is the surface of the overlay 50 which contacts the touch pad 40 during use of the system 10 .
feedback was also solicited from cartographic professionals working in the field of tactile maps and graphics . the maps for the thematic tactile atlas of canada were also tested at w . ross macdonald , the largest residential school for blind and visually impaired students in canada . this user centric approach resulted in development of high quality maps , which will serve blind and visually impaired users well . the tactile atlas of canada received high praise from users and the professional cartographic community and was selected for national and international exhibitions by the canadian national cartographic committee .
gh provides the service of converting complex information contained in documents into laserline™ graphics . gh accepts a variety of media formats , including pdf , html , word , and jpeg , as well as the print document ( s ) to begin the conversion process . it begins with our dedicated computer graphics team designing the graphic and addressing issues such as proper pattern fill selection , placement of braille labels , and spacing between lines .
louis brunet has over 25 years experience in multimedia , graphic design , and project management . while at nortel networks he introduced the use of video streaming as a cost effective way to provide employee training . during the nineties , at nortel , he founded and led a multimedia team capable of producing product marketing multimedia collateral integrating web , flash , 3d animation and video . more recently his focus has been web related projects and accessibility .
thompson , l . , chronicle , e . : beyond visual conventions : rethinking the design of tactile diagrams . british journal of visual impairment 24 ( 2 ) , 76 ( 2006 )
16 . the system of claim 13 , wherein the overlay further includes a braille plate number uniquely identifying the overlay in braille , the braille plate number corresponding to the tactile plate number .
ifeelpixel™is a software application designed to create audio - tactile sensations based on image . any pictures generated by your computer and being under your cursor position on screen are represented with a subjective audio - tactile sensation on an immersion touchsense device and a sound card . it ' s the first software that allows a user to feel the pixels on the screen with both haptic and auditory feedback .
imagine replacing text descriptions of pictures , charts , and graphs with something more powerful . it ' s a high - resolution tactile image and it ' s just one way everyone has access .
tactile graphics are a means of conveying non - textual information to people who are blind or visually impaired , and may include tactile representations of pictures , maps , graphs , diagrams , and other images . a person with a visual impairment can feel these raised lines and surfaces in order to obtain the same information that people who are sighted get through looking at pictures or other visual images .
the publication of and access to tactile maps on the internet was a very recent development . the first version of the mvi web site was officially launched in october 2002 . for the hardcopy production of the tactile atlas of canada , which is available in a downloadable format on the web site , extensive user testing was conducted . students , teachers and mobility training instructors tested both the raised ink maps and capsule paper tactile maps . the maps published on the mvi web site follow the international guidelines recommended by the international cartographic association commission on maps and graphics for blind and visually impaired people .
ifeelpixel
is a software application designed to create audio - tactile sensations based on image . any pictures generated by your computer and being under your cursor position on screen are represented with a subjective audio - tactile sensation on an immersion touchsense device and a sound card . it ' s the first software that allows a user to feel the pixels on the screen with both haptic and auditory feedback .
this pin - matrix display drastically increases the amount of information perceivable to blind computer users through both hands , and enables them to experience spatial structures and graphic symbols as additional information . ideally , objects such as text blocks , tables , menus and other elements of the windows user interface can be fully mapped to the pin - matrix display . moreover , geometric drawings , floor plans , diagrams and other information can be made accessible to visually impaired students in teaching .
this page is the gateway to our collection of manuals , guides and resources for the producer of tactile graphics . click on the link in each paragraph to go to the resource mentioned in that paragraph .
polish teacher boguslaw marek discusses how tactile graphics help develop understanding of spatial relations and the correspondence between three - dimensional objects and their two - dimensional representations . ideas for materials and teaching strategies are included .
dr . eva siekierska works as research project manager - mapping for visually impaired , at mapping services branch of earth sciences sector , natural resources canada . she also holds an adjunct research professor position at carleton university . her main research interests are : tactile and audio - tactile mapping , web accessibility and usability , multi - modal user interfaces and web - based visualization in application to sustainable development decision making .
the use of maps is an important skill for all children to learn . for students who have visual impairments , learning to read a map is an important step towards independence , as well as a way to participate more fully in the regular geography and social studies curriculum . this section offers suggestions on how to teach students to use tactile maps , from the most basic object books to more complex tactile graphics .
teachers of the visually impaired often produce tactile graphics to accompany classroom materials and activities . it must be remembered that tactile graphics are not automatically meaningful to students who are blind or visually impaired . students must first have an understanding of that which is being represented . for example , a raised map of africa will have little meaning for a child who has never heard of africa and who does not grasp the fact that the world is made up of different continents . in order for tactile graphics to have meaning , a student must have a good understanding of symbolic representation , spatial orientation , and basic tactual perceptual skills .
accordingly , each overlay includes tactile elements which facilitate both the calibration and identification processes . these tactile elements are generally located in the same regions of each overlay so as to promote standardization of the layout of the overlays . in another aspect , each overlay is standardized in that each overlay contains a group of interactive tools formed in the same region of each overlay . once again , this promotes familiarity of the system regardless of which application is being run by the user . these interactive tactile tools are adjacent to a workspace area which occupies the same space in each overlay so as to further promote standardization of the overlays .
with piaf , blind and vision impaired people can understand the information on a computer screen , grasp organizational structure of the business and access sales charts . one or two tactile diagrams can save thousands of words .
r . dan jacobson discusses the development of a personal guidance system which would
provide on - line interactions … in audio or tactile form , providing orientation , location and guidance information . . . .
