Tag Archives: Inclusive Product

This inclusive computer mouse redefines the gadget’s design by working using the wrist, no fingers needed!

Posted on by

Allin is an inclusive, barrier-free mouse that was designed to be ergonomic specifically catering to the needs of amputees and those who struggle to use computer mouses.

Most of us are working on our laptops or desktops for the entire workday, but not without consequence. From our eyes to our wrists, from our posture to our bums, we go through physical strain every day just by sitting at our desks and staring at our computer screens while endlessly typing.

Providing their own solution to one part of this daily struggle, Designer Dot conceptualized Allin, an ergonomic mouse designed specifically for amputees and others who have trouble operating desktop and laptop mouses.

Constructed with a curved design, Allin features a soft impression where users can place their wrists to access the mouse’s control functions. Replacing the right and left click buttons with right and left tilt buttons, users simply lean their wrists to one side or the other to click links on their computer screens.

The mouse tilt buttons are positioned at different angles to ensure that the intended button is clicked. The left tilt button clicks at approximately 45 degrees while the right tilt button can be clicked at 20 degrees. Wireless by design, Allin comes with an accompanying magnetic charger that provides the mouse with enough charge to last through the workday.

Primarily designed for amputees and for those who struggle to use computer desktop and laptop mouses, Allin is ergonomically designed to fit every human’s natural wrist movement. Allin is a supplemental computer accessory that can be partnered with any laptop or desktop computer to ease the physical strain that comes with working at a keyboard all day.

Designer: Designer Dot

The magnetic charger provides Allin with the battery necessary for its wireless function.

Embedded technology reconceptualizes the inner workings of traditional computer mouses.

With a minimal outer surface, Allin can adapt to any brand of computer or laptop.

Allin is envisioned in matte black, off-white, blush pink, and lemon yellow.

The post This inclusive computer mouse redefines the gadget’s design by working using the wrist, no fingers needed! first appeared on Yanko Design.

Ambidextrous scissor features a swivel handle to adapt to the left-handed users!

Posted on by

Double Scissors is a pair of universal, adaptable scissors designed specifically to merge the needs of right-handed and left-handed users into a single handheld appliance.

In a world full of products and designs tailored for right-handed users, too often left-handed people have to compensate for an appliance’s narrow adaptability by using their less dominant hand. While working toward our own ambidexterity will always be a worthy pursuit, designs have a long way to go in exploring a product’s handling and its potential for universality. Recognizing the lack of designs that left-handed users can operate, Ren Peng, a designer based out of Shenzhen, China, designed a pair of universal scissors called Double Scissors that both right-handed and left-handed people can use.

With more than 90% of the market’s scissors designed for right-handed users, Double Scissors takes on a double edge blade design to make a more universal pair of scissors that anyone can use. Switching between its right-handed form to its left-handed one is as easy as flipping a light switch.

When users would like to change the scissor’s orientation, they’ll need only flip over the finger handles on its swivel mechanism so that the blade’s positioning remains while the handles adapt to the user’s grip. Double Scissors’ grips are also color-coded to accurately indicate which orientation the pair of scissors can accommodate.

Recognized by the Industrial Designers Society of America for its innovation and versatility, Double Scissors introduces a universal pair of scissors to challenge the notion that separate products have to exist to accommodate left-handed users.

Describing the project in their own terms, Peng notes, “Trying to adapt to a pair right-handed of scissors is not a reasonable solution for lefties. Double Scissors is a pair of double-edged scissors that accommodates both left-handed and right-handed users. You need only switch the direction of the blade.”

Designer: Ren Peng

Featuring a swivel method, Ren Peng’s Double Scissors change between right and left-handed orientations seamlessly.

Double Scissors can be store and hung from the wall when not in use.

When not in use, users are protected from Double Scissors’ double edge blade with a protective carry case. 

This smart home health monitoring device will prevent panic in a pandemic

Posted on by

There is no denying that the shortage of tests is causing more panic and unrest in the public. As a global community, we were not prepared with the right tools to curb the outbreak and we’ve learned our lessons the hard way. However, the learning is important and hopefully, this has taught our world leaders to put public health over profits and invest aggressively in resources like PPE and home testing kits so that should a similar situation arise again it won’t cause us to close down the world. Self-testing kits like Blink will ease the load on healthcare professionals and will inevitably educate the people on the protocols that can help flatten future curves.

