Smart home device concepts empower visually-impaired members of society

Our homes and appliances are becoming more powerful, but they are also becoming more complicated. Many interfaces are fortunately being reworked to simplify our interaction with these devices, but almost all of them still require a clear view of what the interfaces are. Sure, there are voice commands nowadays, as well as AI, but as any smart homeowner has experienced, these aren’t always fast or reliable. Unfortunately, all these new interfaces, even the minimalist ones, tend to cut off those with vision disabilities, depriving them not only of enjoyment or convenience but also of a sense of confidence and security in their own homes. It doesn’t actually take much to design with accessibility in mind, and as these three smart device concepts show, such creative designs might be useful or even fun for those who can see perfectly as well.

Designer: Jaehee Lee, Byeonguk Ahn, Minseok Kim

Many smart devices today tend to value aesthetics or functions too highly without considering how those would negatively impact the experience of people who are either blind or visually impaired. Some have too many buttons or have buttons that are all shaped similarly, making it difficult to tell by touch which one is which. Worse, there are those that use only touch controls on flat glass surfaces, which are completely useless unless you can see their marks. Beyond Sight is a collection of concept designs that address these flaws by using unambiguous motions and shapes that actually look fun to use, regardless of the state of your vision.

A smart speaker, for example, uses simple taps to play or pause the audio. Volume is controlled by sliding a ball up or down a pole while changing tracks involves turning the dial at the top. For people who can’t see or can’t see clearly, these definite tactile controls leave no room for guessing their functions. For those that can see what the speaker looks like, the design adds an element of fun and play to a device that has almost become too utilitarian these days.

The smart remote control might look and feel like a toy flashlight, but its polygonal shaft does more than provide a good grip. To change channels, you roll the device to one or the other side. To turn the TV on, you simply put the remote down from a standing to a lying position. The head of the device is a dial that you can turn to adjust the volume, and a large button lets you summon your voice-controlled AI assistant to do the more advanced functions that the remote doesn’t support. Admittedly, the rolling gesture might be a bit cumbersome, especially if you need to go through many channels quickly.

Lastly, a timer imitates the primary mechanism of rotary phone dials of the past so that people can slip their finger into the large hole and read the time in Braille. Setting the timer involves just turning that dial to the desired amount of time in 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, and 60-minute intervals. The circular surface of the device slopes down toward that hole, easily guiding the finger to where it needs to be.

For those with visual impairments, the designs of these concept devices give them enjoyment and security in a home that’s increasingly becoming impersonal and intimidating for them. For those that can see clearly, the devices’ designs give them a toy-like character that hints not only at their ease of use but also at their fun controls, proving that accessible designs can truly benefit everyone.

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Universal TV remote with a built-in touchscreen display gives remote controllers a ‘modern touch’

In theory, the TouchSense Remote sounds like a brilliant idea. It could work with practically any TV or set-top box, replacing the need for multiple remote controls, and giving you one device with one interface that’s easy to understand and master. The dynamic touchscreen surface can easily transform to display the UI of any streaming service (in any language too), giving you the ability to more ‘universally’ control your devices. Want to switch apps, want to browse media, want to accurately seek through videos? That’s where a touchscreen display offers much more flexibility and functionality over simple buttons.

Designer: Alan Cabanelas

It’s quite surprising why a touchscreen remote hasn’t been made the default reality yet. Sure, remote controllers are designed as accessories and as auxiliary devices to the actual hardware – the TV or set-top box, but the TouchSense elevates the humble remote to a powerful interface for browsing content. It comes with a uniquely longitudinal screen that lets you browse apps, content within apps, and even control playback with sheer precision and intuition.

The only barrier I personally see with the TouchSense is that unlike with normal remotes (where you can use them blindly without taking your eyes off the screen) the TouchSense requires a bit of getting used to. The flat surface means your hands can never get used to any layout, and you HAVE to look down at the remote every time you use it. While that does seem like a problem, the TouchSense has some clever workarounds. The fact that the entire remote controller is a display means that you can look away from the TV and still see the content on your remote. Scared you’ll miss a scene, the remote could theoretically be displaying the same content as the TV, so you could look down without missing a thing. The long display also means you can’t operate the remote with just one hand. Chances are, you’ll need both hands – one to hold the remote and one to browse. The lack of bezels on the display could accidentally register palm touches, but that’s splitting hairs, to be honest.

