Materials

Tools

Blueprints

Making

Team Member
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The name Muensel carries deep meaning, symbolizing our core mission to bring light, understanding, and support to individuals facing challenges in their everyday lives. In Dzongkha, the word Muensel translates to brightening the darkness or illuminating the unknown.
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- Team Muensel
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  Dorji Dema: IE Teacher (Team Leader)
  Kinzang Choden: IE Teacher (Pre-Testing Leader)
  Pelden Wangchuk: IE Teacher (Sub Leader)
  
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- Team Muensel
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  4. Jamphel Kuendhen: Choego FabLab Student (Prototyping/Documentation Leader)
  5. Laxmi Prasad Dhakal: Choego FabLab Student (Presentation Leader)
  6. Jigme Wangchuk: JNEC (Prototyping Co-Leader)
  7. Koji Yamada: ADB Consultant (Sub Leader)
  
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About the need knower(s)
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Thai Khendrup Jurmey (10-years) class PP at Zhemgang PS, has ASD. He is nonverbal (use sounds and gestures to communicate) making it hard for teachers and caregivers to understand him. He struggles with self-care, short attention span, poor eye contact, and needs constant support for daily tasks.
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Subject / Need(s)
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A Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) or a 3D Interactive Communication Board to help him express needs and wants effectively.

A 3D Reward Board using tokens to reinforce task completion and positive behavior.
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Idea(s)
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For the needs identified above, we proceeded to the idea-sketch phase and settled down with the two product ideas that will serve for addressing the problems of the need-knower.
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- Idea-1 Token Bank
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  The need-knower stops tooth-brushing after moving the brush just once or twice. So our idea is that the teacher gives a token to him every time he brushes five times and he deposits it in the bank. After the deposit reaches the threshold, he could receive a certain benefit.
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- Idea-2 Interactive Communication Board
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  It helps the need-knower to send his message about yes/no answer, feelings and what he wants teachers and his family to do for him by pressing the respective buttons. Once button is pressed, voice message is automatically sent out from the speaker.
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1st Prototype: Token Bank
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- Token
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  We are going to use the screw caps of the PET bottles as colorful token for our prototype. The screw caps are abundant resources available in the school. We measured the diameter of the screw cap to come up with specific dimensions for the width, depth and height of the Token Bank.
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- Token Bank
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  We designed the box by Autodesk Fusion. The stl file was sliced by Prusa Slicer with generic PLA filament. We printed it with the Prusa 3D printer and it took approximately five hours.
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2nd Prototype: Interactive Communication Board
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It's a web-based assistive communication tool designed to help individuals with speech or communication challenges express their needs and feelings effectively.
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- KeyCaps 1: 3D-Printing
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  We designed the keycaps on Tinkercad for 3D-printing with PLA filament.
  KeyCap 3D Data is attached herewith.
  Pictures are on the keys as the need-knower is non-verbal and struggles in communication.By introducing relevant pictures, he can use them to communicate effectively with those around him.
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- KeyCaps 2: Vinyl-Cutting
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  Then we designed the image stickers so that the need-knower could express their feeling. After the interview with the SEN teacher, we shortlisted the six images and designed a simple sticker with Illustrator for vinyl-cutting. For prototyping, we chose three messages.
  Cut Data for Stickers
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- Case (Enclosure)
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  We designed the enclosure on Tinkercad for 3D-printing with PLA filament.
  We have made sure that the design is extremely simple and user friendly for people with special needs to use.
  Below attached are the 3D model files for the enclosure divided into two parts.
  - Case
  - Case Lid
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- Key Features
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  Built around an ESP32 microcontroller, this project combines physical buttons and a responsive web interface to enable users to trigger predefined phrases, which are then spoken aloud using the browser's speech synthesis capabilities.
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- System
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  It includes physical buttons for accessibility, a user-friendly web interface, real-time feedback, and WiFi connectivity. ESP32 hosts a web server, enabling interaction from any device on the same network. Users can press buttons physically or on the web page to trigger spoken phrases.
  Sample Code
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- BOM for the Board
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  Seeed Studio Xiao ESP32C3
  Push buttons
  Jumper wires
  Bread board
  Circuit Diagram
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Materials
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Interactive Communication Board
- Seeed Studio Xiao ESP32C3
- Push buttons
- Breadboard
- Jumper wires
- PLA filament
- Cutting sheet for vinyl-cutting

Token Bank
- PLA filament
- Bottle Caps (Token)
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Result(s)
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Due to the time constraints, we could only complete the token bank of three tokens vertically and the sample communication board on the breadboard.
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- Observation: Token Bank
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  The token bank is user-friendly and can be customized based on the activity being conducted. It also helps children learn various concepts effectively. It work as a motivational tools for them to carry out the next activity improving their conduct of the activities.
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- Observation: Interactive Communication Board
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  It is highly effective for both users and caregivers. The pictures on the keys assist students in understanding their needs, and as they press each button accordingly, the caregiver can immediately recognize and respond to their needs, facilitating better communication.
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Future Prospect(s)
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The need-knower and his teacher are based in a remote dzongkhag from any of the FabLabs or space equipped with 3D-printers. Also, they don't have any facility for electronics works. Therefore, we feel that we should stay engaged in further improving the system until the final deployment.
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- Interactive Communication Board for Centralized Production
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  Suitable for centralized production.
  However, it could be customized according to the needs of the children. The local capacity to make customized keycaps is required.
  If SEN program could coordinate with STEM program, it could be a good content for local STEM education.
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- Future Enhancements
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  Add more buttons and phrases to expand the range of communication options.
  Implement a mobile app for easier access and portability.
  Integrate text-to-speech customization (e.g., voice selection, speech rate).
  Add support for multiple languages to make the system more inclusive.
  
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- Token Bank for Decentralized Production
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  Token Bank could be redesigned according to the needs of the child. The height and width of the tower could be customized.
  However, we are aware that the local production capacity should further be enhanced.
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- Local Capacity for Replication and Customization
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  Even though they have limited access to the production facility, the teachers could work on designing or customizing the existing design locally. We provided a brief Tinkercad training session to the member SEN teachers, hoping they could further collaborate with local STEM teacher.
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- External Conditions
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  FabLabs provide the place to work on the project for the improvement or replication by others.
  SEN teachers have better understanding on the whole system. They should involve STEM teachers.
  MoESD has to further serve for the development of local capacity for SEN-STEM collaboration.
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