Weeks 2 and 3 - Figuring it out

Week 2 was spent continuing to decipher the code for the VizTouch project. I finally got it to run toward the end of the week, producing an STL file with a graph that can be printed out via the MakerBot 3D printer. I am still having trouble printing out the STL file because of what I am assuming is problems with the way the printer is reading the file at a scale that can actually be printed. I am looking into it.
Week 3 saw two major improvements the VizTouch project. First, I found out how to separate the one STL file into two STL files (one with the background plate and the other with the grid and the data plotted on it). This is important because now we can make use of the new model of the MakerBot and its DualStrusion feature, which lets it print out objects in two colors of plastic. This will not directly help the blind, but it will make reading the graphs easier for those with very low vision.
The second improvement that has been made is the addition of bar graphs to the list of the types of graphs that can be generated through VizTouch, thus expanding the capabilities of the VizTouch software beyond simple function graphs. A problem has been introduced in that I am having trouble getting the bars in the STL file to be filled in rather than a simple outline.
For the next week, some tasks that I hope to accomplish are loading more than one function line into the graph and experimenting with how far the graph is extruded from the background plate.

Week 1 - Getting started

It looks like my internship is off to a good start. I met my professor, who got me acclimated to what the next 10 weeks were going to look like. After looking at all the projects that were offered, I decided to go with working on a piece of software that would help those with visual impairments be able to read graphs and charts. The first step that I plan to take with this project is to study the code thoroughly and to understand what each part does. So far, I have high hopes for this project.