2025 Galleries
The Spark Gallery pages are one of our most popular design destinations, with thousands of visitors each year. Check out some of the latest Spark entries, in the galleries below.
Galleries // 2025 Spark:Spring Student // Blind Chess
Blind Chess
Finalist
Competition: Spark:Spring Student
Designer: Hyejun Jung
Design Type: Product & industrial, Universal Design
Company / Organization / School: Hoseo University
Team Members: Hyejun Jung & Jungeun Lim
Blind Chess is a game where the visually impaired and sighted slowly begin to share their senses. Chess is originally a game of strategy,but here, the goal is not to win fast, but to understand deeply. Through play, both players become aware of their sensory differences and learn to wait, to empathize, and to treat each other equally. In traditional chess, blind players struggle to locate pieces, while sighted players remain unaware of that struggle. Blind Chess closes that gap,using touch, Braille, NFC, and physical feedback so all players can access and share the same information, each in their own way. Pressing a piece reveals its position in Braille. NFC transfers the data to a digital Braille device, synchronizing the sensory experience. This isn’t just assistance,it’s a new way to play. A slow, thoughtful, and inclusive game that values presence over speed. It turns the difference in senses into a shared emotional experience,offering everyone equal time to feel, connect, and belong.
