Tag Archives: universal design

Designing products that break biases with Render Weekly and Ti Chang!

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If you are a part of our Instagram community, you could have not missed this viral (and controversial!) post that shed light on gender bias in the design world. As conversations progressed, I realized the bias goes beyond genders and there are MANY segments of our audience who are underrepresented. We need to talk to and more about women, BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disabled groups – pay attention to their experiences, their needs, parts where they have felt left out of consideration when using a product or service. The post was a conversation starter but it needed to be followed by action, so Yanko Design teamed up with designer (and powerhouse) Ti Chang as well as Render Weekly to encourage participation from the global community with the aim of designing to break a bias.

“This is a chance to start to redesign products and experiences that do not address the needs of womxn and many underrepresented groups and historically marginalized communities. Let’s reimagine what could be! Let’s get these ideas out there by collaborating with EACH OTHER! Talk to your community, reexamine your privilege, reach out to this community and see if you can team up with them! Offer to realize other people’s ideas if you are super strong in rendering! If you have a great idea reach out to someone who is a great sketcher! Just get these ideas out there for us to see what a more equitable world COULD look like,” said Ti Chang.

Here are some of our favorites from the #RWDesignBias challenge –

CURVD by Amin Hasani

Hasani is one of the co-founders of CURVD, a universal mug that works for everyone! “Disabilities do not exist, design flaws do. When a product fails to serve a person, that person is not disabled, the product just wasn’t designed right. The CURVD mug was designed to allow all hands, regardless of their hand capability or shape, to be able to enjoy a beverage without limitations,” says Hasani. The mug was launched as a human-friendly design with a patented handle that allows all people, regardless of their hand capability, to be able to enjoy a beverage without limitations. Enjoying a warm beverage is a universal joy and deserves a universal design.

Maria Contraceptive Pill Dispenser by Romane Caudullo and Theotim Auger

Maria is a smart pill dispenser specially designed for the contraceptive pill with the aim to free women from pill omission pressure and its side effects. “Because, while the pill benefits the whole couple, the woman is often alone in managing this contraceptive, the constraints, and stress associated with it. It seems to us right and necessary to use design to improve this treatment,” says the team. Maria makes it easy for women to take the pill and improves its effectiveness by making the process more efficient. A much-needed redesign that comes 60 years after the FDA approval of birth control pills!

 

Changing Station by Claudia Miranda-Montealegre

Baby stations in public are only found in women’s bathrooms and do not take into account the needs of male caregivers. The current design does not feel safe, or hygienic, which leads to people using surfaces that might not be ideal (cars, floors, and counters/tables). This puts the burden on the female partners and takes away equal access from male partners. This conceptual baby changing station has a touch-less opening system, includes UV and alcohol self-cleaning capabilities, as well as integrated adjustable lighting. It upgrades the safety features to provide a comfortable experience for parents and infants alike. It also includes details such as hooks for bags, safety belts that can be adjusted using one hand, and a diaper dispenser for a seamless experience.

Pivot by Iris Ritsma

Even in 2020 majority of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is still being designed for the male body including body armor which is made to protect people from being harmed or even killed by gunfire. 71% of women working in emergency services wear PPE that is designed for men – it doesn’t fit women, their bodily movement, health issues, and more. Pivot is a soft concealable armor designed to optimally fit the anthropomorphic characteristics of women’s bodies. Each size comes with three variable chest sizes and the diagonal straps fit neatly around women’s naturally tighter waist with raised sides on the bottom provide extra freedom of movement in the hips. Pivot provides optimal protective coverage, maximizes women’s mobility, and increases women’s comfort significantly.