1 . introduction 2 . background information 2 . 1 mapping for visually impaired project 2 . 2 svg mapping 3 . interactive audio - tactile maps 3 . 1 tactile maps 3 . 2 audio - tactile maps 3 . 2 . 1 set up the map 3 . 2 . 2 read the map 3 . 3 haptic effects 4 . svg maps creation 4 . 1 methodology 4 . 2 system requirements 4 . 3 coding the interactive features 4 . 3 . 1 voice annotation 4 . 3 . 2 haptic effects 4 . 3 . 3 sound effects 5 . user ' s feedback 6 . conclusions and future directions footnotes acknowledgements bibliography
the tactileview concept consists of design software for the creation of tactile graphics and an international web catalog . the design software allows production ( printing ) on a braille embosser or on swell paper ( microcapsule paper ) .
the purpose of interactive audio - tactile maps was to provide a multi - modal environment thereby making all the rich geospatial information available and accessible to people with visual impairment . placement of a tactile map on a touch tablet [ 2 ] allowed the user to interact with the svg map . sound effects were added using pre - recorded sounds . voice annotation was implemented using text - to - speech software or screen reader software .
produces illustrations , graphics and spatial representations adapted to touch recognition for people who are blind using a “graphtact” prototype printer designed to produce standardized tactile designs . braille jymico also produces a computerized aluminum master to create thermoform copies .
tactile map automated production ( tmap ) : using gis data to generate braille maps presenters joshua a . miele , ph . d . the smith kettlewell eye research institute 2318 fillmore st . san francisco , ca 94115 urltoken
jim durkel shares ideas for helping children with visual impairments collect souvenirs and explore maps during family vacations . creating remnant books and tactile graphics enhances the child ' s participation in family trips ; available in english and spanish .
aph and orbit will evaluate the graphiti with a wide range of consumers , including but not limited to , experts in the field of tactile graphics and assistive technology as well as teachers with students who are visually impaired .
produces illustrations , graphics and spatial representations adapted to touch recognition for people who are blind using a graphtact prototype printer designed to produce standardized tactile designs . braille jymico also produces a computerized aluminum master to create thermoform copies .
a variety of hardware and software ( refreshable braille products , braille embossers , braille translation software , tactile imaging products , accessories , etc . ) from various manufacturers , as used ( demo / loan ) products at a discount
sheppard , l & aldrich f . k .
tactile graphics in school education : perspectives from teachers ,
british journal of visual impairment , vol . 19 , no . 3 , pp93 - 97 , sept 2001 .
on another side , commercial three - dimensional representations are available from different sources . but most of them are not specially designed for the blind such as in the case of anatomic models of the human body , earth globes , models of dna structure , ordinary animals , and others . in those cases , tactile characteristics such as texture and materials used for manufacture are frequently not optimal for easy tactile resolution , even for those available at specialized suppliers .
we used several features of svg to create interactive tactile maps . the open source nature of svg will allow people to use this technology . the svg documents can be adapted to other devices used by the visually impaired community .
sheppard , l & aldrich f . k .
tactile graphics : a beginner ' s guide to graphics for visually impaired children ,
primary science review , vol . 65 , pp29 - 30 , nov - dec 2000 .
the adapted graphics list ' s purpose is to discuss graphics designed for people who are blind or visually impaired . this includes the development of tactile graphics , and other types of information design for folks who are blind or visually impaired .
aldrich , f . k . & sheppard , l .
tactile graphics in school education : perspectives from pupils ,
british journal of visual impairment , vol . 19 , no . 2 , pp69 - 73 , may 2001 .
tiger printers and embossers that print braille and tactile graphics ( including 3 - d ) direct from mainstream windows software , dotsplus® braille font for braille math , the accessible graphing calculator ( agc ) that facilitates mathematics accessibility through audio or braille .
aph is grateful to the william m . wood foundation , bank of america , n . a . , co - trustee . they awarded a generous $ 200 , 000 for the development of the revolutionary graphiti dynamic multilevel tactile touch display .
while the workspace area has a common boundary whose location does not change from one overlay to another overlay , the precise tactile subject matter which is presented within the workspace boundary does vary from overlay to overlay and therefore from application to application . much of the tactile shapes and objects presented in the workspace area are a large part of the interactive learning process experienced by the user as the user is often touching different regions within the workspace in response to commands or instruction given by the narrator .
ungar , s . , blades , m . , spencer , c . & morsley , k . ( 1994 ) . can visually impaired children use tactile maps to estimate directions . journal of visual impairment & blindness , 88 , 221 - 233 .
the properties that make diagrams more effective than text in certain circumstances have been investigated by researchers for over 20 years . however , this research has focused on visual diagrams . to the best of our knowledge , no research has yet investigated whether the same benefits and properties hold for tactile diagrams , which are blind people’s primary means of access to diagrams . we present a consideration of similarities and differences in the properties and potential benefits of visual and tactile diagrams ; and suggest where experimental investigation would be useful .
aldrich , f . k . , sheppard , l . & hindle , y .
first steps towards a model of tactile graphicacy
, british journal of visual impairment , vol . 20 , no . 2 , pp62 - 67 , may 2002 .
825 east johnson street madison , wi 53703 ( 608 ) 257 - 5917 / fax ( 608 ) 257 - 3480 website : urltoken private , nonprofit organization , providing tactile graphs and maps , and science and mathematics books in braille and e - text .
thus , this paper describes the creation of tactile three - dimensional models and the development of an inclusive , multisensory curriculum to effectively support teaching of biology topics , making microscopic subjects accessible for both visually impaired and sighted students at the elementary and middle school levels .
until recently , the use of tactile maps has been very limited , as most of the maps have been produced by hand , for example using string and glue , a very slow process . recent developments facilitated the production of cost effective maps . examples are :
the experiment reported below was designed as a test of the ability of visually impaired children to reproduce a tactile array under aligned and under rotated conditions , and as a basis for considering the relative effectiveness of the various tactile exploration strategies spontaneously used by the children . rather than restrict the children to specific exploratory movements ( cf . millar 1981 ) we allowed the children to generate their own strategies for exploring the layout . we believed that the participants ' strategies would be an important factor in the stability of their memory for the array under rotated conditions .
making science , math , and engineering information accessible to people with print disabilities . products developed in the science access project include the tiger tactile graphics and braille embosser , the accessible graphing calculator , and triangle , a fully accessible dos program for reading and doing math and science .
challis , b . , edwards , a . : design principles for tactile interaction . in : brewster , s . , murray - smith , r . ( eds . ) haptic hci 2000 . lncs , vol . 2058 , pp . 17–24 . springer , heidelberg ( 2001 )
furthermore , the tactile control buttons 160 can be designed to permit the user to access additional advance functionality of the application . for example , the player can use the tactile control buttons 160 to scroll through menus , such as a scoring menu , which provide the player with useful information . a scoring menu would present each player with his or her current score and permit one player to keep tract of the scores of the other players . the player may also be instructed as to how many pairs have been matched and how many pairs are left to be matched .
taevis at purdue university utilizes a variety of alternative formats to provide academic accommodations for students who are blind , visually impaired , or have other print disabilities . innovative applications for tactile diagrams , technical braille , and electronic text are opening new opportunities in math , engineering , and science .
