I will never get tired of discovering how 3D printing’s physical nature is making many aspects of life more accessible to those who use their sense of touch to perceive objects and environments. After many beautiful projects – such as Tooteko in Italy and Vaihtoehto vitriinille in Finland – that open up the world of the arts to the blind, now it is time for 3D printing to lend a helping hand in the world of sports as well.
Versoteq, the same Finnish start-up that developed the “alternative display case” project for the Sports Museum of Finland, has now undertaken an equally useful project to help blind athletes find their way around the sports complexes that will host the Goal Ball World Championship in Espoo, Finland’s second largest city: a set of 3D printed tactile maps of the venues.
Goal Ball is a sport designed specifically for blind and partially sighted athletes, originally developed as a means of assisting the rehabilitation of World War II veterans. It is played by teams of three with a ball, with bells embedded into it, that must be rolled into the opponent’s goal. 3D printing is thus not necessary for actually getting “into” game but it does come in handy when it comes to getting “to” the game.
Most participating athletes are likely unfamiliar with the shape of the Tapiola Sports Park and the Sello Shopping Center in Espoo, where the competing athletes are staying at the GLO Hotel. The tactile maps will help the participants gain a clearer understanding of the places, routes and distances, allowing them to become familiar with the shape of buildings and other surrounding objects. The maps also include braille text and tactile letters for more precise descriptions and information.
A larger tactile map of the Tapiola Sports Park and of the Summa Sports Hall that hosts the actual matches is also on physical display at the competition office. The portable tactile maps will be distributed to all participating teams: they may be a useful instrument for getting around during the games but they will also serve as a highly detailed reminder of the 2014 Goal Ball World Championship.
