NewsNation

3D exhibit helps blind veterans experience war history

(NewsNation) — Many of America’s veterans have difficulties visiting museum exhibits because they are blind or visually impaired.

That’s a problem former war photographer John Olson wanted to address when he teamed up with the company Tactile Images to create a traveling exhibit titled “Tet and the Battle of Hue.”


It uses 10 different 3D images created from his 1968 photographs of U.S. Marines in Vietnam.

The photographs have touch-activated sensors that provide audio interviews with the Marines documented in each photo.

The Chicago Lighthouse, which serves disabled veterans, recently took a group of veterans to the exhibit.

“We are well-rounded. We want to provide opportunities for Veterans. Not only work opportunities, but life opportunities. Some of our Veterans were part of the Vietnam War, the Iraqi conflict – they want to learn more about it – they may not have seen the whole picture being in one division of the armed services,” said the group’s CEO, Janet Szlyk.

“It gives me goosebumps because I think this is something that the whole world should see,” said one veteran who visited the exhibit.