System for Producing Tactile Images

摘要

A system for producing tactile images from a drawing or graphics file includes an image scanner or input device for importing and creating a digital file, which may be operated upon by software in a computer. The software has edge detection and color detection functions that may be adjusted to create an image file that may be provided to an embossing machine, which in turn prints a tactile image.

主权项

1. A method for producing a tactile image which may be perceived through the sense of touch comprising the steps of:
(a) obtaining an image file in a digital format; (b) converting the image file to a bitmap format to form a bitmap image file comprising an array of pixels; (c) detecting edges of objects in the bitmap image file that satisfy preselected parameters and eliminating edges of objects that fall outside of said parameters; (d) selecting predetermined ones of said pixels forming said edges and adjusting said pixels so as to define lines having thicknesses that may be perceived by touch; and, (e) embossing the image defined in steps (c) and (d) onto a substrate to produce a tactile document.