Liberia by Nipuni Siyambalapitiya

Current luggage scales in the market assume that most people can lift up a 50 lb/23kg on a hook/strap and weighed, it doesn’t take into account the elderly or those with disabilities. Liberia is a pneumatic luggage scale that allows you to weigh your bag WHILE packing! It is a pillow-like scale and accompanying app. It comes with an electronic air-pump that inflates it and a pressure-sensitive valve that records change in air pressure inside the scale as the weight on top changes. Buttons and tabs are large enough for people with low grip strength and have different tactile qualities, making it easy to maneuver the scale even if you can’t see too well. Simply place the deflated scale on the floor, put your bag on top, inflate the scale via the app and start packing while Libera tells you the weight in real-time.

Interruption Buzzer for women by Kristi Bartlett

Trump interrupted Hilary Clinton 51 times during their debate and in 2020. This buzzer is inspired by the board game Taboo and aims to make group discussions easier. The AI-enabled meeting assistant combats the phenomenon of women being talked over in meetings. Put it in the center of the table at your meeting and adjust the dial to reflect the gender makeup of your group to make sure the contributions follow the proportions. The device will buzz annoyingly and loudly when it detects a woman being interrupted by a man or another woman. It will also turn blue if it detects that men are speaking more than 50% of the time and pink if the same applies to women. The goal is to keep your meetings purple – equal chances!

Diffuser by Caterina Rizzoni

This diffuser re-imagines blow-drying curly hair, using a handheld form factor to help users offset discomfort and pain when using diffuser attachments on traditional dryers. Caterina spoke to over a dozen curly-haired womxn and relied heavily on design for usability. She aimed to reduce the ergonomic pain points present in the current design. This dryer was designed to protect naturally curly hair – the extra deep bowl saves room for curl pattern formation, while the dished fingers naturally conform to the user’s head. The use of metal for the diffusing end allows for even more drying from radiant heat, which means less airflow and less frizz! The soft braided cord easily swivels out of the way during use, and the soft heat-resistant over-mold on the body is easy to grip + easy to clean. Curly hair people are often forgotten like left-handed people and we need to break this bias.

BAGPAL by Tim Zarki

Public restrooms lack hooks to hang your bag from, and no one likes putting their bag on the gross public restroom floor. It is an uncomfortable and stressful experience, especially for women as they carry bags more often than men. BAGPAL can be used to hang your bag when you are using a public restroom and need both hands to change a tampon or pad. It is a multipurpose hook-shaped product that travels with you to hold your things when you can not. It has a strong stainless steel skeleton and colorful waterproof skin that is easy to clean when you wash your hands. With the pandemic, people are all the more careful of common surfaces and we don’t want to carry germs back home with us on our bags!

This rotating hand dryer was designed to be an inclusive virus-killing machine for everyone!

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What is a product that we have simply given up on when it comes to design? Hand dryers! While we have some high-tech versions that dry our hands in 10 seconds and have UV lights to kill bacteria, have you ever thought if they are actually accessible to everyone who may want to dry their hands? What about someone on a wheelchair in a bathroom at the mall or the movie theatre – can they reach the hand dryer? This inclusively designed hand dryer is here to answer that question with a strong ‘Yes!’

Accurately named U Dryer aka Universal Dryer, this design focuses on making the product usable for every type of person who walks into the washroom. Along with the aesthetic facelift, the U Dryer comes with a simple rotational feature which makes it accesible to adults, children, elderly folk and even those who use a wheelchair. Have you seen parents picking up their children awkwardly in public washrooms? This design solves the problem of having to be at a certain height if you want to dry your hands. U Dryer’s main button is seamlessly hidden which protects it from water damage and also from people who may accidentally turn it off/on. It also features a UV light that allows for 360-degree sterilization when the motion sensor detects your hands. A product like this would certainly be essential in the new normal where people can disinfect their hands without sanitizer too. On that note, the hand dryer has HEPA filters built in to prevent any viruses from coming in contact with your hands, especially when it is installed in a public bathroom. These filters also help to purify the air around the product.

