UNIVERSAL INTERFACE A product system designed with visual impairment in mind to interact with the Home Appliance setting.
TABLE OF CONTENTs
current chapter
1. preliminary Research primary objectives blind statistics and facts user perception map problem definition company review product evaluation mood board 2. PRIMARY ideation affinity diagram PUGH CHART concept refinement midterm presentation 3. Further research context inquiries persona studies trend analysis product scaling gap analysis cultural probes interviews questionnaire
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14-15 16-19 20 21 22 23 24 25
4. Final concepts Problem definition revised UI surface emergence synthesizing functions UI surface process UI touch process FOCUS GROUPS final interviews UI surface UI TOUCH 5. concept integration Product System UI controls manufacturing statement Touch Bands Advertisements summary
26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33-36 37-40 41 42 43 44 45-46 47
PRIMARY OBjectives and limitations After conducting some initial research and searching for facts about our demographic, we developed our first objectives and limitations for what lay ahead.
DESIGN A product that... - Is intrinsically understood - Does not appear to be “for people with vision impairment� - Is free from danger to begin with - Makes blind people feel like they belong in the kitchen - Everyone can use - Negates the visual aspect of a produc
Limitations to consider - Difficult to negate the visual component of a product - Challenge to design a sensory object separate from aesthetic - Hard population to acquire large quantities of research participants - Unknown variables and target market
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U.S Population Median average earnings ~ $33,400
being blind
TOTal 6,670,300 Aged 16 to 75
1.3 million legally blind 10% are children
Not many people know what it is like to be Blind, but there are over 285 million people in the world who do. There are varying levels of visual impairdness, so for our project we needed to decide who to focus on as our proper demographic whether that be complete blindness or low vision. We discovered some interesting numbers, including average income, causes for blindness, and the fact that more women are blind in the U.S than men.
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2,800,700 Men 3,411,000 Women
major Causes 48%- uncorrected refractive errors 33%- unoperated cataract 2%- glaucoma
39 million Completely blind
Global population Total 285,000,0005
more than half could be diagnosed and possibly cured
246 Million low vision
How to identify forms?
how many tasks can be accomplished with one product?
visual cues relevant?
low
high
HOW TO TELL HOW IT WORKS? FEATURES
VERSATILITY
How to stay informed?
mapping the user perception having a visual impairment presents many problems around the house. we identified 5 key areas that needed to be addressed when users thought about being in their homes. from there we further developed what questions we needed to answer in order to satisfy the needs of blind people.
visual ABILITY
FIRE How can the product help cook?
SKILL
COOKING ABILITY
low
SAFETY
living in the home while being visually disabled
MOVING PARTS time
high
effort
cost
intricacy of parts
What products do they need?
ADAPTABILITY
physical EFFICIENCY
ease
PRODUCTIVITY CLEANING How to use the product?
interface aesthetic interaction ergonomics
5
SHARP
POTENTIAL
PRIMARY INTERACTION
MULTITASKING How to clean?
limited necessary interaction
How to know when clean?
at one time?
How to complete tasks in time?
We strive to create a kitchen system that includes a series of appliances that is mutually inclusive of, particularly, people with visual impairment. 6
company review Kitchen aid was a great brand to review because it combined aesthetic purpose and functional perfection. After researching the company further, we discovered information about their target market, price point, advertising, and other major things that would contribute to our own products.
We determined that KitchenAid appeals to consumers who either or, rather, both cherish cooking and enjoy flaunting their culinary expertise
Kitchenaid prides itself on being the best in kitchen appliances
very approachable, understandable logo and tag line “for the way its made� 7
MICROWAVE
After reviewing a successful kitchen appliance brand, we identified other popular products from more well known brands. We put them on a list and evaluated them based on their price, target market, material, functionality and ease-of-use.
