Cooking assistance for the visually impaired

CHALLENGE
For a visually impaired person transitioning into a life of low vision performing mundane tasks becomes a challenge, especially ones that require many different objects or components.
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SOLUTION
A wearable smart ring containing an RFID scanner, which uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to identify RFID tags labeled on kitchen containers.

VUE: Making the Transition Easy

Interaction Design Studio l 2 Weeks l 3 Members l Interaction Design

PROBLEM

“ ... 75,000 become visually impaired every year. Only 1% of them are actually born with a visual impairment."

Since cooking is an everyday task with a significant number of different objects that need to be identified and correctly added under a time constraint, we saw a design opportunity for impact. 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.

OUR SOLUTION

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.

Our focus is to improve vision accessibility, allowing people to continue performing everyday tasks with ease, using micro-location technology.

How VUE Works

Set Up

1. Open up the Vue app on your smartphone.
2. Navigate to “Setup.”Stick one of Vue’s adhesive RFID tags onto a container
3. Hold the container in your hand with Vue’s smart ring.
4. Speak the name of the container’s contents aloud.
5. Vue will pair this RFID tag with your verbal identification.

Impact

Promote Everyday Accessibility

Increase levels of productivity & independence

Reduce Frustration