We’ve often seen hearing dogs help those who may have trouble listening but there are a few issues with that system. Firstly, getting a hearing dog is expensive, secondly the training takes a long time, and they really aren’t an accessible solution for everyone. So this conceptual robot + smart home system was designed to fill the gap and be an alternative solution for people with hearing problems.

Called ‘Hearingbot’, this AI-powered robot comes with an integrated smart home system for seamless and reliable use through the day. One of the components is the hearing clock which wakes you up with vibrations while the Hearingbot smart home system raises the curtains for you. A cool feature is gesture recognition which makes communication easy for those who rely on sign language. The robot can recognize the signs and uses speakers as well as subtitles to communicate with its user. “It interprets sign language of the deaf through motion sensor and projects it into a projector.Through these process, it helps easy and natural conversation between deaf and ordinary people,” explains the design team. It can be paired with different products, for example, Hearingbot will manage the cooking status and schedule of the dish while the hearing-impaired person cooks and prepares the dish individually. It is also synced with a smartwatch that keeps you alert about real-time information, dangerous situations, public transport, and if someone is ringing your doorbell.

If main body of the bot has insufficient battery, it can be charged on its own. The bottom feature three wheels, an anti-fall sensor, and a vent hole. Hearingbot also uses minimal graphic facial expressions to communicate, it is a simple design detail which makes the product more organic and allows the user to form an emotional bond with it. Concepts like these are pushing boundaries for inclusive designs and showing us that we can do more to help a huge demographic that experiences the world differently.

Designers: Fountain Studio, JC HAM and Boseon Kwon