so you ' re wondering how to make that picture accessible ? worried about math and science ? gh has developed a high technology process for clearly communicating complex visual information through the use of raised tactile images known as laserline™ graphics . by using a variety of customized pattern fills , line styles , and directional indicators , these tactile graphics are used by braille readers for accessing bar charts , subway routes , diagrams and even 3 - d geometric figures every day . these graphics are available in many sizes ranging from 8 . 5
x 11
to wall - size foldouts .
the virtual touch system ( vts ) enables remote tactile and audio access for windows graphics and text through direct feedback from the computer screen . vts , with its virtouch player and mouse , also enables the drawing of graphics and displays text tactually in regular alphabets and braille as well as providing audio feedback .
theurel , a . , witt a . , claudet , p . , hatwell , y . , & gentaz , e . ( 2013 ) . tactile picture recognition by early blind children : the effect of illustration technique . journal of experimental psychology : applied , 19 ( 3 ) , 233 - 240 .
9 . the system of claim 8 , wherein the data processor has a memory for storing the x and y coordinates of the tactile calibration members , the host computer having stored therein a set of optimized x and y coordinates identifying an optimized location of the tactile calibration members relative to the work pad , the data processor serving to compare the present x and y coordinates of the calibration members with the set of optimized x and y coordinates and then determine a correction factor that compensates for any difference between the present x and y coordinates of the calibration members and the stored set of optimized x and y coordinates for the calibration members .
aldrich , f . : talk to the hand : an agenda for further research on tactile graphics . in : stapleton , g . , howse , j . , lee , j . ( eds . ) diagrams 2008 . lncs ( lnai ) , vol . 5223 , pp . 344–346 . springer , heidelberg ( 2008 )
the workspace section 120 is the section of the overlay 50 that is not standard from one overlay 50 to another overlay 50 . depending upon the particular application , the tactile graphical environment of the workspace section 120 varies . figs . 3 - 5 illustrate exemplary overlays 50 that are used in three different types of exemplary applications .
source : american foundation for the blind braille literacy mentors in training : the next generation - teaching special codes : nemeth , cbc , and tactile graphics - workshop in fremont , california ( august 7 - 9 , 1997 ) and atlanta , georgia ( september 11 - 13 , 1997 ) . diane spence and susan a . osterhaus
175 mason circle , concord , ca 94520 phone ( 800 ) 722 - 3393 / fax ( 925 ) 681 - 4630 braillenote notetaker ; braille star braille displays ; mountbatten pro braille writer ; paragon , et , romeo and juliet braille embossers ; duxbury braille translation software , pictures in a flash ( piaf ) tactile graphics maker .


the whole earth access ( 1978 - 1998 ) started as a countercultural retail store in berkeley , california .

in the early 1990s , whole earth access had 7 stores in northern california .

after filing for bankruptcy in 1996 , all stores closed in 1998 .

whole earth access

the company was founded in 1978 with the purchase of a failing berkeley store called whole earth access .
over - retailed ,
particularly with electronics - one of whole earth access ' main product categories .
almost two years after emerging from bankruptcy protection , berkeley ' s whole earth access is closing its three remaining stores .
in 1997 , whole earth review changed its name to whole earth and the motto from
access to tools and ideas
to
access to tools , ideas , and practices .
peter warshall , the editor at that time said :
one of fastest - growing chains in u . s . : whole earth access stores are ' bargain basement ' for yuppies
one of fastest - growing chains in u . s . : whole earth access stores are ' bargain basement ' for yuppies - latimes
berkeley — counterculture capitalist larry farb likes to think of his whole earth access stores as
bloomingdale ' s without the frills .
the cost of advertising in a market like san jose , where whole earth access has just one store , is prohibitive , farb said .
whole earth access , the emeryville - based new age retail chain , has closed its concord electronics store and is apparently closing its san jose store .
the three remaining whole earth access stores in san francisco , berkeley and san rafael are going of business , according to officials of the family owned company .
the new urltoken provides several ways for you to enjoy the whole earth catalog online .
the new urltoken provides several ways for you to enjoy the whole earth magazine online .
the whole earth catalog functions as an evaluation and access device . with it , the user should know better what is worth getting and where and how to do the getting .
stewart brand , publisher of the whole earth catalog . photograph : larry busacca / getty images
emeryville - whole earth access , which opened for business 18 years ago with one store in berkeley and grew to seven in the bay area , has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization .
there hasn ' t been a final decision yet ,
farb said . a major factor , he said , will be whether whole earth access can get someone to take over its lease .
an employee at the main concord store said electronics customers were being sent to the whole earth access store in berkeley , but farb said the concord electronics business would eventually be moved to the main concord outlet .
two years later , mr . farb co - founded whole earth access with his wife , his brother larry and sister - in - law laura farb , and politi . mr . farb served as president .
i still remember a place called best and consumers distributing . i bought my dad a seiko watch from there ! there used to be a whole earth access near the old goodman lumber on bayshore in san francisco .
history - some of what happened around here for the last three years . - tools ideas environment - whole earth catalog
in particular , whole earth access , which offers everything from housewares to clothing to computers , has taken a battering from specialty megastores such as fry ' s electronics , the sprawling warehouse - like seller of computers , stereos and video cameras .
whole earth plans to keep its three stores open in berkeley , san francisco and san rafael while it renegotiates its debts .
over the last quarter - century , we ' ve learned that access to tools and ideas is not enough . practice and experience refine handwork and wisdom , make it better , secure a more subtle touch . so , we ' ve changed our motto from ' access to tools and ideas ' to ' access to ideas , tools , and practices . '
in fall 1968 american writer and founder of organizations stewart brand of the portola institute , menlo park , california , published the first edition of the whole earth catalog . access to tools , with the goal of providing education and
access to tools
so a reader could
find his own inspiration , shape is own environment , and share his adventure with whoever is interested .
the counter - cultural whole earth catalog laid a paper trail towards the eclectic world of the internet . image : c . dunn / alamy
this text is about a specific manifestation of integral culture . we might call it
whole earth culture
because it developed around the whole earth catalogs and an affiliated magazine named the whole earth review . both were started by stewart brand , a remarkable man who lives in sausalito , california . i joined the magazine as its art editor in 1977 and continued contributing until about 1990 . when i joined the magazine it was called coevolution quarterly - it became the whole earth review later , when it adopted the name of its better - known parent , the catalog .
despite the company ' s growth , whole earth access remains very much a family affair . management duties are split among the brooklyn - born farb brothers and their wives . gene , 40 , handles electronics and photographic merchandise , while larry , 37 , oversees hardware and appliances .