Material
Function- Ease of Use ality
Scale 1-10
TOASTER OVEN
Price
Target Market
Material
Function- Ease of Use ality
Scale 1-10
Heat
7
Hamilton Beach
$35-$60
Middle Stainless Steel
Toast
7
Oster
$80-$100
Middle Stainless Steel
Heat
7
KitchenAid
$100-$200
Upper
Stainless Steel
Toast
8
Sharp
$150-$250
Upper
Stainless Steel
Heat
7
Cuisinart
$70-$150
Middle Stainless Steel
Toast
7
Viking
$800-$1500 Industrial Stainless
Heat
4
Black & Decker
$40-$80
Middle/ Stainless Steel
Toast
6
TOASTER
Price
Sunbeam
Steel
$20-$32
Target Market Middle
Material
Function- Ease of Use ality
Scale 1-10
Plastic/ Stainless
Toast
8
KitchenAid
$70-$200
Upper
Stainless
Toast
6
Cuisinart
$25-$60
Middle Stainless
Toast
8
$20-$500 Middle/ Stainless
Toast
5
Toastmaster
8
Target Market
$130-$180 Middle Stainless Steel
Panasonic
product evaluation
Price
Products that were streamlined and offered at a higher price point generally outsold other products.
this meant we needed to either design at a higher price point or come up with a way to reduce cost by other means if we wanted the products to succeed.
MOOD BOARD products were universal, safe, haptic, and familiar. From the very beginning, it was important that we designed an inclusive product that was not apparently “for the blind.� In fact, we did not want to design a product that was exclusively for people with a visual impairment; alternatively, we wanted to design a product with the blind in mind, but for everyone. In doing so, we wanted to create a product that was safe, provided feedback to the user, and was familiar and comfortable in the home environment.
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Universal
safe
haptic
familiar
Edge guard
All in One
Food Prep Pedal Control Smart-stop Spout
Vibrating
affinity diagram
Research Based Concepts
Pump-up
Heating Buttom out
Navigation Various Textures
Audio-aided
Reheating System
Remote Control
Our early ideation was done through group concept generation. We passed around each others ideas and attempted to make them simpler or better in one way or another. This allowed us to generate many ideas. We discovered that our initial research questions didn’t prepare us for learning about what blind people needed. We needed to learn more about our target market through other research methods.
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Protection
Simple Setting
High-tech
We grouped some of our initial research together to come up with early ideas. We then categorized our ideas into a number of categories like navigation, task orientation, reheating, food prep, and measuring.
Fixed
Automatically
Measuring Lid-like
Encolsed container
Initial ideation All of the initial concepts focused around creating better kitchen environment for Blind users. After much thought, the criteria for our project was established. Stronger words that met our goals were Sensory, satisfying, and efficient.
RANK
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
UNIVersal
4
2
4
4
4
5
4
5
5
Familiar
1
2
5
5
2
2
2
2
4
Safe
7
4
3
4
3
4
3
3
3
inclusive
5
5
5
3
4
4
3
5
2
sensory
10
5
5
2
2
2
2
2
2
Versatile
6
5
2
1
3
2
3
2
2
aesthetic
2
1
4
3
2
3
2
5
4
Satisfying
8
3
4
3
3
3
3
4
3
Economic
3
1
3
4
4
5
4
2
4
Efficient
9
4
5
5
4
4
2
4
3
177
156
184
141
Total
208 223
174 133
The concepts the group chose to move forward with were all the safest, most inclusive, and most familair products for blind people 11
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
REfinement of concepts Our midterm presentation reflected the path we intended to pursue, where we would be designing kitchen appliances to be accessible for the blind and also have an appeal to a mass market. We also wanted these products to be based upon current trends to make blind individuals feel integrated into the current world. We decided on smart home technology and wearables as the two most prominent and appropriate trends to pursue. We used heuristics, converging and diverging design, rapid prototyping, and sketching to develop concepts we thought could be taken further in the remaining portion of the project.
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TWIST MEASURING DEVICE
SLIDE TOASTER/MICROWAVE
SYNCHrO-WATCH
After an influential mid semester critique, we decided that the direction we were going did not satisfy conclusions from our research. Much discussion went on as to what we really needed to accomplish to satisfy our target market, and we discovered that our direction was not necessarily wrong, but rather too complex. we began turning our focus more to the synchronous objective and advancing the interface design to use with the functionality of already familiar products.
