Investigation of A Tactile Educational Prototype for The Formation of Spontaneous Concepts of Food

Development of A Soft Human Body Model to Help Blind Children Understand That “Eating Builds The Body”(2)

Abstract

This study designs and prototypes a tactile learning tool to help congenitally/early blind preschool children form a “spontaneous concept” of eating—“eat → pass through the body → excrete.” Using Vygotsky’s framework, existing materials were analyzed and educator interviews yielded five requirements (simplicity, body-scale alignment, traceable process, wearable embodiment, narrative linkage). Iterative prototyping showed a single material/process could not satisfy softness, traceability, and reproducibility; a hybrid modular structure enabled integration. Next, the integrated prototype is introduced in educational settings to examine meaning-making and practical usability.