3D printed yearbooks bring joy to visually impaired students at Georgia Academy for the Blind

Created by Mercer University Professor of Biomedical Engineering Dr. Sinjae Hyun, the yearbooks feature 3D models of classmates' faces alongside braille-printed names, enabling visually impaired students to feel their classmates' faces.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Mercer University’s School of Engineering has once again provided graduating seniors at Georgia Academy for the Blind (GAB) with unique 3D printed yearbooks called Touch3D.

Created by Mercer University Professor of Biomedical Engineering Dr. Sinjae Hyun, the yearbooks feature 3D models of classmates’ faces alongside braille-printed names, enabling visually impaired students to feel their classmates’ faces.

For six years, the Touch3D yearbooks have been a cherished gift for GAB seniors, like Ian Rodriguez.

“It feels good because I can actually have something to feel instead of having to look because I can’t see,” Rodriguez said.

The Knight Foundation has supported the project this year with a $5,000 grant. Dr. Scott Schultz, the School of Engineering’s Associate Dean, believes the program offers valuable experience for Mercer students, teaching them about product manufacturing, assembly lines and quality control.

Engineering student Kaitlyn Puckett, now in her second year of working on the project, noted that the team’s priority is to provide visually impaired students with a similar experience to their sighted peers.

“I think the process is easier like the behind the scenes, we get used to it,” she said. “We understand how to make it more efficient and quicker, but the same experience like watching them open them, receive it, is so sweet, it’s so surreal. They really appreciate it.”

Since 2018, Mercer students have created more than 75 Touch3D yearbooks for GAB students. According to Dr. Schultz, the Touch3D yearbooks are only made at Mercer.