【Uncut Archives】

A 1974 invention is Uncut Archivesgetting a very inclusive makeover.

Kristen Sharpless had an interesting assignment for her Intro to Vision Rehab Therapy class. The graduate student from the University of Massachusetts was assigned to create an adapted recreational game for someone who is blind. In a flash of inspiration, she created a Rubik's Cube with tactile inputs so people with limited vision could still use it.

She posted the prototype on Reddit and immediately received an outpour of positive comments.

SEE ALSO: This tactile tech is helping the blind experience the magic of fireworks

"I really liked about how much traction it got and the fact that I could spread awareness that adapting anything is possible if you think hard enough, and that even the most uncreative person (myself!) can think of something that somebody else could find really helpful," she told Mashable.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

"I’m not a terribly creative person (which is why i’m shocked this became so big), so when I saw the Rubik’s Cube, I was thrilled when I knew immediately what to do with it," she said."I had my best friend in mind (she’s not blind, she just loves playing with these things), so I thought I would make it tactile and blindfold her to have her try it out!"

The Rubik's Cube took her ten minutes to make and cost less than $15. She took an original cube and changed it with items she found in Michael's. The only challenge was finding different textures, but overall she designed each side to make it easy for everyone to understand.

Mashable Trend Report Decode what’s viral, what’s next, and what it all means. Sign up for Mashable’s weekly Trend Report newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

It took her 10 minutes to make and cost less than $15.

"I wanted to share something that was cheap and easy to make so people who work with the blind/ have blind friends or family could replicate it if they wanted," she said.

The 29-year-old student chose the program to work with individuals who are blind or deaf and help them "navigate through the world and live as independently as possible." Sharpless mentioned on Reddit, she wants to "work with the Helen Kellers of the world."

"I have spent my entire educational and professional career immersed in the DeafBlind community," she told Mashable. "I would love for the opportunity to give back to a community that has given me so much."

Since there was no description for the product, a Redditor was nice enough to describe each side:

Comment from discussion I adapted a Rubix Cube for the blind!.

Now, a Rubik's Cube for the blind has been done before (of course Redditors had to let her know), but she decided on creating a new look on the traditional toy.

As a result of her Reddit post, people began sharing personal stories and praising her for providing a product with blind people in mind.

Comment from discussion I adapted a Rubix Cube for the blind!.

"What's awesome about [the two Rubik's Cubes for the blind] is that they all serve the same purpose - to accommodate the needs of people who are blind - but they all take different approaches, which is great because no person - blind or sighted - is the same and has the same needs," she said.

She has no plans of making more of the project or selling them, but she did learn a lot about herself and the impact one object can make for people with disabilities.

---

Featured Video For You

---

This pillow may be the answer to acid reflux

---

• Shopping
• Digital Culture
• Social Good
• Tech
• Life
• Entertainment
• Deals
• Games

• Operation Rock Wallaby rains food down on wildlife hurt by bushfires
• Twitter says new coronavirus misinformation rules will apply to Trump
• Porn streamed on a train station video display and commuters definitely noticed
• IRS announces May 13 deadline for direct deposit of stimulus checks
• Ryzen 5 1600X vs. 1600: Which should you buy?
• Volvo's Polestar 2 with Google is actually on its way, unlike most new EVs
• Twitter says new coronavirus misinformation rules will apply to Trump
• Uber will scan drivers' faces to make sure they're wearing masks
• Diseases from mosquitos and ticks have tripled in the U.S., CDC finds
• Chihuahua in graduation cap and gown earns bachelor's degree in cuteness

• Rumors say AirPower may be coming soon — again
• How Stephen King's tweets saved book reviews for a local paper
• The 'Spider
• Sophie Turner shuts down tabloid rant against Emma Watson in 1 tweet
• Beyond 'Bandersnatch': How to keep choosing your own adventure
• Andrea Savage of truTV's 'I'm Sorry' is my personal hero
• Bungie and Activision split, Bungie to publish 'Destiny'
• Forget the catsuit. Check out Serena Williams' romper.
• 'The Simpsons' featured a meme of Homer and it's so wonderfully meta
• Clinton, Trump, and your money: A personal

• Diseases from mosquitos and ticks have tripled in the U.S., CDC finds
• Facebook is part of a group that will reportedly run ads to fight Silicon Valley regulations
• Sorry, contact
• Microsoft rolls out protection against 'reply all' email storms
• Why Building a Gaming PC Right Now is a Bad Idea, Part 1: Expensive DDR4 Memory
• Slack's redesigned mobile apps are less likely to make you bang your head against a wall
• Senate gives law enforcement the OK to spy on your internet history
• Microsoft rolls out protection against 'reply all' email storms
• Character AI reveals AvatarFX, a new AI video generator
• An iPad mini with a larger display might be coming and I'm very excited

• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for April 1, 2025
• Headspace is now free for unemployed Americans
• First two ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater’ games return in a faithful remaster
• Bro, do you even stream? CrossFit strikes deal with Facebook Live.
• What is Vcore and How Does It Help with Overclocking?
• Guy Fieri and Bill Murray are having a nacho cook
• The designer behind Unicode's first gender
• There's finally an easy way to see 'Retweets with Comments' on Twitter
• Then and Now: 6 Generations of GeForce Graphics Compared
• John Krasinski reveals he's in possession of Pam's teapot from 'The Office'