Whirlpools' Washing Machine Talks to Blind Users
One of the new trends in appliances is more buttons and lights. But a dazzling array of LED displays is incomprehensible if the user can't see. Making an every day activity like doing the laundry seem like less of a “chore” was the goal of a group of engineering students at Michigan State University who recently designed a device that will allow blind users to hear the status of their washer.
A smooth-talking washing machine may not be savvy enough to keep a user from mixing whites and darks, but it can open doors that the digital revolution has closed to the blind. The project goals included making the device sturdy enough to weather a spin cycle and inexpensive enough that people could actually afford it. Whirlpool donated an unmodified digitally-controlled Duet washing machine with a bevy of sleek buttons and lights to get the students started.
The students found success through simplicity by creating a small voice output device that could be fitted onto the Duet, with hardware that would cost about $30.00 per unit, if mass produced. The result is a washer that clearly announces each function as it's selected, and can also run through the full range of selections. The modifications barely change the machine's appearance.
The machine was modified for Michael and Karla Hudson, both of whom are blind. "I'm so excited about the technology… My wife loves it… It's brought a whole lot of energy to doing the laundry!" said Michael. Don Maynard, Whirlpool global product manager, said the company is actively pursuing several ways for people with a wide variety of abilities to interact with their appliances.
Erik Goodman, a professor of electrical engineering who ran the course, already is gearing up to start the next project: a dryer. "People want to have better control of their appliances, and our students learned a lot from this chance to attack a meaningful, real-world design problem," Goodman said. "One lesson they carried away - that with the right design, some products can be made more usable by many people without much additional cost - is one we hope they will apply in their careers."
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