The only thing to add would be voice control which can help make it more inclusive and reduce the risk of product contamination via touching – many kids tend to touch things within their reach and blind people also go by their sense of touch. A smart design detail was to connect the cord to the rotating shaft part which prevents the wire from getting tangled even if the product rotates 90 degrees. U Dryer has an overall ‘clean’ design which is aligned with its mission – it might just be the most modern and sleek hand dryer we have ever seen!

Designers: Yeom Jin Soo and Designer Dot

This inclusively designed electric mobility vehicle is Tony Stark’s hoverboard

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You know the bright future is here when we see design concepts like MÜV (pronounced “move”) – a purely electric, self-balancing, hands-free assistive mobility vehicle concept that grants you true omnidirectional maneuverability. To simplify it, think of it as a hoverboard with a seat but you don’t have to worry about balancing it! MÜV may have started as inclusive design but it quickly adapted itself to fall under the universal umbrella even though it will still benefit the disabled demographic more as was it’s original intention.

It has been designed with the latest robotics self-balancing technologies to give the rider intuitive navigational control so they can ride with ease. MÜV is fitted with a spherical drive system that gives it its distinctive omnidirectional maneuverable abilities that lets the rider lean, twist or tilt in any direction while the vehicle gently follows. It is similar to what my ski instructor taught me – just move your body in the direction you want to go and the skis will follow.

“To evolve the way people move by spreading joy and ease of movement” ​​​​​​is what the designer set as his motto when working on the vehicle. The primary goals were improved safety, comfort, aesthetics & maneuverability. Additional details such as range, affordability, and overall user-friendliness were also important factors that had to be considered. It is charged wirelessly, unlike traditional competitor products, which makes it portable and convenient. This is what an inclusively designed mobility vehicle would look like if Tony Stark ever made one. And for you DC fans, this is the batmobile of electric mobility vehicles. Let’s take a ride down the design process for MÜV.

Designer: Neutron Her

Safety was the number one priority followed by comfort. It has footrests for when the user is cruising with adequate clearance around the user’s legs for emergency stops. It is fitted with multiple sensors and advanced control algorithms that collect the physical rotation/translatory intention data to make sure MÜV adapts to your moves for an effortless experience.

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Understanding where this vehicle fits in the market, alongside the typical engineering systems inside these vehicles gives us a strong starting point to develop accurate, honest industrial design solutions; forms that can be realistically achieved while satisfying the goals.

The high-tech mobility vehicle comes with a modern chair that blends in with the rest of its body. Ergonomics were a big part of MÜV given that it is an assistive mobility vehicle. The CMF was picked to give the user a sense of its sturdy, robust, and reliable form.

It’s built using two major housing casings; both made of polyamide (nylon) reinforced with fiber-glass and each injection-molded in one single operation. The metallic painting on the convex form reflects its surroundings, adding a sense of slenderness. The parting line where black and titanium meet simply flows along the neck, making the body look slimmer.

A two-tone color scheme creates a minimalist, yet striking design. The front panel is full depth colored semi-matte obsidian black to convey a sense of utilitarian ruggedness yet remaining sporty and modern. Complemented by a sleek titanium painted finish back panel.

MÜV gives the freedom of movement to the elderly and disabled demographic who can’t drive, won’t have to depend on someone to push the wheelchair, and wouldn’t require the strain of walking using walkers/canes. This allows for more fluid and safe movement giving them a chance to live independently.

To reduce bulkiness, the interior dead space is minimized by organizing printed circuit boards, fans, filters, and motors tightly together without compromising any functionality.

It uses a wireless charging method by tilting its wireless charging pad located below the battery onto a wireless charging station. This surface also doubles as a stable resting pad during stops/short breaks. At this angle, the electronics enter a sleep mode to conserve power. When tilted back for use, the system powers up and begins automatically stabilizing at full power preparing for the rider to safely mount.

The MÜV’s battery level is indicated by 7 white LED along the front neck of the vehicle.

