The most common warning in museums across the world says „no touching“, yet for some touching is the only way to get a sense of objects – the blind.
But now, the National Gallery of Prague, with the help from Geometry Prague and NeuroDigital, is making art accessible to them by giving them the opportunity to touch the iconic sculptures, using special VR devices.
The campaign called „Touching Masterpieces“ launched a couple of days ago and represents a virtual reality experience with specially designed Avatar VR gloves with haptic feedback. Thanks to these gloves, the blind can feel the works like Michelangelo’s David, Venus de Milo and the bust of Nefertiti, as if they were touching them.
“Blind children are usually taught in school with relief aids and tactile pictures that far from accurately reflect reality,” explains Barbara Hucková, executive director of the Leontinka Foundation for the blind and visually impaired which was partner in the project. “This new technology is an incredible breakthrough allowing pupils to touch what was absolutely unattainable before.”
