Automated generation of tactile maps

Abstract

The Support Centre for Students with Special Needs at Masaryk University (the Teiresias Centre) in Brno, Czech Republic asked the team at the Department of Geography at the Faculty of Science to develop a technological procedure for the preparation of tactile maps from available sources of data. Most users would be blind and visually impaired students of Masaryk University. A set of scripts in Python language was prepared for the ArcGIS environment. The scripts prepare the source data, modify the layers, generate the layout of map sheets and export map sheets. The grid of map sheets covers the whole area of Brno City. Printed map sheets are combinable into larger areas. The scale of each map sheet is 1:2500.