INITIAL RESEARCH Exploring, analysing and developing research for a platform to start from.
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DESIGNING WITH THE BLIND IN MIND Initial Assumption The aim of this booklet is to bring together information I have discovered through basic research methods. Raising awareness to key points of interest and particular case studies that proved useful.
“Why should they have to suffer?�
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Key Statistics The population is increasing. So are the number people with Sight-loss. But, with a market of objects that do little to help, there is no sign of further aid being developed.
2m people in
That is roughly
1 person in every 30.
the UK live with Sight-loss.
By 2050 the RNIB expect that number to be 4 million. RNIB Survey 2013
Every day, 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. Yet over 50% of sight loss can be avoided.
Eye Conditions There are over 30 different Eye Conditions that affect people of all ages in the UK, with the possibility that you could have more than one condition at any time.
In 2008, Sight-loss cost the UK £6.5b £4.34b = Career Support and Unemployment £2.14 = Direct health care
Market Analysis There are thousands of aids for the visually impaired in a variety of categories, from home living, day to day essentials, mobility and leisure.
Water Level Indicators are highly regarded by the visually impaired.
‘Some’ communication issues have been identified by companies, such as this handwriting guide.
Brightly coloured ‘Bump-ons’ are widely used and available from the majority of charities, free of charge.
Motivation The Bread Cutting Board motivates my passion for this project. Yes, you can buy bread pre sliced, but why should you have to? This product empowers the visually the impaired, but they shouldn’t have to pay £29.94 for empowerment.
There is a large range of magnification products. Priced from £18 - £2578.
Costly leisure products are usually over-looked and deemed unnecessary.
Practical items such as this Coin Organiser are popular, especially the older generation.
Charity Investigation There are over 320 charities for the blind in the UK. Supporting a range of areas such as Employment and Well-Being to Mobility and Research.
The Royal National Institute for the Blind.
“We believe that no one who has served our country should battle blindness alone�.
Offer a range of support to children and their families, providing aids and mental advice.
Where Should I Go Analysing these charities and their services helped direct my research further, and stimulated key questions to ask
A national charity that prides itself on helping all ages in local areas.
A charity that offers visually impaired people empowerment through independence.
Envision, “A group of young blind and partially sighted people from England who want to change the world.�
Case Study Analysis 1.
Investigation into previous attempts at tackling visually impairments highlighted some interesting research aspects. “The Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design at the Royal College of Art undertakes design research and projects with industry that will contribute to improving people's lives.”
© Simon Kinneir
Simon Kinneir’s Kotchen uses contrasting colours and forms to help distinguish product, food and cutlery when eating.
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© Anna Wojdecka
© Ross J Atkin
Anna Wojdecka created ‘Lumo’, a learning a device that allows the visually impaired to understand shapes, graphs and colours by translating them into audio feedback.
‘Sightline’, by Ross Atkin, combines physical and digital elements to make street works less disruptive for partially sighted people by communicating the different landscapes.
Cambridge Simulation Glasses Part of the ‘Inclusive Design Tool-kit,’ provided by Cambridge Universities the simulation glasses are devised to enable quick identification of product features that do not have sufficient size or contrast.
“These glasses simulate a general loss of the ability to see fine detail, but do not represent any particular eye condition. Different levels of impairment are simulated by wearing different numbers of glasses at the same time.” “By meeting the needs of those who are excluded from product use, inclusive design improves product experience across a broad range of users. Put simply inclusive design is better design.”
Simulation Prototypes Inspired by the Cambridge Simulation Glasses, I developed my own, with lens representing particular eye conditions.
How can I understand certain conditions and gain a greater appreciation of the visually impaired problems?
Interchangeable lens allow myself and others to get a greater understanding of what certain eye conditions are like.
Interesting to experiment with, the glasses gave a small insight into what may look like for the visually impaired.
Assumptions Now My initial insight came from the visually impaired in kitchen. Wondering how they manage, what are the dangers and what is out there for them?
Now, understanding the scope of the problem and the various issues I feel that they will be more potential looking at other product or service markets, maybe even a different demographic.
What Next... After discovering the possibilities, I now need to know what the visually impaired think of the range of products available to them, and what products and services they find useful.
Using the data collected so to organise potential Focus Groups, Interviews and Observations with the visually impaired will provide key information for the direction of this project.