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David Fierhelm Loves to Cook, Dabbles in a variety of foods, uses appliances and tools throughout the kitchen Unable to use a cast-iron skillet because it’s so dark, hard to see and clean
Contextual Inquiries Searching for individuals with modest to servere visual impairment, we reached out to friends, our university’s Student Affairs, and State-wide organizations. When Meeting with our desired consumers, we emphasized the value of their insight and interaction with the kitchen environment. Although we found a few people, we did not collect as much information as we desired.
Unable to use a cast-iron skillet because dark, hard to see and clean
Important that kitchen is Very organized, everything in it’s exact place Processes are repetitive, organized
Jared Towne Often prepares spaghetti, sandwiches, bagels and cream cheese, and pizza Notes that quick meals are generally easiest Memorized the settings and cook times of a lot of packaged food
Challenges include Organization, cutting tomatoes, locating Things
Hierarchy of tools, knows location of cutting tools, mixing tools, and serving tools Uses the Microwave, Toaster, Oven, Coffee Pot, and stove top on a regularly 14
Conference Interviews To fill The void of information from our contextual inquiries, we reached out to and subsequently attended the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa conference. After presenting our project at the event, we conducted a series of interviews with the attendees. We noted that those present represented a motivated, invested sub-group within the demographic of people with vision impairment.
-Touch Screens on phones are familiar but difficult -Avoid meals with lots of ingreedients -Hard to find appliances with good controls -Cooking instructions are hard to find, follow -Cooks anything and everything -Very organized, Everything is in a certain place -Do not find any kitchen tasks difficult -Kitchen is fine in current state
-Add puff paint to flat microwave interface in order to make it functional -Braille labeling on dishwasher, spices, items, washer/dryer, -Dots on Microwave and Stove 15
personas Our personas were chosen based on research, interviews, contextual inquiries, and our own personal opinions of people who would use our products. We tried to envision people on all ends of the visual impairment spectrum, wage ranges, marital statuses, and personalities.
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JANETTE
MICHAEL
Suzy and rick
-45 Years old -Teaches cooking classes for disabled people -Married, sighted male spouse -suburban house, organized neatly, -pet bird (patty) -Enjoys spending time in the kitchen -Is a altruistic and selfless -Financially stable -Comfortable with her home environment
-29 Years old -Has a sighted girlfriend -tech support, specifically coding -City borders, apartment, 2 bedroom w/deck -Enjoys sport commentary -Makes quick snacks -Home-body man -Stay at home dad -Does freelance coding from home
-50 and 58 years old -Live right out of town in a small home -Married, both visually impaired -Rick- Retired naval officer, Works at local arboretum -Suzy- HyVee phone operator and store coms --Rick -enjoys doing hobby activities -likes simple sandwiches --Suzy -enjoys knitting -likes to make big dinners
Buy what is popular, willing to spend top dollar
Consistently updating themselves with new trends
Neither seeks nor resists change
Adapts to whatever comes their way
Updates appliances when necessary
BEHAVIORAL MODES
RICK AND SUZY
RESISTOR
janette
SCIPLE I D D REN
R E T P
T
michael
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Knows what is “in�
ADA
Actively seek out and implement new technologies
Exploratory in nature
Owns a lot of analogous objects
Unwilling to adapt to new ideas Old-fashioned
Prefers mechanical and analogous items
scenarios
Just getting home from groceries at noon. Mike decides to fix himself a lunch. He knows there is some leftovers from last night. He extracts them from the fridge and proceeds to the oven. When close by, he opens the lid, sensing his hand close by and easily open the door. Put the lidless container inside and close the door. The controls pad are directly above the door on the 45-degree-angle smooth textured surface, so he moves his finger to feel where the pad locates. When his fingers reach a 0.5-inch smooth upward connection, he knows that he gets the metal pad. To the very left end of the pad, he presses with one finger. “Time setting”, voice comes once press. Then Mike slides this finger. Every 10 minutes interval, the apparatus vibrates slightly. He slides his finger until it vibrates once, twice...a forth time. When the forth vibrate occurs, he slides his finger back a little bit to shorten 10 minute of time. Press with one finger again to lock in the time. “30 minutes” he hears. The same process with two fingers to set the temperature, and three fingers to set Bake/Broil. Finally, press the whole pad a little bit hardly to start the oven. 30 minutes later, Michael puts on an oven glove on the right hand. Opens the door, and grabs out the container with right hand. Let it Cool for a while. Finally he can enjoy his meal.