The lithium-ion battery pack is placed at the front for optimized cooling, proximity to the charging pad, lowered center of gravity, and convenience. It can be easily swapped for a full battery or kept attached and recharged on-board by tilting the wireless charging pad on an MÜV charging dock.

The center of gravity remains low, providing great stability while improving control. Ground clearance is sufficient for tight turns and obstacle avoidance during daily joy rides.

A conceptual NIKE skincare gadget for a world post COVID-19

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Everyday brands are blurring industry lines and venturing into new areas to create more unique products – that is one reason why brand collaborations always do so well, it is innovative and brings the best of both worlds. This conceptual design explores what would happen if Nike decided to venture further into health and wellness and created a LED mask for skincare. Are you intrigued yet?

As a generation, we have been finding ways to do as many things as we can at home. Workout programs are being made to fit within your home space and your groceries are delivered to your doorstep – right there we have two major reasons that we leave our house after work, for the gym and for groceries, that are now easily accomplished staying in. And as we all stay under lockdown to flatten the curve, a lot more industries have been forced into adapting to this digital-home lifestyle much quicker than planned. This is what inspired the Nike LED mask, it was designed to let you take care of your skin at home. Why would Nike foray into beauty? Well, the brand is known to encourage confidence and the health and wellness industry includes taking care of yourself as a whole – so yes, skincare counts, especially post work out!

If you are an athlete, someone who works out but doesn’t have time for indulgences or maybe just a guy who doesn’t want to get a mask from Sephora, then this conceptual Nike LED mask was made keeping your wellness needs in mind. This also makes life easier for those with special needs and disabilities, it allows them to take care of their skin without being dependent on someone to drive them to a facility. People who are at high risk of catching COVID-19 may not be able to go out right after quarantine ends and that is when such personal gadgets can elevate their life quality at home. Also, an LED face mask means no need to touch your face!

This beauty device was aimed at expanding passion and potential through the CMF (color, material, finish) so the user can get comfortable quickly by identifying with Nike’s existing sporty and refreshing image. The form is smooth and sleek, you almost have an instinct that it will fulfill its purpose and that is what makes a design convincing – the trust through visuals because it is the first impression that leaves a mark, right? The mask has a very futuristic aesthetic and if we are going to wear masks in our new normal world, then we might as well wear one at home for some time if it takes care of our skin and reduces the need to go out. We don’t know what the future holds but I’d rather face it with good health, abs and glowing skin.

Designer: Min Chang Kim and PDF Haus

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

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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 Swiffer-inspired bathroom cleaning brush even holds your detergent bottle

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Right off the bat, I want to state that I have never seen a toilet brush that looks so sleek it is almost…beautiful? Designer Geraldine Tong wanted to change our perception of toilet cleaning tools while also solving related issues like its environmental impact and the clutter it creates in our bathrooms. Her goal was to create a brush that didn’t cause more landfill waste, took minimal space, reached the narrow areas and of course, look visually appealing – so she designed BrushPro in collaboration with Lam Soon Singapore and the mission was accomplished.

Usually, people dispose of their toilet brushes every 2-3 months and given that most of them are plastic, it leads to a lot of environmental damage. This redesigned toilet brush lets you switch out brushes while reusing the main body which reduces a lot of toxic waste. BrushPro is extremely convenient to use compared to its forerunners. The extendable handle allows you to reach narrow spaces without having to perform advanced yoga poses on the floor and minimizes your direct contact with the dirty brush. The handle also has slits that give the brush head some flexibility while cleaning – a great universal design that takes into account the experience of the differently-abled demographic as well. The brush head includes rubber as well as fiber for more efficient cleaning. Another brilliant detail is the slot for the detergent bottle, so you can simply refill and reuse the detergent bottle instead of buying more plastic spray bottles – it also frees up your hand as it combines both cleaning products in one!

