3D Printed Tactile Map of LSVI Playground Using Photogrammetry

Authors

• Milain Marcel, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical CollegeFollow
• Raedan Stephens, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical CollegeFollow
• Brian Baudoin, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical CollegeFollow
• Gavin Murray, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical CollegeFollow
• Katherine Mull, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical CollegeFollow
• Anna Claire Ricks-Boyd, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical CollegeFollow

Presentation Type

Visual Display

Conference Date

Spring 4-17-2026

Abstract

Playgrounds are an essential part of children's development, but current accessibility standards do not fully address the needs of children who are blind or visually impaired. In 2021, an LSU Biological and Agricultural Engineering senior design team created the first play structure tactile map, which was installed at the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired (LSVI) and is still in use today. The tactile map is designed to provide children who are blind or visually impaired with a tool to help them better understand a playground layout prior to physical interaction, improving safety, confidence, and independent play. While this project was successful, it relied heavily on manual measurements, making the process time-consuming and difficult to repeat. This project aims to develop a repeatable, step-by-step protocol for generating 3D printed tactile maps using drone-based photogrammetry with the long-term goal of making tactile playground maps accessible for any space. Drone footage is captured from different heights and viewpoints to be processed and then reconstructed in 3DF Zephyr, a photogrammetry software program that creates 3D models from digital media. The reconstructed mesh is then edited through three key subcomponents: geometric refinement, feature extraction, and tactile encoding to be exported for 3D printing. This standardized protocol significantly reduces the time required for data collection and lays out the groundwork for future tactile map design applications.

Presenter

Milain Marcel, Raedan Stephens, Brian Baudoin, Gavin Murray, Katherine Mull, & Anna Claire Ricks-Boyd

Recommended Citation

Marcel, M., Stephens, R., Baudoin, B., Murray, G., Mull, K., & Ricks-Boyd, A. (2026). 3D Printed Tactile Map of LSVI Playground Using Photogrammetry. Retrieved from https://repository.lsu.edu/discover_pubs/29

Faculty Mentor

Marybeth Lima

Award

1st Place, Visual Displays; Top 5 Design Team, LSU College of Engineering

Academic Major

Biological Engineering; Biological Engineering & Computer Science; Biological Engineering; Biological Engineering; Biological Engineering; Biological Engineering