Project · draft
Laser-Cut Tactile Campus Map with Braille and Touch Audio
- beginner
- 6-8 hours (map) + 3-4 hours (optional audio)
An accessible, touchable map with braille labels and spoken descriptions helps visually impaired visitors find their way independently (target 10.2).
Safety notes
- Laser cutter: never leave it running unattended, keep the lid closed and extraction on, and only cut materials your lab approves (no PVC or vinyl).
- Sand or flame-polish edges so no sharp corners are exposed to fingers.
- Braille is easy to get wrong: follow a published dimension standard and have braille readers check the labels before display.
Draft and unofficial, not affiliated with Fab Academy or the United Nations. Check prices, GST and parts before you buy.
Summary
A stacked acrylic/MDF map of your lab or campus: buildings raised, paths textured, braille labels. Touch a point and a speaker says what it is. Test every iteration with braille readers and adjust.
What it teaches
Design a layered tactile map with clear raised edges and textures, engrave or build up braille labels to a published dimension standard, then add copper-tape touch points read by ESP32 capacitive pins that play short audio descriptions through an I2S amplifier.
Topics it touches, in Fab Academy-style terms:
- Computer-controlled cutting
- Computer-aided design
- Input devices (optional)
- Output devices (optional)
Parts list
Parts cost
Some parts are not priced yet, so there's no total.
2 required parts are marked not priced yet below, and 3 optional. Where a price is known it is shown per part, GST-inclusive as the seller listed it on 24 Oct 2026, with the GST rate unverified. Shipping is not included.
| Part | Qty | Unit | Price, GST-incl. as listed | Line cost | GST | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cast/extruded acrylic sheet, 3 mm (laser-cut parts)acrylic-3mm-sheet | 2 | sheet | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
| MDF or plywood sheet, 3 mm (laser-cut parts)mdf-3mm-sheetBase layer | 1 | sheet | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
| Part | Qty | Unit | Price, GST-incl. as listed | Line cost | GST | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ESP32 NodeMCU 30-Pin WiFi Bluetooth Development Board CP2102esp32-devkit-30pinAudio option: capacitive touch pins | 1 | pcs | ₹425 | ₹425 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| MAX98357A I2S amplifier breakoutmax98357a-i2s-amp | 1 | pcs | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
| Small 8 ohm speakerspeaker-8ohm | 1 | pcs | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
| Conductive copper foil tape, ~5 mmcopper-tape-5mmTouch points | 2 | m | not priced yet | not priced yet | GST unverified | no seller yet |
| Male to Female Jumper Wires (20cm) (20pcs)jumpers-f2m-20cm-20Pack: pack of 20 male-female 20cm | 1 | set | ₹28 | ₹28 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
| USB A Type to Micro USB B Type 1M Cable (Colour may vary)cable-usb-micro-1mSkip if you already have a data-capable micro-USB cable | 1 | pcs | ₹36 | ₹36 | GST unverified, typically 18% | Robocrazeread 24 Oct 2026 |
The Part column links to the shared catalogue. Units are pcs, m, g, sheet or set, and a "set" is the seller's pack, as noted per part.
Tools you will need
- Laser cutter
- Soldering iron (audio option)
- Laptop with Arduino IDE
Build notes
Step-by-step build notes have not been written yet for this draft. The summary, the topics above and the parts list are what exists so far.
How to buy
There is no online checkout. To buy or import these parts, email info@curiosta.com and say what you need. The button opens your own email app with a draft; nothing is sent until you send it.
Prices on this site are third-party seller listings, not a Curiosta quote. Ask by email for availability, price and GST.