Another clever set of details on the TouchSense are the presence of hardware buttons on the side for doing things like changing channels (on a regular TV) or increasing and decreasing volume. A set of buttons and a rotary dial on either side of the remote allow you to intuitively browse channels or alter volume without looking away from the TV.

The TouchSense comes with a rather handy design (unlike the slim, easy-to-lose Apple TV remote) that houses a large battery and charges via USB-C. The fact that it has a touchscreen display also means you won’t accidentally press any buttons with your butt… although you may want to be careful of damaging such a high-end tech accessory!

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This pebble-shaped TV remote is like a fidget toy for couch potatoes

The TV remote control is both an essential part of home entertainment as well as its bane. In the past, the large slab of plastic had more buttons than a scientific calculator yet still managed to often get inexplicably lost underneath inside and couches. Thanks to streaming devices and dongles, as well as the influence of a certain fruit-named company, some remotes have now been distilled to their bare essentials. That said, they remain in your typical rectangular form that leaves plenty of unused space just to conform to that traditional design. There’s definitely a lot of room for improvement and experimentation, and this concept shrinks the remote control even further, turning it into something that can easily be mistaken for and used as a toy.

Designer: Hyeonil Jeong

As TVs became more complicated, the number of buttons on their remote controls exploded like bunnies. While that did mean that some functions are just a button press away, it requires more training and muscle memory to really become convenient. There’s no standard layout for those buttons either, so you often get confused and lost every time you switch to another remote. That’s why remote controls for home entertainment systems have earned such a bad rep over the years, and the LIL ROC concept design turns that on its head by turning it almost into a game.

This twist on the remote control design is almost indistinguishable from a large pebble you’d see in Zen gardens or riverbeds. Its small shape and smooth curves make it look less daunting and more approachable than even the simplest Apple TV remote. More than just its looks, however, the LIL ROC’s functions encourage a more tactile approach and reinvent the whole remote control experience into something akin to a game.

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Each side of the LIL ROC, for example, is mapped to a specific control, with volume controls on opposing sides while channel controls take the remaining edges. Rather than pushing buttons, however, you simply push down on the assigned edge, which makes the device rock a little as it returns to its resting state. There is a button in the center that maps to the power and accepting actions, while a twisting motion lets you navigate through a TV’s menus.

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It’s not hard to imagine how this remote control design can easily become an addictive toy in someone’s hand while watching a show, though it’s not clear whether it can distinguish intentional gestures from accidental ones. At the same time, however, its smaller size might make it easier to lose the remote, which is one of the biggest problems that plague this kind of device. Regardless, it’s a rather fun reimagining of what is commonly regarded to be a daunting and cumbersome tool, proving that there are plenty of opportunities left to design the ultimate remote control.

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Smart controller concept helps manage OTT services

Fact: I have a lot of over-the-top subscriptions. Also fact: I spend a lot (and I do mean a lot) of time trying to figure out what to watch or listen to as I am spoiled by all the choices available. So if there’s a service or a device that can help me decide easily what movie to watch or what TV show to binge next or what playlist to listen to, I would gladly welcome it with open arms. I need to get some of my time back from deciding and spend it on actually consuming media that I subscribe to.

Designer: Soyoon Lee

DOTT is a product concept for a device that can help solve some of the problems that people with too many OTT services have. Some issues that users have include managing all these services, all the various devices or remote controls you may need for some of them, and of course the difficulty in choosing content because of too many choices. What the designer came up with is a smart controller for these OTT services called Device for OTT (hence, DOTT).

