Trending Now - Blind Innovator Empowers Low Vision Fans to Build Lego Sets
WHO:
ABC News Business - Matthew Shifrin, a blind innovator and founder of Bricks for the Blind.
ABC News - Daniel Millan, a 31-year-old master's student from San Diego who lost his sight in 2024.
ABC News - Natalie Charbonneau, a blind tester for Bricks for the Blind and a doctoral student living in Bellingham, Washington.
ABC News - Teri Turgeon, education director for community programs at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts.
WHAT:
ABC News - Shifrin has received messages from blind grandparents who can now build Lego with their grandkids, stating, “We couldn’t build with our kids. They didn’t want our help, but now we can teach our grandkids about Lego.”
ABC News - Daniel Millan, who lost his sight in 2024, completed a Lego ornament set and a Lego rose set with his wife, stating, “Being able to do it independently, it’s freedom.”
ABC News - Natalie Charbonneau mentioned that the instructions allow her to check her 5-year-old son's work, saying, “It’s something that I can now do with him as well, which is empowering.”
ABC News - Minh Ha, a fellow blind builder, reflected on her journey, stating, “A lot of blind people have been left out of this cultural and kind of childhood phenomenon of being able to build Lego, play with Lego.”
ABC News Business - Shifrin launched Bricks for the Blind three years ago, providing accessible Lego instructions for blind and visually impaired individuals.
ABC News - The nonprofit has created instructions for more than 540 Lego sets, ranging from a 100-piece car to a 4,000-piece bridge.
ABC News - Approximately 3,000 builders have used the instructions across the United States and as far away as Australia.
ABC News - Shifrin's website offers downloadable instructions for free, which can be printed in braille or used with screen readers.
WHERE:
ABC News - Shifrin is based in Newton, Massachusetts.
ABC News - Perkins School for the Blind is located in Watertown, Massachusetts.
ABC News - Charbonneau lives in Bellingham, Washington.
WHEN:
ABC News - Shifrin was 13 years old when he first received accessible Lego instructions.
ABC News - Shifrin approached the Lego Group in 2017, which led to the launch of audio and braille instructions in 2019.
ABC News - Lego Braille Bricks were introduced in 2020.
WHY:
ABC News - Shifrin wanted to honor the memory of his babysitter who provided him with accessible instructions.
ABC News - The accessible instructions allow blind children to experience the same pleasure as their sighted peers and develop fine motor and tactile skills.
HOW:
ABC News - The instructions can be printed in braille, used with braille computers, or accessed through screen readers.
ABC News - Shifrin's team includes 30 sighted writers and blind testers who help create the instructions.
ABC News - Blind builders may need a sighted person to sort Lego bricks or can use apps that identify bricks using artificial intelligence.
(UPDATED April 6, 2026 19:18 UTC)
Blind individuals are finding new joy in building Lego sets, with many sharing their experiences of connecting with family through this beloved pastime. Daniel Millan, who lost his sight in 2024, expressed the freedom he feels completing Lego projects independently, while Natalie Charbonneau highlighted how the instructions now help her engage with her young son. Minh Ha noted that this newfound accessibility allows blind people to participate in a cultural phenomenon that has often excluded them, making it a significant development for many families.
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(UPDATED April 6, 2026 15:14 UTC)
Matthew Shifrin, a blind innovator from Newton, Massachusetts, founded Bricks for the Blind three years ago to provide accessible Lego instructions for blind and visually impaired individuals, honoring the memory of his babysitter who first introduced him to such resources. The nonprofit has developed instructions for over 540 Lego sets, which have been used by approximately 3,000 builders across the U.S. and even as far as Australia, allowing blind children to enjoy the same creative experiences as their sighted peers.