NuVu students are working with Donna Duggan Edwards at the Perkins School for the Blind on creating devices to help students practice inserting their ocular prosthetics. The studio got off to an exciting start with a field trip to Perkins. We were greeted by Donna and Kevin Hartigan, one of Perkins' tour guides. Our tour focused on the innovations that Perkins has introduced toward education for students with visual impairments. We were shown a sample of Helen Keller's handwriting, and various innovative writing guides. We ran around the indoor track with blindfolds as a way of experiencing the great possibilities that exist for people with vision impairment. The Tactile Museum at Perkins had an incredible assortment of touchable specimens, from taxidermied geese to a full scale bust of Mozart. The students were very impressed with the Assistive Device Center which fabricates an enormous range of devices for people across New England. These devices are sturdy, innovative and made out of a special cardboard.

Jim Denham, the Assistive Technology Coordinator, showed students the range of devices that have enabled independence for people with vision impairments. One of the coolest devices was a refreshable braille device which allowed for text to be translated live into braille. We next visited Donna's classroom which is housed in the basement of Perkins to allow her to have full control over the lighting. This control is important because she tries as much as possible to mimic an eye doctor's office to help her students get ready for appointments. A visit to the doctor's office can be a scary experience and Donna's work helps prepare students through activities that simulate the procedures performed by an eye doctor. We observed Donna working with a wonderful 12 year old who is preparing to get a scleral shell.

This week, NuVu students are hard at work on their first prototypes. Their project ideas include a bunny that a kid can use to practice fine motor skills, an interactive giraffe, and a game that helps kids to practice opening an eye and inserting a prosthetic.