2001 - 06 - 21 04 : 00 : 00 pdt berkeley - - gene farb , the bay area entrepreneur who co - founded the new age retailer whole earth access , died june 13 at his berkeley home after a long battle with colon cancer . he was 55 .
whole earth locations in concord , foster city , sacramento and san jose were closed . in april 1996 , the company filed for protection from creditors .
earlier this year , whole earth opened a 10 , 000 - square - foot annex dedicated to computers and electronics equipment across the street from its main 30 , 000 - square - foot store in berkeley . as in the main store , whole earth ' s unobtrusive salespeople keep customers coming back .
in 1968 stewart brand launched an innovative publication called the whole earth catalog . it was groundbreaking , enlightening , and spawned a group of later publications .
in the window that pops up , you should see blocked or blocked temporarily next to access your location . click the x next to this line .
industry analysts weren ' t surprised by whole earth ' s announcement , citing poor management . the retailer also suffered from lack of focus , industry sources said .
so this is a story about stewart brand and what he tried to do with whole earth , and a little bit about what i tried to do , too .
the last whole earth catalog was published in 1972 . at least , that was the name on the cover . but it was not to be the catalog ' s last edition . it was followed by the updated last whole earth catalog , the whole earth epilog , the next whole earth catalog , the essential whole earth catalog , etc . , because there was continuing demand for the information it supplied , and appreciation for its efficient format . the reason that a so - called last catalog was even published then was that stewart had announced at the beginning of the venture that he would only produce the catalog for 5 years and if no imitator appeared during that time , doing the job better , it must not be important enough to continue . ( the whole earth name and photograph - symbol were not trademarked , so anyone could offer imitations and variants . ) soon after the last catalog appeared , stewart threw a
farewell
party at which $ 20 , 000 of publishing profits was given away , and then he tried to retire .
who else has fond memories of this place ? i still have my black whole earth access backpack and once got a
oh my god ! whole earth access !
comment from a friend of mine ( prompting us to figure out how to explain the store to her girlfriend , who was from washington state ) and a few smiles and stares from the general public . went to the one in concord quite frequently growing up . i think we bought the first family computer there - - a performa . : ) i did a search and saw it ' d been mentioned a few times , but didn ' t have its own topic . wea is worthy of its own topic !
a lot of other stuff happened too , ask anybody who was there . ask bernie sproch to show you his whole earth stamp collection . it ' s quite a collection .
can he remember where the idea for
stay hungry , stay foolish
came from ?
that one is a mystery ,
he says at first . and then ,
oh i know , it ' s because of my campaign to get photographs of the whole earth which i did in 1966 and after which the whole earth catalog is named .
polanco ventured to whole earth access in berkeley - - tucked away in the city ' s industrial district - - one recent weekday to buy an olympia typewriter for $ 200 ,
the exact same model macy ' s had for $ 300 ,
she says . she promptly turned around and invested her savings on a vacuum cleaner and a citrus juicer .
by 1996 , the retail landscape in northern california had changed , leaving whole earth weak from too much expansion . the company filed for bankruptcy in 1997 , and its last stores closed in 1999 .
but the need for product updates did not stop , and the limitations of the catalog format - exciting ideas were confined to short excerpts from already - published works - suggested a different sort of publication that might push whole earth ' s educational ambitions still further . it could , for example , feature original articles and letters from readers ( whole earth got lots of mail - many readers felt themselves to be part of the evaluation process , and thus members of the whole earth community ) . at the same time , a magazine could continue providing the pithy reviews that made the catalog famous .
for this new countercultural movement , information was a precious commodity . in the ’60s , there was no internet ; no 500 cable channels . [ the whole earth catalog ] was a great example of user - generated content , without advertising , before the internet . basically , brand invented the blogosphere long before there was any such thing as a blog . . . . no topic was too esoteric , no degree of enthusiasm too ardent , no amateur expertise too uncertified to be included . . . . this i am sure about : it is no coincidence that the whole earth catalogs disappeared as soon as the web and blogs arrived . everything the whole earth catalogs did , the web does better
( wikipedia article on whole earth catalog , accessed 12 - 06 - 2013 ) .
under mr . farb ' s innovative direction , laura farb said , whole earth not only built its own computers but also became the first retailer to sell computers and other electronics under the same roof .
basic living products , the family - owned company that operates the whole earth outlets , decided monday to liquidate its inventory after its bank refused to extend additional credit , said larry farb , a vice president and co - owner .
the whole earth concept made sense in 1978 , when the company was founded . but it has been eclipsed by modern discount and
category - killer
stores such as costco , circuit city and bed , bath & beyond .
i wish all my accounts were as good as whole earth ,
says sean o ' brien , a sales representative for sony ' s hi - fi and audio division .
they do a phenomenal job for me .
founder stewart brand , in his 1968 catalog article ,
we are as gods
said ,
at a time when the new left was calling for grass - roots political ( i . e . , referred ) power , whole earth eschewed politics and pushed grassroots direct power—tools and skills . at a time when new age hippies were deploring the intellectual world of arid abstractions , whole earth pushed science , intellectual endeavor , and new technology as well as old . as a result , when the most empowering tool of the century came along—personal computers ( resisted by the new left and despised by the new age ) —whole earth was in the thick of the development from the beginning .
i will say a couple of good words for fame . it accelerates access if you want access . you can hang around with famous people , which is fun sometimes . your credit is good with strangers , it ' s never hard to meet people . it ' s usually easy to find work , make some money . if you ' ve withstood fame there ' s some things you ' re strong at that you might not be otherwise .
whole earth expanded rapidly in the late 1980s and early 1990s until it had stores in berkeley , concord , sacramento , san francisco , san jose , san mateo and san rafael . its sales peaked at $ 180 million in 1992 .
