Touch Mapper
Type an address and get a tactile street map for blind and low-vision users
Touch Mapper is a free browser tool for accessible maps for blind and low-vision users. Free to download and print yourself; printed maps can be ordered from about 29 EUR/USD. Exports STL; no account needed. Last checked .
Opens touch-mapper.org
What is Touch Mapper?
Touch Mapper makes tactile maps for people who are blind or partially sighted. You type an address, pick a map size and scale, and it builds a raised map of the surrounding streets from OpenStreetMap data, ready to download as an STL for your own printer.
Streets, footpaths, railways and water are shaped differently so they can be told apart by touch, buildings can be switched on or off, and a marker shows the searched address. Scales range from close-up detail to a wider overview, and there is a larger scale suited to people who lost their sight later in life.
The service is free and open source. If you do not own a printer you can order a printed map, with prices starting around 29 euro or dollars. It is a thoughtful project for orientation and mobility teachers, families and anyone printing maps for accessibility.
What you can make
- Tactile street maps
- Neighborhood orientation maps
- Route planning maps
- Maps with or without buildings
How to use Touch Mapper
- Enter an address and search
- Choose map size, scale and whether to show buildings
- Create the tactile map
- Download the STL and print it
What you'll need to print it
Filament and parts that suit what you make with Touch Mapper.
White PLA
- Bambu Lab PLA Basic Jade White (affiliate link) Amazon
- Polymaker PolyLite PLA Cold White (affiliate link) Polymaker EU: 3DJake (affiliate link)
Code gives 15% off your first order at Polymaker.
Matte PLA
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about that
Touch Mapper pros
- Built specifically for touch reading
- Only an address is needed to start
- Free and open source
Touch Mapper cons
- Detail depends on OpenStreetMap coverage
- No bus stops or crossings marked
- Large maps may need splitting to fit a print bed
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