The device is made up of a hub and a remote. The former has a small screen where you can see what service or content is on your connected large screen. It also has a built-in speaker which will supposedly bring you an “optimized sound experience” although of course you probably have a better speaker in mind for watching and listening. The remote meanwhile is the main DOTT device that uses Bluetooth to connect to any device. The remote is located on top of the hub and uses a sliding motion to park or to actually use and connect to your main device.

When you take out the remote, you’ll see what devices are available for pairing. Tapping on the new button will recommend whatever is new to any of your connected services. The archive button meanwhile will show you the currently used services according to category and genre and displayed according to the most recently used ones. It uses a scrolling motion similar to what you use on your mobile devices. I don’t know really if such a device can solve indecision problems but at least it can help narrow down your choices.

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This configurable remote control is the one remote to rule them all that your fingers might love

This ingenious remote control almost solves all the hangups people have with complicated remote and flat smartphones while giving your finger an almost familiar sensation.

Smart home products are invading our houses, be it in the living room or in our personal sanctuaries. From lights to speakers to TVs to even ovens, almost anything can be controlled with a smartphone these days. That’s not always the most convenient way to control all these devices, even when they’re located in a single place. A dedicated remote control can free your phone for other uses, and this configurable device could be the only one your fingers will ever need.

Designer: Ruwido

Traditional TV remotes are often considered to be the bane of usability and simplicity with their dozens of buttons, but few would deny the benefits that tactile and haptic feedback has on our minds, especially when it comes to developing muscle memory. Some smart TV remotes have ditched all but the most essential buttons but at the cost of flexibility.

Smartphones seem to offer the best of those two worlds since controls can change at a moment’s notice to control almost any smart device, but it sacrifices the physicality of control in the process. Additionally, using the phone as a remote means not using the phone as a phone, which cuts into the time you might otherwise spend on social media. A dedicated remote is still a better option, and the Ruwido Liza might actually have the perfect blend of all three worlds.

It doesn’t have the dizzying number of buttons as a typical remote, but the Liza easily has three or four times the “buttons” as an Apple TV remote. What’s special about these concave buttons is that they are actually tiny touch screens that provide haptic feedback when pressed. Unlike a phone’s screen, the vibration of each “button” gives better tactile feedback, even if they’re not exactly like a physical button that you can feel when it goes down at each press.

Unlike many programmable remote controls, the Liza does show the icons that you assigned for each button, including cover art for your favorite albums or playlists, for example. This takes away the guesswork when switching between different smart appliances and helps develop the muscle memory that conventional remotes are best known for. All that’s left now is for the Liza to support more smart home products and services beyond Spotify, Sonos, Philips Hue, and some TVs, and it will truly be the one remote you’ll ever need.

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This telescopic portable fan goes from 5 inches to 35 inches, making it the perfect summer essential!





With heatwaves blazing across the globe, staying cool is at the forefront of all of our minds. Whether you have air conditioning or not, having an extra blast of fresh, cool air is key to surviving the heat of the summer months. Upright fans keep our homes and bedrooms nice and cool while we’re there, but we can’t bring them to the beach or the park. The Inno Portable Fan is an upright fan that can shrink down to five inches so we can bring it to the beach for those hot days that call for a cool blast.

The creators behind Inno say that the portable fan “was literally born out of sweat.” Instead of throwing money into air conditioners and buying a bunch of different fans for every occasion, Inno allows users to bring cool air with them anywhere they go, anytime. Inno was designed with a telescopic pole that pulls out to 35 inches at its tallest and shrinks all the way down to 5 inches.





 

Inno is a wireless fan with up to 24 hours of battery life to get cool air anywhere, anytime. When you want to bring Inno to the beach or pack it up to go camping, after the pole retracts to its shortest height, the fan can fold in half for easy storage and portability. With 24 hours of battery life, you’ll have cool air for days once Inno is fully charged and its rechargeable battery makes sure of that.

In addition to cooling the room down, Inno features a built-in oil diffuser that works with the fan to spread a good smell and vibes throughout every room. Inno can also fold in half for ultimate portability.