as a museum exhibition , access to tools can only whet the appetite , as it is hard to look at a lot of books in glass boxes . they are , after all , meant to be read . it is by no means clear that brand ' s readers were actually doing much of their reading . and that , in the end , may be the whole point . perhaps the whole earth catalog really was the forerunner of the internet and its tools , in that it represented a transmutation of a whole cosmos of radical ideas , crazy stuff and possible lives , all returned to us as little more than an alluring opportunity to sit down and browse . we ' ve been browsing ever since .
so was it walden or internet ? the best answer may be that it spanned exactly that gamut . if you are wondering how , visit access to tools , a small but engrossing exhibition currently at the museum of modern art in new york . in seven glass cases , together with a homely plywood table scattered with stuff to read , curator david senior has assembled a bibliographic tribute to the ' whole earth ' phenomenon , and the visionary behind it , stewart brand .
or , as john markoff , a technology writer for the new york times , puts it , the whole earth catalog was
the internet before the internet . it was the book of the future . it was a web in newsprint .
it ' s a long explanation but what ' s interesting is how it ties in brand ' s cosmic view of earth , expanded consciousness ( he first started his campaign to get photographs of the earth from space after an lsd trip in which he thought he could see the curvature of the earth ) , science – the nasa space programme – and personal freedom .
manufacturers - - including those who usually shy away from discounters because they worry about cheapening their image - - share the customers ' enthusiasm . ibm selected whole earth as an authorized outlet for its personal computers just before the company froze its number of authorized dealers .
the whole earth catalog was published regularly from 1968 to 1972 , but only intermittently thereafter . during its four years of regular publication , the catalog earned a reputation , a following , and a national book award , the only time a catalog has been so honored .
if you want a throw - away magazine , whole earth is not for you . we publish a magazine that readers have hoarded , prowled inside of , stored in garages and cellars . whole earth is a dialog as much as a magazine . staff , readers , citizens , scientists , writers , politicians , kids , inventors , savvy dabblers , clowns , even wildlife and our pets participate . we like readers to take at least three months ( we ' re a quarterly ) snooping around . we ' ve changed a bit .
but the milieu that makes the sla and the hearst kidnapping seem like a mythical or fictional phenomenon goes beyond childhood memories . those things belong to a vanished era when “the lord of the rings” and “dune” largely remained the provinces of disreputable geek subculture , when the internet ( not generally called by that name ) was available via teletype printout at the whole earth access store on shattuck avenue , and when owning even one david bowie album marked someone as almost certainly as gay or bisexual . those may seem irrelevant or trivial correspondences , but i don’t see them that way .
the show emphasizes that the whole earth catalog was , for all the eccentric hardware in its pages , a bookish affair . it advertised them , reviewed them and promoted them : handbooks on blasting and childbirth ; the joy of sex and the mind of the dolphin ; compendia of native american lore and norbert weiner ' s cybernetics . access to tools lovingly reassembles this weird world of print . moving from case to case , one can re - inhabit what was , in its moment , a radical new way of thinking about the planet , the self and the future .
we are as gods and might as well get good at it ,
wrote brand on the title page of the whole earth catalog . up until now , he noted , power has been in the hands of
government , big business , formal education , church
. but now
a realm of intimate , personal power is developing – power of the individual to conduct his own education , find his own inspiration , shape his own environment and share his adventure with whoever is interested . tools that aid this process are sought and promoted by the whole earth catalog .
whatever they ' re likened to , the three whole earth access stores in the san francisco bay area constitute one of the fastest growing - - and most unusual - - retailing phenomena in the nation . sales this year are expected to top $ 35 million , up from $ 25 million in 1985 and just $ 15 million in 1984 . that ' s not bad for an outfit that began by peddling wood stoves , grain mills and other gear for
alternative life styles
from a 1 , 000 - square - foot store that the farbs took over in 1978 .
in his june 2005 stanford university commencement address steve jobs compared the whole earth catalog to google .
when i was young , there was an amazing publication called the whole earth catalog , which was one of the bibles of my generation . . . . it was sort of like google in paperback form , 35 years before google came along . it was idealistic and overflowing with neat tools and great notions .
during the commencement speech , jobs also quoted the farewell message placed on the back cover of the 1974 edition of the catalog : ' stay hungry . stay foolish . '
standing with one foot firmly in the rugged individualism and back - to - the - land movements of the sixties counterculture and the other in the nascent global community made possible by the internet , the whole earth catalog offered an integrated , complex , challenging , thought - provoking , and comprehensive worldview .
also in january we produced our first
difficult but possible supplement to the whole earth catalog
. it was a 32 - page newsprint collection of friends ' letters , old pamphlets like abbie hoffman ' s
fuck the system ,
a solar heater , new catalog suggestions . we made it at the store .
this diagnosis differs from what whole earth tried to do , mainly because of when it was written . despite that , lasswell is able to explain the unconscious logic of stewart brand ' s strategies with exquisite insight . stewart did not read lasswell , but others working towards an integral culture would benefit greatly from doing so .
because of his sense of the importance of the whole earth ' s image , the title and cover of the catalog became platforms for promoting this interest . it also demonstrated that the catalog was more than a group of products for sale , selected only by quality . even casual readers could see that the catalog had an agenda : it focused on products that reinforced both a diversification of practice and a holistic understanding of man and nature - a hierarchy of values that defied categorization as either
left
or
right .
the phrase
think globally , act locally
originated as a concise summary of the philosophy underlying the whole earth catalog .
another assumption that was basic to whole earth was that someone could be interested in both abstract ideas and practical things . that may be rarer than we realized . soon after i moved to prague , i showed the last whole earth catalog to a friend in bulgaria . she was fascinated but perplexed .
who is this for ?
she asked . it took me a few moments to reply , as my first impulse was to say ,
everyone .
but instead i answered ,
it ' s for practical intellectuals .
she continued browsing through the catalog with her eyes starting to moisten . eventually she said ,
how i wish we had such people .
by constellating the underground magazines , heavyweight theory and quirky publishing universe from which the whole earth catalog emerged , senior gives museum - goers a chance to revisit the extraordinary intellectual , artistic and political ferment of those years , and to weigh , for better or worse , its legacy . it is , in the best sense , a trip .
