Rachel Zimmerman facts for kids

Rachel Zimmerman Brachman (born in 1972) is a Canadian space scientist, teacher, and inventor. When she was just 12 years old, she invented something amazing called the "Blissymbol Printer." This invention made it much easier for people with physical disabilities to communicate. It lets users pick special symbols called Blissymbols. The printer then turns these symbols into written words. Her invention became famous around the world. She has won many awards for her great work.

Blissymbols were created by Charles Bliss in the 1940s. People with disabilities started using them to communicate in the 1960s. Before Rachel's invention, people would point to a symbol. Then, an assistant would translate what they were trying to say. Rachel's Blissymbol Printer made it much simpler. It helped people who could not speak, like those with cerebral palsy, to communicate on their own.

Rachel's Early Life

Rachel Zimmerman was born in London, Ontario, Canada. From a young age, she loved many subjects. She was interested in art, music, math, and especially science. When she was 12, she was a student at St. George's public school. This is where she developed her special software program.

Her original science project idea was a huge success. She won a silver medal at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in 1985. Her invention was also shown in Bulgaria. It was part of the World Exhibition of Achievements of Young Inventors. Rachel also received a YTV Achievement Award for her work. She later graduated from London Central Secondary School.

Rachel then went to Brandeis University. She earned a degree in physics in 1995. While at Brandeis, she helped start the Women in Science Club. In 1998, she earned a master's degree. She studied Space Studies at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.

Today, Rachel Brachman works at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She combines her love for space technology with helping others. Her goal is to use NASA's new ideas to help people with disabilities.

The Blissymbol Printer

In 1984, when Rachel was 12, she invented the Blissymbol Printer. This device used a special software program. It could turn Blissymbols, tapped on a board, into clear written language. This allowed people with disabilities to talk easily with others.

Rachel first created this software for her sixth-grade science fair project. She took the existing Blissymbols system. In that system, people pointed to symbols. Rachel added a touch-sensitive Atari tablet. This made a Blissymbol touchpad. She also added a printer. This allowed users to print what they wrote. This made it much easier for people to communicate independently.

Instead of needing an assistant, users could just push a symbol. The Blissymbol Printer would then show the written word on a computer screen. Now, the system can be used in other languages, like French. It can also speak the words aloud. The Blissymbol Printer is still used in Canada, Sweden, Israel, and the United Kingdom.

Rachel's "Blissymbol Printer" helps people with severe physical disabilities. This includes conditions like cerebral palsy. It gives them an easy way to communicate. A user can simply point to different symbols on a page or board. They use a special touch pad to do this. When a symbol is chosen, the printer changes the image into written English or French. This helps people share their thoughts clearly.

Before Rachel's invention, communication was slow. An assistant had to watch people point to symbols. People who could not speak might also have had trouble controlling their movements. The Blissymbol Printer made everything much easier. The computer is always patient.

The Blissymbol Printer also made communication more affordable. Before, the only software for Blissymbols cost about $10,000. Rachel's printer cost only about $500. This made it affordable for schools and families to use at home.

Rachel's Work at NASA

Rachel Brachman has worked at many important places. These include the NASA Ames Research Center and the Canadian Space Agency. She also worked with The Planetary Society and the California Institute of Technology. Most of her work has been with NASA.

From 2003 to 2025, she worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. She was an education and public outreach specialist. She worked on projects like Earth and exoplanet citizen science. She also organized international essay contests. These contests were about moons of the outer solar system. They were for students in fifth to twelfth grade. Her main goal was to teach the public about space exploration.

She also worked at NASA Ames Research Center. There, she focused on combining space exploration ideas. She used these ideas to develop assistive technology. This technology helps people with disabilities. Many of her works have been published. You can find them in The Planetary Report and the Journal of the National Space Society. She also wrote for NASA's Ames Research Center Astrogram.

Rachel has led workshops for teachers. These workshops help teachers learn more about science. She has done them at the National Science Teaching Association. She also led them at the California Science Teachers Association conferences. She was also the president of an organization. It was called Science Education for Students with Disabilities. More recently, she has worked on public engagement. This includes the Radioisotope Power Systems program. She also worked on the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan.

Since 2003, Rachel has worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She is a Solar System and Technology Education and Public Outreach Specialist. She used her connections from the International Space University. She organized an essay contest about Saturn. Students from over 50 countries participated.

Her work has been published in the Planetary Report. It has also appeared in the Journal of the National Space Society. You can also find it in NASA's Ames Research Center Astrogram. Rachel has worked on public engagement for the Radioisotope Power System. She also worked on education for the Cassini-Huygens Mission. This mission explored Saturn and Titan. Rachel leads workshops for teachers. These are at the National Science Teaching Association and California Science Teachers Association conferences. From 2013 to 2016, Rachel was president of Science Education for Students with Disabilities.

Her goal today is to inspire the next generation. She wants them to love space as much as she does. She wants them to learn more about current space missions.

Awards and Recognition

Rachel Zimmerman has received several important awards. These awards recognize her amazing achievements.

In 2011, she received the Visionary Award. This was from the Women in Film and Television Showcase. It was given at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Rachel also won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2017-18. This award was for the Cassini End of Mission coverage. This covered the end of the mission to Saturn.

See also

In Spanish: Rachel Zimmerman para niños