National Braille Press (NBP) announced the 2025 winner of the Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation is See3D, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Caroline Karbowski. See3D is a collaborative, volunteer, community initiative to design, print and distribute free 3D printed models for blind people globally.
BOSTON, Aug. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- National Braille Press (NBP) announced today that the 2025 winner of the Louis Braille Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation is See3D, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Caroline Karbowski. See3D is a collaborative, volunteer, community initiative to design, print and distribute free 3D printed models for blind people globally. By incorporating feedback from users, collaborating with community organizations, advocating for more accessible 3D printing workflows, and launching an accessible 3D printing consulting program, See3D is leading the way to revolutionize the way blind and sighted people collaborate to create tactile learning tools, and therefore increase tactile literacy.
The Touch of Genius Prize competition attracts ideas from inventors around the globe who seek to improve the lives of people who are blind and have low-vision. See3D received $10,000 as the winner of the Touch of Genius competition.
"We are overjoyed to be awarded The Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation, especially during the celebration of 200 years of braille," said Karbowski. "We appreciate the recognition from National Braille Press to our volunteers, mentors, leadership team, community organizations, supporters, and model recipients globally who collaborate to enable accessibility through 3D printing technology. This momentum will empower the See3D community to continue to innovate to make 3D printing more accessible for blind people."
Karbowski, who is sighted, began learning braille when she was 12 years old so that she could read books in a car to avoid becoming carsick. She continued to pursue a deeper level of braille literacy and bought her first braille print books from National Braille Press. She grew up in Cincinnati, OH and took a braille class in high school and then pursued other avenues to use her braille skills which eventually led her to establish See3D. She wanted to make 3D printed tactile models free and accessible to blind and low-vision individuals across the globe, to help them learn but also to create a community where blind and sighted people could connect with each other. Karbowski, CEO of See3D, is a certified braille transcriber and is an O&M (Orientation and Mobility) Specialist at Perkins School for the Blind.
"Caroline Karbowski has done an amazing job of leveraging the rise of the maker culture with volunteers and students, that built a grassroots machine of collaboration, feedback and learning to produce free 3D models to inform the blind community." said Brian Mac Donald of National Braille Press. "See3D will continue to expand and grow under Caroline's innovation, leadership, and inspiration."
The selection of See3D, Inc. was made by the Touch of Genius committee that is comprised of experts in the field of braille and tactile literacy from across the U.S. who have come together every year since 2007 to judge the award nominations.
The Touch of Genius Adjudication Committee included: Joann Becker, Yue-Ting Siu, Judy Dixon, Janet Ulwick-Sacca, Josh Miele, Minh Ha and Brian Mac Donald.
The Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation was originally founded with support from The Gibney Family Foundation. Moving forward, the Lavelle Fund has made the commitment to continue supporting the Touch of Genius Prize for multiple years.
"The Lavelle Fund for the Blind believes that people who are blind or visually impaired should have all the tools and resources they need to lead independent and productive lives, and we believe in the importance of braille and tactile literacy.," said Susan Olivo, Executive Director and CEO of the Lavelle Fund for the Blind. "We are honored to support the Touch of Genius Prize for Innovation, and we salute all the innovators, past and present, who continue working towards this goal. The world needs more innovators like you!"
About National Braille Press
National Braille Press is a non-profit braille publisher and producer of braille products. NBP creates products and programs to support braille literacy in the blind community and to provide access to information that empower blind people to actively engage in work, family, and community. For more information visit www.nbp.org
Media Contact
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SOURCE National Braille Press
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