the catalog quickly became a cultural phenomenon - the
unofficial handbook of the counterculture
as whole earth magazine ' s website now says . more accurately , it was an efficient way to spread powerful ideas that altered the interests and lifestyles of millions of people . the following statement appeared on the inside front cover of the first and later editions :
whole earth ( the magazine ) was published until 2003 , though at the end it was only a shadow of what it once was . stewart stopped acting as editor - in - chief in the early 1980s , to let others assert their influence over the magazine ' s direction . but it finally exhausted its momentum . the readership dwindled to too few to support the cost of producing it on a quarterly schedule . the cover price was too high , and it was forced to start selling advertising ( although only to compatible advertisers ) . it might make more sense to publish it on the internet . that would be a much better medium for the whole earth catalog , too , if anyone wants to revive it .
for over a year portola institute had been nothing but dick , a secretary he shared , his office , and a few expensive projects with big ideas and little to show . so he rented a nearby set of cubicles hat some architects were moving out of , to give us more room to lake mistakes in . i was working in my cubicle several weeks later when dick leaned in the door and asked ,
by the way , what do you think you ' ll call it ?
my head filled with the last success i ' d had , 1966 photograph - of - the - whole - earth campaign , which i felt was still incomplete . i told him ,
i dunno . whole earth catalog , or something .
it is hard to believe that whole earth ' s time has passed , or that its field of relevance is limited to the english - speaking world - or that only one person was capable of turning a broadly integrative vision into publications that were highly popular and at the same time highly sophisticated . yet as time passes , i ' m beginning to wonder where the other great editorial syntheses are . perhaps they have already appeared - in china or iran or central siberia , but are not yet known outside of their language zone . could that zone ever be truly global ? or must a whole earth - type publication always be confined by language and distribution systems , undermining its planetary positioning ? doesn ' t that make integral culture an illusion ?
we were just starting to get files of photographs of the earth , and there was a sequence from a satellite of basically a day in the life of earth from sunrise to sunset , and i wanted that sequence and to make the connection between the view from space of the shadow moving across the earth , and the experience of being on earth and seeing dawn . and for some reason the image i had in my mind was of a hitchhiker at dawn on a road somewhere and the sun comes up and there are trains going by . the frame of mind of the young hitchhiker is one of the freest frames of mind there is . you ' re always a little bit hungry and you know you are being completely foolish .
whole earth provision co . was conceived in dallas in the spring of 1970 by jack and linda jones who were living and working in the big ‘d’ after graduating from the university of texas in austin . linda , a math teacher for the dallas isd and jack , a designer working with a furniture manufacturer , were nostalgic for austin and considering their goals and dreams for the future .
robert horvitz joined the staff of coevolution quarterlly in 1977 as the art editor , and stayed with the magazine until 1990 , when he moved to eastern europe . robert has been kind enough to share his thought on the culture of whole earth with us . this article , originally written for a speech he gave in the czech republic , is presented here with no changes to his text .
turner ' s 2006 book , from counterculture to cyberculture : stewart brand , the whole earth network and the rise of digital utopianism , gives more of a clue . several epoch - making events were going on in the san francisco area in the late 1960s and the early 1970s , and at the centre of them all , linking them together – no surprises here – was stewart brand .
shortly i was fantasizing access service . a truck store , maybe , traveling around with information and samples of what was worth etting and information where to get it . a catalog too , continuously updated , in part by the users . a catalog of goods that owed othing to the suppliers and everything to the users . it would be something i could put some years into .
for instance , there was much talk of the globe in the buzz around the whole earth catalog . it famously featured the extraordinary ' earthrise ' photos of the blue marble of spaceship earth as seen from the moon . and its contents ostensibly highlighted human togetherness and interdependency . but it is hard to say whether the holistic eco - consciousness of the project amounted to anything more than solipsism . brand ' s tagline , after all , was a rip - off from ayn rand : “we are as gods , and might as well get used to it . ” try it on the women looking for firewood in bangladesh .
i like the prices and the attitude of the people on the floor ,
says dennis dillon , an undergraduate at the university of california at berkeley who is shopping around for a new television and came to whole earth after being turned off by the high - pressure sales tactics of the big electronics chains .
they ' re here if you need help , but they ' re not constantly hassling you .
we had the contents printed at nowels publications , a newspaper press just down the street from portola institute , and the cover printed at east wind in san francisco ( using the picture from a whole earth poster we ' d already had them print ) , and the binding done at another place , with us doing the transporting between . it was a terrible arrangement . the 1000 copies we printed were a huge chore to cart around .
the whole earth catalog may have been his most famous creation , but he ' s been involved in dozens of other , possibly even more influential , projects since . i interview him at the ted conference in long beach where he ' d just delivered a talk ( his fifth at ted ) on his latest enthusiasm , which is about as radical as they come : de - extinction . he ' s trying to resurrect extinct species by retro - engineering their dna .
in 1976 , mr . farb and his wife joined stan politi to create the
first new earth exposition
in san francisco . the event showcased alternative lifestyle products and was attended by 50 , 000 paid visitors in one weekend .
stewart wanted nasa to release a photo of the whole earth because he believed it would have significant psychological impact : it would be visual proof of our unity and specialness , as our luminous blue ball - of - a - home contrasted dramatically with the dead black emptiness of space . differences in skin color , religion , nationality and wealth , which can seem so important down here on earth , shrink to nothing when viewed from afar . we are all in this together and humanity is but a small part of a miraculous and delicate ecosystem . stewart had studied biology in college , just at the time when ecology was becoming a subject of scientific awareness , and that was one of the ideas which shaped his worldview .
literary critic hugh kenner came to a different conclusion . puzzling in 1971 over this “bizarre shopping - list of glassblower ' s torches , swedish looms , $ 50 funerals , wind - driven pumps and books about polyhedra , organic gardening , beekeeping , ” he judged the whole earth catalog to be mere “reading matter” — less a practical tool than “a nubbly multifocused many - voiced meditation on what we might be doing with our lives . . . a kind of space - age walden . ”
i actually thought i could fit liferaft earth ( p . 35 ) in between the september supplement and the fall catalog . setting up the event was even harder than production . then starving for a week was no way to recuperate . dumb .
i actually thought i could fit liferaft earth ( p . 35 ) in between the september supplement and the fall ca talog . setting up the event was even harder than production . then starving for a week was no way to recuperate . dumb .
what ' s more , later that same year he published the first edition of what came to be the magnum opus of the entire counterculture , the whole earth catalog – a book that some people , turner included , believed changed the world . though it wasn ' t exactly a book , it was a how - to manual , a compendium , an enyclopedia , a literary review , an opinionated life guide , and a collection of readers ' recommendations and reviews of everything from computational physics to goat husbandry .
