AQUASSIST
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Overview: Design a kettle-like-device appropriate for visually impaired and blind people
Goal: To help visually impaired people have more control in the kitchen in terms of pouring and measuring liquids
Tools: Solidworks & Keyshot
Crafting Insights + Opportunities
Upon observing and interviewing visually impaired people, I wrote down key takeaways that were interesting.
Four potentially helpful Insights were:
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Audio Feedback is beneficial to our interaction with products
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Control, when using tools, can equate to confidence
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Connecting memory and organization ensures ease of cooking
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Encourage the use of multiple senses when interacting with products
Themes of which these insights fall under are sound, environment and personal challenges
Initial Ideation Sketches
During the initial ideations sketch phase, I was trying to figure out the area in which visually impaired people needed help in the kitchen as well as what would make them more comfortable in terms of the kitchen experience including but not limited to cooking.
Everything I explored was because of the insights I gained through the interviews. Explorations include kettles; a better way to pour/handle boiling water, Stove; a safer yet more efficient alternative to gas stoves, chopping guides, new kitchen top counters to aid in movement around the kitchen, and interactive walls to help with a sense of direction.
Since my interviewees brought up the difficulty in pouring and handling hot liquids several times, I knew that was a problem I wanted to help solve.
Describe your image
Ideation Sketches
These Ideation Sketches explore different forms of sturdy kettles.
During interviews, I realized that visually impaired and blind people struggle with pouring both hot and cold liquids. From shakey hands and wondering if the nozzle is above the cup to not knowing when to stop pouring, this is an extremely challenging task.
Thus, I wanted to design a sturdy kettle, that didn't require the user to lift to pour water. A device that guides the cup underneath the nozzle and easily and efficiently allows the user to pour themselves a glass of water or tea.
I went forward with the top form on page 1
Details + Functionality
Here, I explore the form further and identify specific functionalities such as where the water tank sits, how it connects to the valve, where are the buttons to pour the water, and how to make it obvious for someone who has limited vision. These early sketches helped me figure out the basic functionality and necessary internal components.
Rough Physical Mockup
This rough physical prototype helped me identify the overall volume of the product, the amount of countertop space it would take up, and the general scale. I made sure an average cup, bowl, and one-quart saucepan would fit inside comfortably with still enough room to move around.
Something that caught my attention while making this mock-up was the fact that the valve, where the water is released, was placed at the tip of the paddle (rectangle/button that when pushed releases water). The problem with this was that when the paddle was pressed, the water would no longer fall straight down, rather it would tilt backward. The solution was to move the valve further back so it wouldn't interfere with the paddle.
Slight Change In Form
As I was building in SolidWorks, I had an idea of the rough shape, form, and volume I wanted it to be, however when it actually came to building, a few things changed. The image on the left resembles my sketches however I felt the front of the product abruptly stopped making it seems as though it was incomplete. I rounded both the corners of the side walls as well as the matt to which in turn made the product look much more seamless. The curves in the front now resembled the curves in the back, thus, I felt it was a much more cohesive design.
SolidWorks Product + Internals
Final Keyshot Rendering
Context Image
