Rachel Zimmerman facts for kids

Rachel Zimmerman Brachman (born Zimmerman in 1972) is a Canadian space scientist, teacher, and inventor. When she was a young girl, she created the "Blissymbol Printer." This invention, made between 1984 and 1986, helps people with physical disabilities talk.

The printer lets users choose different Blissymbols to share their thoughts. Then, it changes these symbols into written words. Her invention became known around the world. She has won several awards for her amazing work.

Blissymbols were first made by Charles K. Bliss in the 1940s. People with disabilities started using them to communicate in the mid-1960s. But it was not until the 1980s that they became easy to use. Before Rachel's invention, people would point to a symbol. Then, an assistant would translate what they meant.

Rachel's Blissymbol Printer made it much simpler for people who could not speak. This included those with severe physical disabilities like cerebral palsy. Now, they could pick symbols themselves. The printer would then turn these images into written text.

Early Life and Education

Rachel Zimmerman was born in London, Ontario, Canada. From a young age, she loved art, music, math, and especially science. When she was 12, she was a student at St. George's public school. There, she developed a computer program using Blissymbols.

This science project led her to win a silver medal. This was at the Canada-Wide Science Fair in 1985. Her project was also shown in Bulgaria. It was part of the World Exhibition of Achievements of Young Inventors. She also received a YTV Achievement Award.

Rachel went to London Central Secondary School. Later, she earned a degree in physics from Brandeis University in 1995. While at Brandeis, she helped start the Women in Science Club. In 1998, she earned a master's degree in Space Studies. She got this from the International Space University in Strasbourg, France.

Today, Rachel works at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She uses her interest in space technology and helpful tools. Her goal is to adapt NASA inventions to help people with disabilities.

The Blissymbol Printer

In 1984, Rachel Zimmerman was 12 years old. She was at St. George's public school in London, Ontario. There, she invented the Blissymbol Printer. This device used a special computer program. It changed Blissymbols, tapped on a board, into clear written language. This allowed people with disabilities to talk easily.

Rachel first made the software for her sixth-grade science fair project. She took the existing Blissymbols system. This system involved pointing to symbols. She added a touch-sensitive Atari tablet to create a Blissymbol touchpad. She also added a printer. This allowed people to print what they wrote.

This made it easier for people to communicate on their own. 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 could be used in other languages, like French. It also gained a voice output feature. The Blissymbol Printer is still used in Canada, Sweden, Israel, and the United Kingdom.

How the Printer Helps

The "Blissymbol Printer" is made for 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 for this.

When a user chooses a symbol, the printer changes the image. It turns it into written English or French. This helps their thoughts be clearly understood. Her invention started as a school science fair project. She won a silver medal at the 1985 Canada-Wide Science Fair. It was also shown at the World Exhibition of Achievement of Young Inventors. She also won the YTV Achievement Award for Innovation.

Before the Blissymbol Printer, communication was slow. An assistant had to watch people pointing to symbols. Also, people who could not speak might have trouble controlling their movements. With Rachel's printer, everything became more convenient. The computer has endless patience.

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

Career in Space and Education

Rachel has worked at many 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 Pasadena, California. She was an education and public outreach specialist. Her projects included citizen science about Earth and exoplanets. She also ran international essay contests for students. These contests were about moons in the outer solar system. Her main goal was to teach the public about space exploration.

She also worked for NASA Ames Research Center. There, she focused on combining space exploration ideas with tools for people with disabilities. Many of her works have been published. These include The Planetary Report, the Journal of the National Space Society, and NASA's Ames Research Center Astrogram.

Rachel has led workshops for teachers. These were at the National Science Teaching Association and California Science Teachers Association conferences. She was also the president of Science Education for Students with Disabilities. This organization helps students with disabilities learn science. More recently, she has worked on public outreach for the Radioisotope Power Systems program. She also worked on the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and Titan.

Since 2003, Rachel has been a Solar System and Technology Education and Public Outreach Specialist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She used her connections from the International Space University. She organized a Saturn essay contest for students. This contest involved middle and high school students from over 50 countries.

Her goal today is to make sure the next generation loves space. She wants them to learn more about current space missions.

Awards and Recognition

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

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

See also

In Spanish: Rachel Zimmerman para niños