The design of the BrushPro is minimal and fits the modern style. It clears away the clutter of cleaning products/tools in your bathroom with its slim form as it acts as 3 cleaning tools in 1 (wet mop, dry brush, detergent holder). The clean (pun intended) aesthetic + ergonomic build makes the chore of cleaning your bathrooms hassle-free and Instagrammable. I bet Monica Geller will probably want 6 of these for her birthdays and I don’t blame her. With the quarantine life, cleaning is the new Friday night rager and I would much rather have BrushPro’s company for it.

Designer: Geraldine Tong

This carbon fiber rollator’s handle will hold your hand

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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

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The wireless shark hair dryer is a fin-tastic conceptual design!

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This conceptual wireless shark fin hair dryer was designed for children but I will happily admit that I would love to have one too! Usually, children are not allowed to use hair dryers by themselves because the wires can be dangerous, so a wireless hair dryer with a playful form can solve that issue for us. Wires can also endanger adults so I am declaring this to be a universal design, bring on the shark fins…I meant fans.

The dryer’s ergonomic build is based on the form of an actual shark fin. The shark fin is the dryer and the wireless charging pad has been shaped to form waves – despite not being based on a more joyful fish like the clownfish, the shark fin and waves evoke a sense of childhood nostalgia. The front of the handle has a switch that allows the user to adjust the heat between two levels and also a function that enables a cool blast of air to set your style. There are three glowing lights on the rear side of the handle which indicate when the dryer is on and what battery level it is at. A simple lightning motif on the base marks where the charging cord should go when the wireless device battery is running low. The minimal design and muted colors appeal to users of all age groups.

The ridges of the ‘waves’ base seamlessly blend with the dryer when at rest giving it the look we all recognize from movies, books, and aquariums – the peeking fin! This wireless shark fin hair dryer is a classic innovative product that everyone is bound to love. Anyone else’s brain singing baby shark?

Designer: Sangheum Park

 

No more waiting for an empty room to step on this scale

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Have you ever been in a situation where you had to step on the scale and perhaps didn’t feel confident? It can make many of us feel conscious to get on a weighing scale, it feels like everyone is watching you and judging you based on a number – that may or may not be true, but privacy is a right and Privacy weighing scale is here to make you feel more comfortable. You don’t have to weight (see what I did there?) to see if the room is empty enough before you step up!

Some personal information, no matter how trivial, is important enough for us to guard. For me personally, it is my eye power and I always hesitate to disclose that. When it comes to weight, everyone can see the digits and that is harder to hide compared to me saying “I don’t want to disclose that information” and we all deserve that privacy. So this simple yet ingenious weighing machine protects that right to personal information for us with a simple shallow wall around the number screen, this way only those standing on the scale can see the result. Now that is the kind of wall we don’t mind building!

The build is minimal and doesn’t draw attention – exactly what the core of this revised scale aims to be. Self-care isn’t always facemasks and candles, sometimes it is knowing that you are doing your best and nobody is judging you for it. The privacy weighing scale might just be giving us the tiny boost we need to be carefree in loving ourselves.

Designer: Hoyoung Joo

Keep Your Hands Dry At Any Size

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For most people, using a public bathroom is a no-brainer. You go in, do your business and then wash and dry your hands and leave. We don’t think of it being a difficult task for the most part. However, not everyone has the ability to just walk in and walk out easily. Some folks have to think about accessibility features of the bathroom, or height limitations which can make the task a bit more difficult.

One designer has thought about the difficulties that some people do have when faced with washing then needing to dry their hands. Hyunsu Park, an Industrial Designer from Korea has come up with an idea that can make the task of drying hands universally easy. The Universal Hand Dryer is the answer.

The way the dryer works, is that it has both the Up mode and the Down mode. Smaller people, children and those in wheelchairs can use the Down mode, while others can use the Up mode. The Dryer detects where the persons hand is positioned and releases the air to dry them. What a brilliant idea that fits everyones needs – stylish too!

Designer: Hyunsu Park

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