MakeUofT '24
Canada's largest hardware hackathon — built a Braille card stamping machine with bidirectional translation in 24 hours.
Canada's largest hardware hackathon — built a Braille card stamping machine with bidirectional translation in 24 hours.
Overview
MakeUofT is Canada's largest make-a-thon — a 24-hour hardware hackathon hosted at the University of Toronto. Two teams from IEEE Concordia made the trip; one team won 1st place. I was on the other team.
What We Built: Braille Translation Machine
An accessibility device for visually impaired users that works in both directions:
Text → Braille
- User types text on a computer
- Machine stamps Braille characters onto blank cards
- Output: Physical Braille cards that can be read by touch
Braille → Text
- Camera scans an existing Braille card
- Computer vision detects and decodes the dot patterns
- Output: Digital text displayed on screen or read aloud
Technical Implementation
| Component | Technology |
|---|---|
| Mechanical | Custom CAD in Fusion 360, 3D printed parts |
| Actuation | Arduino-controlled stamping mechanism |
| Vision | OpenCV for Braille dot detection |
| Translation | Custom encoding/decoding logic |
My Contribution
- CAD design and mechanical assembly
- Integration between software and hardware systems
- Rapid prototyping under time pressure
The 24-Hour Experience
This was my first exposure to MakeUofT's intensity — designing, building, and debugging a functional hardware prototype overnight. The other IEEE team took home 1st place, which only motivated me to come back stronger the next year.
Gallery