Every industry from fashion to tech is doing their bit to contribute in this fight and designers are using their creative skills to come up with solutions like 3D printed or low-cost ventilators, facial protection gear or mobile ICU pods, and many other products that will mitigate situations like this in the future. Blink is yet another smart medical device created by designers who were influenced by our current situation. It is compact and was made to be used at home, it can perform basic medical tests and report on your vital signs. The user is guided through steps to measure their blood pressure, body temperature and even carry out basic blood, urine, and saliva tests. Blink collects the data and reports it to a physician who sends his feedback – this not only reduces the risk of transmission (especially in a pandemic) but also is reassuring instead of anxiety induced by overthinking.

Regularly monitoring your health will encourage people to adopt a better lifestyle. Blink’s inclusive design makes that choice accessible to our differently-abled demographic as well who may not be able to get their regular check-ups in quarantine which has a larger impact on their health and this gadget will enable them to be independent in complex times. The user interface is minimal and the user experience is simplified by making data easy to understand. These steps are enough to indicate when you should seek medical help and when you can treat yourself by simply resting up. Right now, most people are going for Covid-19 tests because they are panicking over one sneeze but having a home test kit can be reassuring and reduce strain on medical resources during a crisis. Blink was created to improve the healthcare system by saving time, money, energy and increasing the safety of everyone involved. It empowers you and helps you take better decisions in life – crisis or otherwise.

This project has received Gold awards in both IDEA and Spark Design Awards in 2017 and has been exhibited in Global Grad Show in Dubai.

Designers: Belfug Sener

This article was sent to us using the ‘Submit A Design’ feature.

We encourage designers/students/studios to send in their projects to be featured on Yanko Design!

This carbon fiber rollator’s handle will hold your hand

Posted on by

We love universal designs especially when they provide the freedom to move. Mobility is an especially important aspect to our differently-abled demographic that relies on inclusive design, so having a product that works for everyone including them is a true winner. That is why there is no surprise that the Carbon Ultralight rollator was featured on the Red Dot Design Awards! A rollator is basically a rolling walker with a seat that makes it easy to move without having to lift it up.

The name Carbon Ultralight is due to its biggest differentiating factor – the rollator is the lightest (and the first of its kind) in the world because of its complete carbon fiber frame. It only weighs 10.5 lbs (4.8 kgs) so it really is light light but the designers have also added some aircraft-grade aluminum to give it stability while moving and braking. The ergonomic build and shape have been inspired by organic bodies of fast animals (think dolphins, sharks, and falcons!) as well as the streamlined designs of sports cars from the automotive industry. One of the standout little details that make it a ‘clean’ design is that the brake cables are hidden inside the frame.

If you are currently social distancing, you will love the thought behind the shape of the rollator’s handles – the form is designed to give you a feeling of holding onto someone’s hand. This can provide a sense of security to the senior users as well as the differently-abled. Certain shapes and forms are known to provide a psychological comfort that can make the user confident about independently using the product. The handles are purposely turned into the opposite direction of the rollator to provide a better posture to the rider and making maneuvering easy. Its unique handles make riding effortless because you’ll be using your palms instead of your fingers to dictate the rollator’s direction. It also comes with detachable accessories like a backrest and organizer.

Another refreshing change was the upgrade to the height adjustment function – the designers replaced the traditional knob with a button that adjusts the height with 30 mm increments. It is a lot easier to keep track of the height this way if multiple people are sharing the rollator. Apart from being as light as a rollator could be if it was a feather, it is also super compact and when folded down it is only 255 mm wide. If you haven’t noticed yet, the Carbon Ultralight is not only highly functional but it also looks really sleek and stylish. Call your grandma now.

Designer: byAcre

Click Here to Buy Now!

