Visible through touch: open-source 3D-printed tools for inclusive microbiology education.

Abstract

Microbiology education relies heavily on visual interpretation of microbe cultures, microscopy and assays, which can create barriers for blind and visually impaired learners. Inclusive teaching requires multimodal tactile approaches that make microbiology accessible to all students. This work presents two open-source browser-based web applications (the Agar Plate STL Generator and Microscope Slide to STL) designed to convert standard microbiological images into 3D-printable tactile models. Both tools use heightmap-based image processing to translate visual data into topographic 3D surfaces. Users can upload digital images of agar plates or microscope slides (e.g. in jpg format), adjust relief depth through an interactive interface and generate printable STL files without prior experience in computer-aided design or 3D printing. The resulting tactile models replicate spatial and morphological features of microbial growth and microscopy, enabling learners to 'see through touch'. These tools enable independent participation by visually impaired students and promote multi-sensory engagement for all learners. Both applications and their source code are freely available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 licence via GitHub and Zenodo. Open-source tactile microbiology tools provide a scalable, inclusive means to bridge the accessibility gap in STEM education. By converting visual laboratory outputs into tangible models, these resources support universal design for learning and foster equitable participation in microbiology.