Saturday, January 16, 2010

Touch the Universe



Be sure to click on the image to view at full size.

In 2002, NASA published a book featuring images of the universe with raised textures to help people experiencing blindness understand astronomical phenomenon.  Raised ridges, bumps, and swirls act as a tactile language explaining the gasses and energy that make up our universe.
 

Tactile Maps



The inuits of Greenland carved these tactile "maps" of the coastline. Why?  So that they could feel their location without taking their hands out of their pockets.