News Story

Digital 3D Modelling Through Touch

Monday 9 Jun 2025

School of Engineering and Innovation researcher Lisa Bowers is leading efforts to ensure that The Open University is at the forefront of accessible education. In a 2022 study featured during British Science Week, a VR touch studio for sight-impaired users was showcased – MakeActive–UK – featuring HAPLY’s Inverse3, a highly portable, force-feedback haptic controller. The underlying haptics software that was used in the study was the TOIA platform in Unreal Engine, known for its high-fidelity soft body physics capabilities.

For sight-impaired users, traditional computer-aided design (CAD) software like AutoCAD and SolidWorks present significant accessibility challenges. The Inverse3 bridges this gap by enabling users to interact with digital 3D modelling software through touch, allowing them to manipulate shapes and textures with precision.

Further details can be found on the HAPLY website: https://www.haply.co/discover/making-3d-design-accessible-haptic-feedback-for-sight-impaired-users