Inno comes with a remote so users can control the fan speeds and oil diffuser from any room. Fans are a must-have during the summer months, especially if you live in cities prone to heatwaves. When the heat comes, all we want to do is lounge by the pool and let the water cool us down. Whether we’re lounging by the pool or hiding out in our bedrooms, the Inno Portable Fan can go anywhere to keep us cool all the time and anytime.

Designer: Inno

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8bitdo’s Xbox media remote lets you use your gaming console to comfortably watch Netflix too!





Your Xbox can run Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube, and Spotify, which sounds pretty impressive at first till you realize you have to navigate those apps with a gaming controller. If you’re the kind to use your Xbox for bingeing as much as you do for gaming, 8BitDo’s Xbox Media Remote might come in pretty handy. Designed to let you use your gaming console as a media console too, the remote gives you a traditional television-style experience, with the appropriate navigation, playback, and volume control buttons.

Designer: 8BitDo

Click Here to Buy Now

While it’s essentially a third-party controller, the Media Remote looks like it belongs right in Xbox’s design family, and works wonderfully with the gaming console too. It comes in the same colors as the Xbox (black or white) and two sizes – a smaller remote with all the basic controls, and a longer one with a few extra buttons. The remote works seamlessly with Xbox One, Series X, and Series S, allowing you to wake up your console just by pushing the main button and navigating through the interface just as comfortably as you would with a TV remote. If you’re in a gaming mood, the remote comes with XYAB buttons too, although don’t expect to pull off any spectacular victories with that! That remote’s for Netflix and Chill, not GTA and Thrill!

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This fully functional DIY mini-television is the size of a coin! (And it has its own remote)

Now I’m not really a small-screen person. The idea of watching Netflix on a mobile phone is cringeworthy to me, but there’s something just uniquely charming about the TinyCircuits TinyTV. Designed to be roughly 24 millimeters in width (that’s about the size of a quarter or a dollar coin), the TinyTV is a real, functioning, DIY television that even comes with its own remote control!

The TinyTV comes as a DIY kit that assembles easily in less than 5 minutes with no soldering or special tools required. It runs off a MicroSD card, allowing you to play back up to 5 hours of content (in MP4 format) on the TV’s ridiculously small screen. The TinyTV also comes along with its own TinyRemote with 6 adorable little buttons to power the TV on, change channels, adjust the volume, and even mute the television (I wonder how loud the speakers on the TV are). The TV’s 3D-printed enclosure is designed to resemble old-timey cathode-ray tube tellies from the 70s… and even though it’s printed in white filament, you can easily give it a quick paint-job with some acrylic paints. Don’t use a spray-paint can though, you might just blow the damn thing away!

Designer: TinyCircuits

PowerUp 4.0 Is a Remote-controlled Paper Airplane on Steroids

When it comes to paper airplanes, they usually don’t stay airborne for more than a few seconds. The guys at PowerUp weren’t satisfied with that, so they set their sights on making motorized paper airplanes. We’re now on the fourth-generation of the PowerUp, and it’s the most capable version yet, enabling paper airplanes to fly better and further than ever.

The PowerUp 4.0 consists of a lightweight airframe, along with a pair of motors at the rear and a sophisticated flight control computer in its nose. Working in concert with a smartphone app, it can automatically smooth out flight thanks to the use of both a gyroscopic sensor and an accelerometer. It can even stabilize flight in windy conditions.

The kit includes a design for a basic, reliable paper airplane, but it will work with your own custom designs too, and the motors are powerful enough to fly models made out of cardboard, styrofoam, or balsa wood as well. While the app and computer smarts aboard the plane should keep your flight stable, the frame’s durable nylon and carbon fiber construction means it’ll survive in the event of a crash landing.

Flying is easy – simply tilt your smartphone to steer, and pull the on-screen throttle control to accelerate. Depending on conditions, the weight of your plane, and your flying technique, your plane can fly for up to 10 minutes on a charge. The PowerUp 4.0 also has the best control range of any model so far – up to 230 feet.

You can get your hands on the PowerUp 4.0 smartphone-controlled paper airplane kit over on Amazon for just $79.99. They also sell a companion book with a variety of paper airplane designs for another $19.99.