GRADUATION ALBUMS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

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Graduation albums contain a lot of precious memories about school days, but they are useless to visually impaired students. A university research center in Daegu has produced a 3D graduation album for students with impaired vision. We have the details.

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It's time for students to say goodbye to their school. Along with their diplomas, they also receive large boxes. Inside are sculptures of the faces of 26 graduates and their teachers. This special memento was made using 3D printing for the graduates of a school specializing in education for the visually impaired. The students can easily identify their classmates by feeling the sculptures with their hands.

[Soundbite] LEE SOO-YEON(GRADUATE OF KWANGMYUNG SCHOOL) : "Before, I could only hear my classmates' voices, but now I can touch their faces and the faces of my teachers. I will treasure this album for a long time."

This graduation album was the idea of the Institute of Advanced Convergence Technology of Kyungpook National University. The institute decided to produce and provide the items free of charge after learning the school's graduates used to receive regular graduation albums.

[Soundbite] HWANG UNG-BI(INST. OF ADVANCED CONVERGENCE TECHNOLOGY, KYUNGPOOK NATIONAL UNIV.) : "We proposed the idea of 3D albums as a way to utilize advanced technologies in a meaningful way for the students. We thought it would be great if the children could feel the faces of their classmates and remember them."

In the future, the school and the institute plan to add a voice message feature to 3D graduation albums. Thanks to this technology and experts that care, visually impaired students can remember their school days for a long time.