Scenario Scenarios are a way to begin verbally exploring how time and context will come into play with your product, and act as a script for visualizing the user’s experience, and storyboarding. We chose to focus a scenario around Michael because he was a tech savvy gentleman who was at home much of the time.
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michael
2:00 Comes home from day at work teaching classes moves wet laundry from the morning to dryer
User Journey Map Similar to the storyboard, the user journey map helped imagine the day to day interactions and choices of a given personas. The team chose to fabricate a user map for a day in the life of Jannette. The resulting map helped identify various points through the day where our concepts could be best used.
sits down in her couch and tells phone to play music
puts laundry in washer
6:00 preheats oven and mixes ingredients for dish with husbands help
5:00 husband arrives, they chat for a while on the couch together discusses a dinner plan for the two
Prepares ingredients to make chicken dish
janette 8:00 cleaning up after dinner, she dries dishes gather materials to start a fire in their living roomn
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4:00 listening to cooking podcasts to discover new recipes
3:00 finds food for her pet bird and feeds him
Calls secretary to shhedule next week classes
7:00 dinner is finished. Janette and spouse enjoy their meal with ambient music
10:00 gets prepared for bed, listens to an few songs of an artist she likes before bed
9:00 enjoys the fire, asks husband to get ingredients she needs for the next day Puts a bag aside for next days classesn
Husband escorts her to room
FORMERLY
TECHNOLOGY TREND matrix: WEARABLES With our change in direction now focusing on interactive interfaces, we decided to identify some trends that we would focus on in the future. One of these trends was wearables. Wearables have been attempted in markets for decades, but only until recently have they become popularized. We focused on this trend because it was synonymous with the watch-like product we ideated on since our first research was conducted.
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size
multifunction
inclusivity for blind
presently
emerging
-Mechanical -low technology -parrallel circuitry -analog functions
-Device driven -”gadgets” -series circutry and computation -sensory functionality
-Automative products -holographical interaction -adaptive technology -AI
-Bulky -Large buttons -Protruded, tactile buttons and knobs -Multiple devices for specialized tasks
-Compact -Flat interface -Fewer, but still numerous devices for various tasks -Shift towards digital interface -Larger food storage units
-Removal of buttons -More compact kitchen system -Improved digital interface; e.g. “3D Touch” -Motion interface
-Rather clunky
-multiFEATURE -mudularity -low maintenece
-singular apparatus that compeltes multiple tasks at once -Automatic modularity -Adjustability -customization
-integrated inclusivity -compact -haptic feedback -safety is key
-telepathic/cognitive communication -all extremes of feedback -initially inclusive
achieving multifunction -multiple ways to operate products
-attatchable components -mechanical -large = easy -compound textured surfaces
PRODUCT SCALING In order to further dive into our product market, we needed to explore existing wearables which had characteristics across the spectrum. From location being worn, features, and physical aesthetics, we chose four products to choose the strongest qualities of each. With this research we were able to determine more of a form appropriate for our users and focus further on the challenge of visual impaired usage.
FUNCTION
single
multi
quality
low
high
ease-of-use
confusing
easy
creativity
low
high
price
high
low
safety
high risk
low risk
practicality
low
high
enjoyable
lame
exiting
aesthetic
ugly
attractive
convenience
low
high
interface
manual
automatic
simplicity
complex
simple
durability
weak
strong
jawbone up
garmin vivofit
MYO ARMBAND
nod ring
The best rated wearables on our scale were ones with the simplest aesthetic, highest number of functions, and easiest to use. 21
simplicity
Gap analysis expensive we used this research tool to help us determine if there was a gap in the current market. we determined that we want to design a wearable that is cost effective as well as simple.
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we determined that there is a gap in the current market. there are not very many many products that are cost effective as well as simple. Many companies seem to feel as though an expensive product needs to be complex. we are going to be focusing on this gap as our project progresses. we can do this by considering material choices and keeping our designs simple and intrinsicly understood.
cost effecive
complex
? cultural probes Because of the limitations of our demographic, we developed an easy to understand package with which we could conduct research. We decided to utilize this opportunity to ask our target market some questions about materials, how they feel when using those materials, and how they get things done. We gathered four materials and used a call based survey to ask recipients about each materials. They were labeled anonymously with indicators from one to four. After the users conducted the survey, we thanked them with some chocolates.