An inclusive speaker design that lets the blind see through music

Posted on by

Sometimes we can take the gift of sight for granted – we are fortunate to be reading this right now but we forget that vision is used beyond just reading too. Think about it, to listen to music we use an app to select a genre or skip a song, to cook we use a recipe book or Google it quickly which shows that we are dependent on our sight even to make the most of our other sensory experiences! Stephen Ow and Kah Kiat wanted this feeling to be accessible to all so they created ‘Note’ – a book that is a mixtape for the visually impaired or the blind. I love the name Note, it strikes the right ‘chord’ with the music and book lovers!

Note is basically a smart speaker but in the shape of a book. Why shaped like a book? Because it is one of the first things that the visually impaired/blind demographic would be likely to pick up for education or entertainment thanks to Braille’s global use. Hence, Note combines the inherent behavior (gestures one makes when reading a book) with the language they know to give them the ability to listen to music without having the need to “see” the screen of an app. You may wonder why not use a voice-controlled smart speaker? The designers wanted to make a device with a personal touch rather than relying on the gift of speech that the user may or may not have, so to make this accessible to every kind of blind person, Note was given its unique form and function.

The book inspired jukebox is created on the pillars of inclusive design that optimizes the users’ existing skillset and especially focusing on “touch” which is crucial for the visually impaired. Books are easier to operate than speakers because they don’t require any set-up. The user can flip a page for a new genre or flip back to play another song. A cool feature is how the volume control works – it is adjusted on how wide the book is opened. The pages are double-hinged which allows for a small electrical box to be placed in the device for sensors and switches inspired by how we open musical greeting cards. Each page has the details in Braille so the user can enjoy their music independently and that itself is a moment they must treasure given that almost every other activity involves assistance.

It is truly the little things that give joy in life, like seeing music and reading through speakers!

Designers: Stephen Ow and Kah Kiat

gif 1

gif 2

Inclusively designed washing machine that takes a new ‘angle’ on doing laundry

Posted on by

Taking everyday home appliances and turning them into inclusive design products is an art and the world needs more of it! While most kitchen appliances have become smarter, tasks like vacuuming the house or doing laundry, require the user to be completely able which makes a lot of people dependent on others. Slip Wash is a concept design for a laundry machine that aims to solve this issue and make independent living possible for wheelchair users.

The usual washing machine takes up more space with the front opening door and makes it harder for the user to navigate around with a wheelchair. Even in the drum washing machine, the height of the opening makes it difficult for a person in the wheelchair to operate it. In Slip Wash, the door slides up and the washing container is in the front, which makes the space less restrictive and reduces the maneuvering and bending the user would usually have to do.

Slip Wash is a concept that can eliminate the space and navigation issue making laundry day a less daunting errand for those in a wheelchair. It is the small things in your day to day life that give you independence and inclusive design a tool that enables us to give that gift of freedom.

Designer: Jiheon Song

An inclusive and intuitive remote control designed especially for the visually impaired!

Posted on by

Binge-watching on our favorite TV shows is everyone’s favored past time! It can help us relax and drain the effects of an otherwise tiring and hectic day. Visually impaired individuals in the US spend more than 5 hours per day on their TVs. However, this can be difficult for them, as even controlling an ordinary remote control with its complex buttons can be cumbersome. In an attempt to create a design that works ergonomically well for them, product designer Sophia Ipy came up with the ‘Envision Remote’. Envision was created with a particular intention in mind; to provide a comfortable TV viewing experience, with an effortless control on the remote. It has been designed in such a way that it works perfectly for visually impaired as well as visually able users.

All the buttons and keys on Envision have been placed with intense consideration, ensuring that they can be easily accessed without even looking at them. They have been grouped intelligently into relevant clusters, such that the related icons can be located with ease. An accessible voice key activates voice recognition, so you can give commands orally and have the channel changed or volumed increased. A chamfered surface was added onto Envision, encouraging an interface based prominently on the sense of touch. By stroking their thumb vertically on the surface, visually impaired users can easily locate the core function buttons, which are protruding, making them easy to detect. This is actually a grid-like pattern, allowing users to feel the keys on the chamfered surface, identify the core function category they’re looking for, and then move horizontally to select the option in that row. At the same time, Envision has been designed such that visually abled users can operate it successfully as well. Far from an average braille product, Envision is inclusive and intuitive, with ergonomics that are perfect for everybody!

Designer: Sophia Ipy