South By SouthWest (SXSW) Pitch Night
Friday, 9th of August, 2024
06:00pm - 09:00pm
The room is brimming with MATT members as Matthew Butler, William, and Diana kick off MATT’s SXSW Pitch Night.
With passion and dedication, they introduce the team, highlighting our commitment to accessibility and the remarkable journey we've embarked on over the past 16 months.
What started as a small group has grown into one of the largest Monash student teams, now boasting over 70 students, 11 projects, 14 academics, and representation across 10 faculties.
This evening is a milestone for MATT, as each project takes its turn in the limelight, competing for the chance to showcase their work at SXSW—an international hotspot for innovation, technology and industry leaders.
Project Map Pitch
Project Map takes centre stage with its mission to provide an inclusive educational experience for the 400,000 students who are blind or have low vision.
Utilising 3D printing to create tactile maps, this initiative combines PLA prototyping, textures, audio, and haptics to make campus navigation accessible to all.
Currently, they have developed maps for LTB, Menzies, and the Campus Centre, with plans to expand and cover other buildings, ultimately aiming for a fully tactile and interactive map of the Monash campuses.
Project STEM Engagement Pitch
Project STEM Engagement showcases their efforts to support underserved communities through cutting-edge STEM education.
Their hands-on workshops and tech-based learning solutions are designed to break the cycle of exclusion, offering opportunities where they’re needed most.
From working with clients with disabilities at Wallara to teaching 3D printing and modelling at Father Bob’s, their workshops are designed to inspire and educate.
Looking ahead, the team is diving into VR and AR workshops, with plans to bring their 3D-printed chocoboards to the spotlight at SXSW.
Project Dance Pitch
Project Dance immediately captures the audience’s attention with a live demonstration of the first five positions of ballet, inviting everyone to join in.
This project tackles the challenges blind, or low-vision individuals face when learning dance.
Traditionally reliant on physical touch and verbal instructions, dance education has been limited to in-person attendance, making it less accessible.
By using camera-based technology to detect and track 33 different body parts, Dance can identify and classify movements, translating them into other sensory modalities.
Currently, the project is focused on recognising eight Laban movements, with the long-term goal of making this technology available online for activities such as yoga.
Project Tactile Display Pitch
With a low-cost solution for literacy and independence, Project Tactile Display introduces a game-changing alternative for individuals that are blind or have low vision.
Traditional braille displays are prohibitively expensive; however, this project utilises resin printing and other methods to create affordable, high-quality tactile displays.
These displays are designed for ease of repair, modularity, and functionality, offering users the ability to switch between braille and matrix sensory outputs.
And the best part? They’re available in kit form for less than $800—a clear competitor against the $20,000 starting price of commercial models.
Project Vision Pitch
Project Vision tackles the challenges faced by individuals with Parinaud's syndrome, a condition that causes blurred vision, double vision, and difficulty with eye movement.
By exploring the capabilities of Apple Vision Pros, the team is using co-design methods to create a solution that makes the world more accessible for those with visual impairments.
Their demo offers a powerful insight into how people with Parinaud's syndrome see, highlighting a software-based solution designed to address the three primary visual symptoms of the condition.
Project Visual Clutter Simplification Pitch
Project Visual Clutter Simplification addresses the needs of individuals who struggle to process complex visual information, such as those with autism, ADHD, anxiety disorders, or CVI.
The project aims to improve the quality of life for these individuals by developing a mobile app that uses computer vision techniques, including ultralytics and object detection, to identify, isolate, and highlight objects.
By simplifying visual scenes, the app makes it easier for users to navigate and interact with their environment, reducing stress and enhancing well-being.
This technology has applications in grocery stores and other environments where finding specific objects can be overwhelming.
Project Switch Simplification Pitch
Lastly, Project Switch is changing the game for individuals with dyspraxia, a condition that affects fine motor skills and physical coordination.
With 1 in 20 kids impacted by dyspraxia, traditional gaming controllers are often too expensive and inaccessible.
This project is paving the way for a more inclusive gaming experience by pioneering an open-source framework for customisable, 3D-printed controllers.
These controllers are modular and adaptable, tailored to individual needs.
As gaming continues to grow into a global phenomenon, including the rise of e-sports in the Olympics, their solution ensures that users with disabilities can join in and compete on equal footing.
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As the night draws to a close, each project has made a compelling case for why it should represent MATT at SXSW. The showcasing of projects emphasises that MATT is at the forefront of making the world a more inclusive place through innovative technology and dedicated teamwork.