in recent years , he established the long now foundation , which aims to promote long - term thinking ( projects include building a clock that will keep time for 10 , 000 years , ticking once a year and chiming to mark each millennium ) . he ' s written on architecture in how buildings learn , he ' s shaken up the ecology movement with whole earth discipline – in which , among other things , he espouses mass urbanisation and nuclear power and then of course there ' s
de - extinction
.
chris anderson , the later editor of wired , who is younger than both brand and kelly , says that he is absolutely the inheritor of the catalog ' s
chain of influence
.
the whole earth catalog inspired the homebrew computing club , who inspired steve wozniak to build the apple 2 , who inspired the personal computer movement , who in turn inspired the original web . who inspired the open - source software movement . who inspired the open - source hardware movement which inspired the maker movement who inspired me .
but what to call it ? it could easily have been called something obvious , like best books and tools , but instead stewart chose something quirky and tendentious - because his motives were rather more political and educational than commercial . a few months earlier , he had started a quixotic campaign to build public pressure on nasa , america ' s space agency , to release a photograph showing the earth as single object isolated in space . he made a placard that said something like
nasa : why haven ' t we seen a photo of the whole earth yet ?
and he carried it around the campus of the university of california at berkeley . manned spaceflights in the early 1960s had not gone far enough away from the earth to bring back photographs showing our planet hanging isolated in space . some people suspected that there were spy satellites which could do that , but their images were top secret . in 1968 , nasa was already preparing to launch the first manned rockets to the moon . test flights had begun . these could carry automatic cameras , if nasa wanted them to , and sooner or later , the apollo astronauts would be able to look back at the earth and snap pictures on their way to the moon . so stewart ' s was a reasonable request , even if it puzzled passers - by in berkeley .
note : this was written for
wilderness as a phenomenon of integral culture
( divočina jako fenomén integrální kultury ) , a conference in klenová , czech republic , 4 - 5 may 2002 , which was part of a multi - museum exhibition entitled
divočina - přiroda , duše , jazyk
( wilderness - nature , soul , language ) curated by jiří zemánek . my text - written for an audience unfamiliar with whole earth publications - was translated into czech and published in 2004 with the other conference presentations in isbn 8086217825 .
so far as i can tell , harold lasswell was the first social scientist to offer a comprehensive explanation for the political dynamics of symbols like the whole earth . his theories also relate directly to the idea of integral culture . building on a century of research by others into the role of symbols in nationalist and revolutionary movements , lasswell summarized his analysis in a book entitled world politics and personal insecurity ( mcgraw - hill , 1935 ) . out - of - print since the 1970s , it is now available again , online , at
in retrospect what i particularly appreciate was dick raymond ' s help and comfort , which was none at all he ' s an unusually mercifui soul . he said out loud to esquire ,
you have to let people have their own nervous breakdowns .
correct . i jittered through the january 70 production and then asked gurney norman to handle march . he did , and with bells on . guest editorship had come to whole earth . joe bonner left on the mystical road , and i was worried , but hal hershey more than filled his shoes on layout .
the whole earth catalog got started in a plane over nebraska in march 1968 . i was returning to california from my father ' s long dying and funeral that morning in illinois . the sun had set ahead of the plane while i was reading spaceship earth by barbara ward . between chapters i gazed out the window into dark othing and slid into a reverie about my friends who were starting their own civilization hither and yon in the sticks and how could help . the l . l . bean catalog of outdoor stuff came to mind and i onderisd upon mr . bean ' s service to humanity over the years . so lany of the problems i could identify came down to a matter of ccess . where to buy a windmill . where to get good information n bee - keeping . where to lay hands on a computer without forfeiting freedom . . .
we are as gods and might as well get good at it . so far , remotely done power and glory - as via government , big business , formal education , church - has succeeded to the point where gross defects obscure actual gains . in response to this dilemma and to these gains a realm of intimate , personal power is developing - power of the individual to conduct his own education , find his own inspiration , shape his own environment , and share his adventure with whoever is interested . tools that aid this process are sought and promoted by the whole earth catalog .
what was the whole earth catalog ? it was a paper periodical , published in the united states in the late 1960s and early 1970s , full of information about things you could buy . it was more than just a catalogue . technology guru and apple co - founder steve jobs suggested in 2005 that this counter - cultural handbook should properly be understood as a forerunner of google . in its crumbly newsprint pages , which advertised the eclectic accoutrements of tuned - in america in those years — macrobiotic food , macramé patterns , yurt plans — jobs spied a radical rethinking of the connection between information and community .
kevin kelly , the founding editor of wired magazine , tells me how he first came across the catalog when he was still in high school
and it changed my life . but then it changed everybody ' s life . it inspired me not to go to college but to go and try and live out my own life . it was like being given permission to invent your own life . that was what the catalog did . it was called ' access to tools ' and it gave you tools to create your own education , your own business , your own life .
in the early years , the first section of coevolution focussed on the coming apocalypse . like most
green intellectuals ,
stewart thought we were on the brink of a worldwide social collapse that would be caused by resource depletion , pollution , overpopulation and the proliferation of military technologies whose power exceeded our sense of responsibility . but he was also among the first to be persuaded by futurist herman kahn that this was contrary to the dominant historical trends , which were overwhelmingly positive . kahn was virtually alone in predicting that the next 20 years would be a period of sustained prosperity and dramatically improving quality of life for a growing percentage of humanity and many whole earth readers were upset by his arguments . but they demonstrated coevolution ' s commitment to challenging consensus beliefs , even its own . note , too , that this was followed by a gradual shift away from the promotion of a
back to nature
lifestyle in coev . however esthetically appealing that way of life might be , it actually accelerates the loss of wilderness and is less energy - and transport - efficient than living in large cities . these fundamental re - orientations probably prevented coev from becoming as popular as the whole earth catalogs , but it also gave the magazine a reputation for bold , fresh thinking , and a loyal readership among independent - minded intellectuals .
it is in no way hard to find people who have been inspired by the whole earth catalog and by stewart brand . chris anderson , curator of ted , the conference series for
ideas worth spreading
, tells me that
in my own mind , he ' s my intellectual hero
. chris anderson – yes , there ' s two of them – a former editor of wired and leading light in the
maker movement
of industrial diyers – describes him as
an international treasure
and
one of my gods
. he actually thanks me for writing about him . stewart brand , it turns out , is the hero ' s hero .
