The Design and Development of Leather Handicrafts Tools for Visually Impaired

Abstract

The objectives of this study were 1) to design and develop a toolkit for the visually impaired in order to solve problems of limitations and safety in use. 2) to test the leathercraft toolkit. The toolkit consisted of tools for cutting, hammering and sewing, all of which were implemented in designing and developing, manufacturing, and testing process with experts assessing the efficiency and compatibility of the tools. The sample population consisted of 5 completely blindness persons from Foundation for the Blind in Thailand under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen. The results were found that the most effective tools for the visually impaired were as follows: 1) The cutting set including a magnetic cutting mat used in conjunction with a metal template with handle helped to hold the leather sheet still and to make effective cuts when using a cutter knife; 2) The perforation set including stitching chisels set hole punch tool, size 6, 2, and 1 prong could precise the neat and perpendicular stamping hole when used with 5 cm in width hammer; and 3) The sewing set with stitching pony was highly recommended for the visually impaired because it could adjust the angle of holding the workpiece when used along with a safety blunt sewing needle. All the set of tools passed the performance test at a very good level. In contrast, the nonessential protection tools were cut resistant gloves and finger cots as all other tools were already supported for security.