Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Help us create something useful (self.Blind)
submitted by DAC-2016
Hi guys,
We are a group of engineers and designers working on creating a product to improve quality of life for someone with a visual impairment, and at the moment are doing some research. We want to make sure we address a problem that people do struggle with in everyday life. If you could comment with the task that slows you the most, and how you currently deal with it, that would be great. At the moment, we are focusing on kitchen problems, but any insights are welcome.
If you also have time, we have a very short couple of questions that would help us create something really helpful. questionnaire link is;
https://goo.gl/forms/7ZkryvGZfsY8eamG3
We are a group of engineers and designers working on creating a product to improve quality of life for someone with a visual impairment, and at the moment are doing some research. We want to make sure we address a problem that people do struggle with in everyday life. If you could comment with the task that slows you the most, and how you currently deal with it, that would be great. At the moment, we are focusing on kitchen problems, but any insights are welcome.
If you also have time, we have a very short couple of questions that would help us create something really helpful. questionnaire link is;
https://goo.gl/forms/7ZkryvGZfsY8eamG3
fastfinge 3 points 6y ago
The biggest kitchen problem right now is those totally knew stoves, with the completely flat tops. It makes it way harder than it used to be to tell where the burner is, and make sure things are centered on it.
DAC-2016 [OP] 1 points 6y ago
Thanks, that's really helpful. Do you just avoid using them as much as you can, or have you found a solution? (feeling heat of the burners by hovering your hand, for example)
fastfinge 1 points 6y ago
I avoid using them as much as I can. When I absolutely must use them, yes, I just hover my hand to find them. The problem is, when I'm cooking something that needs frequent stirring, the pot will often move slightly, and might get partially off the perfectly flat burner without me noticing. What would be ideal is some kind of rough paint I could paint on top of the burner, that would give it a rough texture that I could feel while sliding the pot back and forth. The problem, of course, is the paint would need to not block any heat, it would need to stand up to the high temperatures on top of the burner, and it would need to not rub off on whatever was cooking on top of it. I don't know much about chemical design, but that sounds nearly impossible to me.
DAC-2016 [OP] 1 points 6y ago
Thats a great idea! I'm not a chemical designer either, but those properties are not unattainable, I've used paints that are heat resistant, but not insulating, and they could be mixed with a mild abrasive to give the rough feeling.
Quick question (if I may), would it be a deterrent for any viable product if it had to be set up by a sighted person? for example, in this case, I presume a sighted person would do the painting, but from then on the solution is autonomous.
Quick question (if I may), would it be a deterrent for any viable product if it had to be set up by a sighted person? for example, in this case, I presume a sighted person would do the painting, but from then on the solution is autonomous.
fastfinge 1 points 6y ago
> would it be a deterrent for any viable product if it had to be set up by a sighted person?
No, not really. In this case, there is no way for a blind person to do it ourselves. Sometimes it can be a deterrent, but only if there was something easy the manufacturer should have done to make the product useful without sighted help. For example, I've purchased one or two products intended for the blind market, that only come with printed manuals! How hard would it have been to include a CD with a txt file containing the manual? Or at least put the manual online? That put me right off. But in the case of a burner, there is nothing you as the manufacturer can do that would make it possible to paint it myself.
No, not really. In this case, there is no way for a blind person to do it ourselves. Sometimes it can be a deterrent, but only if there was something easy the manufacturer should have done to make the product useful without sighted help. For example, I've purchased one or two products intended for the blind market, that only come with printed manuals! How hard would it have been to include a CD with a txt file containing the manual? Or at least put the manual online? That put me right off. But in the case of a burner, there is nothing you as the manufacturer can do that would make it possible to paint it myself.
bondolo 1 points 6y ago
Are you a company or students? Some more information about you and how the survey results will be used would be appreciated.
DAC-2016 [OP] 1 points 6y ago
Hi,
We are Masters students, and the survey results will not be shared with anyone outside the course (40 students) and our supervisor (3 people). Single answers may be quoted to justify design decisions, but you will be kept completely anonymous. However, a decent proportion of products from the course are often carried to full term products (I believe last year around 30% attained patents and are currently looking for startup funding). Failing that, it is likely that our final design would be posted online, with instructions for DIY users to be able to make one, so that it can benefit the community.
edit: I can't spell
We are Masters students, and the survey results will not be shared with anyone outside the course (40 students) and our supervisor (3 people). Single answers may be quoted to justify design decisions, but you will be kept completely anonymous. However, a decent proportion of products from the course are often carried to full term products (I believe last year around 30% attained patents and are currently looking for startup funding). Failing that, it is likely that our final design would be posted online, with instructions for DIY users to be able to make one, so that it can benefit the community.
edit: I can't spell
awesomesaucesaywhat 1 points 6y ago
Could you Post an update here if any of the product ideas get to that later stage? I would love to support one of them.
Edit: letter
Edit: letter
DAC-2016 [OP] 1 points 6y ago
Will do!
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