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ALUMINUM
“Looks like what you would have in a touch screen… like on a stove or dishwasher”
RUBBER
“Would be good for keeping your hands safe from burns… sturdy for some spatulas and utensils”
GLOSSY PLASTIC
“This looks like a plastic… so many things, bowls, plates, countertops, Tupperware, spoons, knives, bowls”
MATTE PLASTIC
“Utilitarian material that holds up well… can be used for lots of things… will help people to use kitchens… in lots of different ways without getting burned”
INTERVIEWS Fortunately, we were able to access a new group of visually impaired individuals for our interviews. Mostly local, these people were delighted to have us in their homes. Additionally, they really enjoyed checking out how far we’d come and to have tangible products in their hands made them very excited. We asked our interviewees a variety of questions, guiding them in identifying the products they were feeling and then asking them what they might be used for. 24
Many of our interviewees told us they thought our products felt familiar somehow. We believe that a familiarity with the watch prototype was the grooves on top and the band that attached to the wrist.
We learned that some of our products, like the measuring tool, would be too complicated and we would need to simplify it in order to bring it to market.
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Respondents
ONLINE Questionnaire
Age: 18 - 76 Gender: 61% Female, 39% Male Vision: 88% Sighted, 12% Visually Impaired Housing: 63% Home, 24% Apartment, 7% Residence Hall, 5% Condominium
Use
of Appliances
Striving to create a universally inclusive interface, we reached out to sighted individuals to gain insight on their practices in the home environment. Specifically, we wanted to gage current interactions with home appliances and subsequently how we could simply and improve these relationships with devices.
PreferRed Interactation
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1) Combination of Touch Surfaces and Physical Features (49%) 2) Touch Screen (22%) 3) Switches/Knobs (20%) 4) flat Buttons (17%) 5) Buttons and Sliders (5%)
We strive to create a kitchen system that includes a series of appliances synchronous home operating system that is mutually inclusive of, particularly, people with visual impairment. 26
Concept refinement After discarding many of our initial concepts, we needed to generate some new ideas for a concept we thought would carry forward. This concept was an interface that blind people could use to operate appliances in their homes. We continued with themes from our first concepts like “touch slide� features and a horizontal orientation.
simpler was better. We went through a lot of ideation to determine an interface but the simplest design was right in front of us.
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synthesizing a
universal interface ( UI )
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In exploring a means of designing an universal interface, we First Identified and listed the functions of the Microwave, oven, and washing machine, which we determined spanned from least to most complex in the realm of home appliances, in terms of number of functions. Through sketching, we identified a means of accomplishing a range of commands through simple tap and and swipe gestures. After this revelation, we laid out various sizes to determine the most appropriate size of the interactive interface. We then tested this design by discussing and mapping out the process for completing various tasks with different appliances.
UI SURFACE FINAL MODEL PROCESS The final model for the UI surface came late in our design process. We were unsure exactly how to construct the model. we went through a lot of different processes before sticking with one. OVerall, we were able to test this design in the field and were happy with the feedback we recieved.
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We attempted numerous construction methods to create our UI surface model like laser cutting and clay molding before settling on foam modeling and bondo.
UI touch FINAL MODEL PROCESS These are some of the process models for our UI touch device. We went through a lot of ideation based on size, color, modularity, materiality, band aesthetic, and so on. In the end, we decided on a one piece band design that could work for any sized wrist and was easiest to attach.
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Focus Groups After finalizing our designs, we took our prototypes into a real world setting. We blindfolded a group of our peers and moderated a conversation among them. We guided them into the kitchen first where they were told to put on the watch and a list of functions that it did. They were able to move about the kitchen freely and imagine they were activating various appliances. Then they were asked to talk about the interface prototype and discuss how it would best operate in a kitchen setting.
