Piazza dei Miracoli tangible model (unnamed)

A three-dimensional scale model of the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa, Italy, home to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery). The model is designed to allow blind or visually impaired people to gain an understanding of the layout of the Piazza dei Miracoli by exploring it with their hands before they walk around the site. The model includes audio tracks that provide information about the model itself and the historical site, which are activated by proximity sensors and physical buttons embedded into the model. The model is created by 3D printing a simplified architectural model of the site.

Barbara Leporini

Valentina Rossetti

Francesco Furfari

Susanna Pelagatti

Andrea Quarta

Leporini, B., Rossetti, V., Furfari, F., Pelagatti, S., & Quarta, A. (2020). Design Guidelines for an Interactive 3D Model as a Supporting Tool for Exploring a Cultural Site by Visually Impaired and Sighted People. ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing, 13(3), 9:1–9:39. https://doi.org/10.1145/3399679