stewart and his team put out several issues of the whole earth catalog , and then when it had run its course , they put out a final issue . it was the mid - 1970s , and i was your age . on the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road , the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous . beneath it were the words : ' stay hungry . stay foolish . ' it was their farewell message as they signed off . stay hungry . stay foolish . and i have always wished that for myself . and now , as you graduate to begin anew , i wish that for you .
i was operating without pay but keeping track of my time , to pay nyself back - wages of $ 5 / hr if we ever started to make money . in july 68 i printed up a mimeographed 6 - page
partial preliminary tooklist
of what i ' d gathered so far ( tantrn art , cybernetics the indian tipi , recreational equipment , about 120 items ) . with amples of each in the back of our truck lois and i set out to visit the market - familiar communes in new mexico and colorado . in about a month the whole earth truck store did a stunning $ 200 of business . no profit , but it didn ' t cost too much and was good education ,
within each section , individual items followed one another in logical sequence , like words in a thesaurus . the importance of an item was suggested by the amount of page - space it got , although the same could not be said of the length of the review . often it was the opposite , as when a hero is introduced with a simple ,
here is someone who needs no introduction .
hundreds of people wrote reviews for whole earth - most of them were readers , never met by the editor , who argued persuasively for the value of what they reviewed . but stewart ' s reviews were the most memorable , and usually disarmingly brief . they set a standard that we all tried to follow :
in his mind , he says , he had
diderot and his encylopédie and this enlightenment idea that basically knowledge had been held back by the aristocrats and all the rest . the whole thing was to keep people from knowing how to do things . so diderot was in my mind . and so was the ll bean catalogue which was full of outdoors stuff .
i told him this access catalog was what i wanted to do now . dick stened gravely and asked a few questions i had no answers for ( who do you consider as the audience for this ' catalog ' ? what kind f expenses do you think you ' ll have in the first year ? what will e in the catalog ? how often would you publish it ? how many copies ? ) . all i could tell him was that i felt serious enough about he project to put my own money into it , but not for a while yet . wanted to move into the scheme gradually , using portola ' s office , phone , stationery , and finances ( which were dick ' s personal saivings , dwindling fast ) . he said okay .
purposive systems ( heinz von foerster , etc . , 1968 )
you ' re a purposive system . so am i . we ' re very good at it , and not as good as we ' d like to be . humanity , as a whole , is lousy at it , and worried . this collection of recent cybernetic thoughts can cheer you up and give you better concepts to worry with .
this year marks its 45th anniversary . i have a slightly later , yellowing and decrepit edition , from 1971 , though it ' s the same oversized format . it ' s the edition that sold 2m copies and won a us national book award , and the tips on spot welding , home remedies for crabs ( not the marine kind , i don ' t think ) , dealing with drug busts , and building your own geodesic dome are rather delightfully quaint . ( i especially like an extract from the underground guide to us colleges which states that , at the university of illinois :
the hip chicks will do it . it is easier to find a chick who will have sex now than it was two years ago when things were extremely difficult .
) but it doesn ' t even begin to convey the revolution that the whole earth catalog represented .
dick raymond had introduced me to joe bonner , a talented teenage artist looking for work . he preferred to do layout than janitor for portola so i took him to gordon ashby ' s design studio in san francisco for a 10 - minute course in layout . in october 68 we started production on the first whole earth catalog in the garage at ortega . sandy fell in love with the ibm composer while joe nailed together light tables out of scrap plywood . we got some electric heaters and started work . joe did layout , sandy typed , and i researched , reviewed , edited , and photographed . whenever the typewriter , heaters , camera lights , and fry - pan of wax were on simultaneously the electricity went out . we ' d spend an hour on projects like making an exotic border with the composer . a leisurely production . a month or so for 64 white - spacey pages .
steve jobs ' s stanford commencement address , a short talk that he gave in 2005 and which went viral after his death in 2011 , is , in many ways , the ne plus ultra of jobsian wisdom . it encapsulated his thoughts on life , love and death . it expressed his lifelong philosophy and motivation . and it ends with a moving tribute to brand and what he calls
an amazing publication called the whole earth catalog
, which he describes as
one of the bibles of my generation
. it ' s worth quoting the rest of it in full :
it was created by a fellow named stewart brand not far from here in menlo park , and he brought it to life with his poetic touch . this was in the late 1960s , before personal computers and desktop publishing , so it was all made with typewriters , scissors , and polaroid cameras . it was sort of like google in paperback form , 35 years before google came along : it was idealistic , and overflowing with neat tools and great notions .
coevolution quarterly was born in the spring of 1974 .
coevolution
(
evolving together
) was a word coined by biologists paul erlich and peter raven to describe the mutually - interdependent development of caterpillars and plants , predators and prey ; it quickly became a core ecological concept . publishing 4 issues per year allowed more time for finding good content than weekly or monthly magazines enjoy , and it also forced that search to focus on ideas that stayed important over a longer timeframe . ( a common saying among the staff was
interesting is not enough .
) a more radical aspect of coevolution - at least from an american perspective - was that it carried no advertising , like the whole earth catalogs . this was to ensure that readers perceived the editorial policy as undistorted by commercial concerns , and to make it so in fact . we also reported our income and expenses in every issue . a further protection against both the perception and reality of commercialism was that a nonprofit foundation - point - was created to own both the catalogs and the magazine .
writing in 1935 , he could not seriously consider the impact of photographs of the earth from space , so he is unable to cite any visual symbol capable of emotionally uniting everyone . instead he argues that experience always differentiates us and historical change keeps us insecure , producing a never - ending search for
they symbols
to turn into scapegoats . our best hope , he says , is a quasi - buddhist detachment from our immediate surroundings , based not on religious philosophy , but on ( unspecified ) technologies that
internalize our fantasies .
on a larger scale , america felt like a big joke too , a vibrant but decadent nation that had careened off the rails , where any damn thing could happen and probably would . it was also the decade of maximum white flight and maximum urban blight , when the whole nation saw the south bronx burning on live tv during a world series game at yankee stadium . when i consider the strange combination of nihilism and idealism in my demographic slice — the disaffected middle class of the patty hearst generation that came of age with disco , punk , watergate and aids — i’m inclined to be forgiving .