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After a period of around 10 minutes blindfolded, we allowed our focus group to remove the blindfolds and ask us as sighted individuals how they felt. We wanted to know what they saw as well. They told us the products looked high tech, futuristic, and interesting. We asked then if they thought the products could benefit the lives of visually impaired people and there was an overwhelmingly positive response.
Regularly sighted individuals offered an interesting input based on what they saw, a unique and valuable resource we did not have earlier in our research.
Final Model Interview We had the pleasure of presenting our final models to one of our original interviewees. She was interested in our progress and provided wonderful, reasurring input.
cool; I like both ideas I like the idea of building the accesability in The band is very tactile, goes on very easy and quick; it’s comfortable but doesn’t feel like it’s going to fly off There arn’t enough people thinking about it (Accesible, Universal Products)
The Model is Not beatufiul, but I understand how it would work Metal surface makes me think of a touch screen; would be good to have some reference points on it, like a dot here and there (e.g. the “F” and “J” on a keyboard”)
I could buy the same watch you would buy, and that makes things a lot less expesnive than doing extra things just for blind people The Apple Watch is a Single tap/swipe to present options, double tap to select Don’t know if the new way to attach the band to the wrist is necessarily better, but it isn’t worse 32
UI surface final model The culmination of what we had failed from and researched went into the UI surface. To operate the UI surface, a user need only one or two fingers and the ability to locate the simple shapes and ridges clearly designed.
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UI SURFACE THE Universal interface surface can be IMPLIMENTED ON MANY DIFFERENT DEVICES, IT IS DESIGNED TO SIMPLIFY THE PROCESSES WE GO THROUGH TO INPUT SETTING ON OUR APPLIANCES. AS SUCH, THERE IS A LARGE VARIETY OF APPLIANCES THAT COULD US THE BOOST IN EFFICIENCY for our blind demographic and beyond. WE ARE MERELY SUGGESTING THE SOLUTION IN HOPES THAT COMPANIES WILL PICK IT UP AND IMPLIMENT IT INTO THEIR OWN DESIGN. WE decided on the name as a play on words from UI meaning user interface to a much mroe appropriate UI meaning universal interface.
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Universal Interface: Surface Storyboard The Universal Interface is a simple, Tap and Slide control panel for every appliance in the home. Designed with vision impairment in mind and to improve user expereince for everyone, the single panel provides haptic and audio feedback in resonse to the user’s commands. Activate the panel by pushing the entire interface and then navigate the various controls by tapping and sliding. To ease the individual’s interaction in the home, this interface would be integrated in the design and manufacturing the microwave, washing machine, oven, and more!
USER taps once to active heat settings
user slides one finger right until desired heat setting is reached. audible cues indicate heat measurements.
USER pushes the surface in to active their input control
oven implementation
washer implementation
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microwave implementation
silicone band to indicate beginning of control surface
TOuch capacitive surface mesh
UI SURFACE tech A SERIES OF 6 CONNECTED MOMENTARY BUTTONS INSIDE THE UI ALLOW IT TO HAVE A CONSISTANT TOGGLE FROM ANYWHERE ON THE CONTROL SURFACE. The technolgoy in the surface is simialr to the UI touch. the multitouch plate is able to identify different simple gestures and pick up on the users motions easily and efficiently.
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resistive momentary switches
UI touch final model The design of the UI touch was simplified again and again. The only physical features are a ribbed control surface and the ability for the entire top surface to be clicked in. The single band design allows for ease of attachment and is also rigid to not fall of easily. We 3d printed this model our of flexible filament to prove the concept of the band and the feeling of the controls.
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UI TOUCH THE Universal interface touch can be worn on any sized wrist, for sighted or blind individuals. Although it is designed to make using ones home easier for visually impaired people, it also makes the lives of anybody easier as well. Being able to control ones laundry machine, for instance, from their couch is something that people only dream of. Hopefully the UI touch can make their dreams a reality.
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UI WATCH Storyboard 1 The Wrist Interface is a minature, wearable version of the Universal interface surface. The band conveniently Applys the same, simple, Tap and Slide command panel on the wrist. The proximity sensor informs the band which appliances are nearby to ease selection. However, the user is free to tap through and control any appliance from anywhere in the home.
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USER taps once to active heat settings
2
user slides one finger right until desired heat setting is reached. audible cues indicate heat measurements.
