Proposal of a design tool for tactile graphics with thermal sensation

Standard tactile graphics use the unevenness and texture of a surface to convey a pictorial expression. “Thermal Sensation Tactile Graphics” aims for rich artistic expression by utilizing thermal sensation in addition to texture. Due to the hardness of the material used, however, it is difficult to draw a picture with the unevenness. This paper describes a design tool for “Thermal Sensation Tactile Graphics” that will allow for more freedom in creating a tactile graphics with thermal sensation.