Touch Mapper, www.touch-mapper.org, isa service where anyone can create a tactile map automatically of any outdoorarea. A typical map, 17 cm (6.7 inches) across, costs 35 euros (about 40dollars though prices are subject to change). If you happen to have access to a3D printer, you can print the map yourself, free of charge.
The maps include roads, buildings, railways and waterareas. Roads of all sizes are included. Since pedestrian roads are often themost essential ones to label, they are elevated tactually more than other roadsshown on the map. This feature allows blind people more easily to locate ordetermine a route that they intend to navigate on foot.
You can choose between different scales and map sizes.Roads can be printed in a different color than the rest of the map if desired.
The website is quite accessible with screen readers. The areathat you wish to map out is selected by entering a street address into the editbox, and a tactile marker is placed on the map in that location. The north-eastcorner of the map is raised so you know which way to hold the map.
Map data comes from OpenStreetMap, an open source mapthat anyone can edit, like Wikipedia.
Because the price point for these maps is much lower thanthe typical price point for traditional tactile maps, Touch Mapper makes itpossible for the first time to get a tactile map for areas important to you;getting a map of your own neighborhood is a good example for a likely scenariofor utilizing the service.
For more information, visit http://touch-mapper.orgor email info@touch-mapper.org.
