Cooking assistance for the visually impaired
Overview
For a visually impaired person transitioning into a life of low vision performing mundane tasks becomes a challenge, especially one that requires many different objects or components. The focus area for this project became cooking in the kitchen. Vue is a wearable smart ring that combines Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and Near Field Communication (NFC) to help people who have recently lost their vision continue to cook with ease.
Role
Research, Interaction Design, Video Effect (After effects)
Team
3 people; 2 weeks
Type: Studio Coursework
“ ... 75,000 become visually impaired every year. Only 1% of them are actually born with a visual impairment."
We saw a design opportunity in cooking, an everyday task with a significant number of different objects that need to be identified and correctly added under a time constrain. A person who has recently become visually impaired may forget where they placed the salt container on the counter, and must go by sense of touch to find it. This is a major point of frustration for the visually impaired person, also putting the person at risk for injury, like burns from the stove and cuts from sharp objects, or triggering pure frustration from inefficiency.
A wearable smart ring containing an RFID scanner, which uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to identify RFID tags labeled on kitchen containers.
Our focus is to improve vision accessibility, allowing people to continue performing everyday tasks with ease, using micro-location technology.
Setup
1. Open up the Vue app on your smartphone
2. Navigate to “Setup.”
3. Stick one of Vue’s adhesive RFID tags onto a container
4. Hold the container in your hand with Vue’s smart ring
5. Say the name of the container’s contents aloud.
6. Vue will pair this RFID tag with your verbal identification
Suggested Impact
Promote Everyday Accessibility
Increase levels of productivity & independence
Reduce Frustration