3
USER pushes the surface in to active their input control
TOuch capacitive surface mesh
UI touch tech bluetooth 2.0 technology part of the band as well as the shell of the electric core have been made transparent to take a look inside the wearable. the top of the curved surface is a multi-touch surface that allows the user to swipe with one or multiple fingers to set different values for their various appliances. The entire control surface can also be clicked to instigate the confirmation of an action. Underneath the main microchip is the location of the charging port. Underneath thbe band, there is also a tempurature gauge for safety near hot objects. The system also utilized bluetooth technology.
magnetic charging port
under-wrist tempurature gauge 40
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UI controls The technology behind the UI touch and UI surface is not unlike modern touchpad technologies found on trackpads. The difference is that the gestures used to control the surface and touch are simplified based on the input of many different appliances and only require two fingers to operate. Illustrated are some storyboards for using the UI surface to start an oven heating sequence, and the UI touch to select an appliance. The surface and touch controls are the same after an appliance is selected.
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After locating the device, the user taps once to indicate that he or she wants to set heat. The user slides a single finger to the right and left to adjust tempurature. when the user slows their finger movement, the incriment for tempurature is decreased. An audible voice tells the user the current tempurature every few seconds.
After locating the interface of the touch, the user firmly presses the surface to wake the touch and indicate they want to input a command. with a single tap, the usre ndicates they wish to select an appliance.
the user releases their finger and double taps the display to indicate they wish to control time.
the user slides their finger along the surface of the touch and an audible voice lists the appliances synced with the device.
similarly to heat, the user slides his or her finger horizontally until the desired time is reached. An audible cue will tell the user when the desired time is acquired.
once a device has been selected, the user presses firmly on the interface until it clicks to confirm the selection.
the user firmly pressed the display until it clicks firmly and audibly, indicating to the machine that the settings are correct. the machine then starts with the input requested.
after selecting an appliance, the gestures for controlling them are the exact same as the surface controls.
In designing a Universal Interface, we thought it best to incorporate the integrated control panel during design and manufacturing of existing appliances. This would be preferable to both (a) creating entirely new appliances and (b) creating an addative interface, processed and sold separately. One of our design goals was to create an inclusive environment that made people with vision impairment feel like they belong in the kitchen. Furthermore, we strove to make a product that did not appear “for blind people.� Thus, instead of venturing out and working to build an entirely new company, we feel it would be best to partner with an established, familiar brand, like samsung.
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REPLACEABLE WATCH BAND ONE PROBLEM WE OBSERVED WITH SOME OF THE WEARABLES ON MARKET CURRENTLY IS THAT, WHILST THE ELETRONIC INSET IS EXTREMELY DURABLE, THE BAND IS FAIRLY WEAK. WE WANTED TO MAKE A PRODUCT THAT DID NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED OFTEN OVER TIME. IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE DESIGNED A RELIABLE AND DURABLE ELECRONIC CORE. THE CORE durability WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM BUT THE BAND CAN BE REPLACED IF BROKEN. These bands are not just silicone and steel wire. They have integrated thermometers on the wrist side to keep users safe from harm.
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YOUR KITCHEN MADE SIMPLER
WITH UI TOUCH TECHNOLOGY 45
YOUR KITCHEN MADE SIMPLER
WITH UI surface TECHNOLOGY 46
final thoughts
Designing for a demographic comprised of people with a visual impairment has been a beautiful challenge and demonstration of the need for empathy as a designer. Furthermore, we observed during our interviews the reality that users often do not realize flaws in common designs. For example, people we interviewed indicated that they did not observe any problems with the kitchen environment but also reported they made alterations to the microwave in order to make the interface functional. Our final products too showcase the need and potential of democratic design. Through designing for a specific demographic, we created an integrated home appliance system for everyone. Striving to simply the interaction with technology in the home through standardizing the interface across a spectrum of appliances, we hope to create a common and cheaper line of products, opposed to more expensive products for a limited audience. Upon completing our final model, we presented our concept to one of our original interviewees, who provided input on our earlier models. Towards the end of our conversation, she noted that there are not enough people thinking about designing for the blind. We are honored to be among those who are. 47
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