Lineario
Lineario is a board game designed for blind and visually impaired people. Playing Lineario has therapeutic benefits – it helps to develop tactile skills, comprehension, and spatial awareness. The game was created to support therapy by introducing an element of fun. The aim of the game is to form as many loops as possible by aligning the main pattern and the height of the pieces. Additionally, every time three connected pieces are placed, an opponent’s piece can be removed. The game ends when the entire board is filled, at which point the loops are counted.
Collaborator / Client:
personal project
Technology & Materials:
3D print (PLA), magnets
Year & Place:
2026; Kolding, Denmark
Development
Starting point
The project aimed to create a simple board game that is inclusive regardless of visual ability and can support the therapy of blind or visually impaired people. This objective set the framework for the project.
Process
Consultations with optometrists and rehabilitation specialists, as well as an analysis of existing therapeutic tools, defined the game’s key features – the three-dimensional nature and its high-contrast colour scheme. Additionally, an important element was the introduction of ‘distractors’, i.e., elements that distract the player’s sight or touch whilst simultaneously increasing the level of required concentration to finish the game. In the process, I utilised knowledge gained in my bachelor’s thesis project.
The next stage involved research through design and prototype testing. Three prototypes were tested: a monochromatic one, based on contrast with lighting; a model with passive and active players; and the final design. The tests involved playing the game first with eyes covered and then without covering them. The way players interacted with the object was assessed, as well as the so-called ‘playability’ – that is, the strategic balance of the game. Changes were made after each game (rules) and after each session (prototype).
3D modeling
3D printing with magnets
Prototype testing
Result
Final project
Lineario is a project that engages with eye care clinics, special schools, and inclusive schools by combining socially inclusive play with specialist therapy. Furthermore, it has the potential to become an integral part of the lives of blind and visually impaired people, just like a chess set, a game of draughts, or other board games. This project meets the design objectives and represents the next step towards addressing the broader design challenge of sustainable accessibility.
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