TypeCase, the 3D printed mobile keyboard for blind people

3D printing applications for disabled people are giving hope to thousands of people, and one such application is TypeCase, a keyboard integrated into the mobile phone case for blind people. The creator and designer, Dougie Mann, is a recent university graduate with a Masters Degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Product Design from Imperial College London and The Royal College of Art. Dougie Mann wanted to make smartphones easier to use for people with disabilities. His solution: a 3D printed keyboard with only 5 buttons instead of 50.

Visually impaired people struggle to see the buttons on a flat touch screen. For this reason TypeCase was born, with its designs manufactured using resin 3D printers. This keyboard makes it easy to use an ordinary smartphone, without having to rely on the more stigmatising solutions such as voice-to-text devices. Because the keypad is integrated into the phone case, users can type without looking, with one hand and without having to take their phone out of their pocket.

The design consists of 5 buttons | Credits TypeCase

TypeCase simplifies a traditional keyboard for beautifully intuitive, effortless interaction. The keypad works in a similar way to Braille, showing the user how to press the correct buttons when holding the phone. For people who are blind, TypeCase uses tactile feedback that allows users not only to send messages, but also to receive them. By reversing the interaction, the user can “feel” the text, using the same code, with small vibrations in each of their fingers.