Talk+Universal+Design

Topic 4: Universal Design 4/04/08
Select ONE consumer product and tell me how it can be modified to allow a greater number of users to actually use it. Your post should include

Name of Product Problem which prevents some potential users from using the product How your modification fixes the problem How your modification will improve the product for ALL users.

Example:

4-01-08 - Universal Design - Andrew Moshirnia
Name: GPS directions in Car Dashboard Problem: Interface is clunky and placement is not ideal, hard to view while driving so many nervous users wont use it. Modification: Build in transparent overlay on windshield, draw non- intrusive arrows to show where the driver needs to go Universal Design: Avoids split attention effect for all users, allows users who have low spatial intelligence to use device

4-01-08 - Universal Design - Chase Ketchum
Name: Listening to radio on IPOD Problem: You can’t listen to the radio on the IPOD. This is bad for people in a rec center that want to listen to the radio so they can watch tv with audio. Modification: Make every IPOD have a radio menu and antenna so that you have the option to listen to downloaded music or the radio. Universal Design: Gives everyone the option to listen to the radio if they do not want to pay to download music and have good ethics so they don’t steal music.

4-01-08 - Universal Design - Laura Draxler
Name: Pancake griddle Problem: To make decent pancakes that are perfectly cooked and easier to flip, it is important that the griddle is hot enough before you pour the batter onto it. I always jump the gun and pour it on too soon, and my first pancake looks terrible and falls apart. Modification: Put a built-in temperature sensor, maybe on the handle, that tells you when the griddle has reached the optimal temperature for pancake-making awesomeness. Universal Design: Everyone will know when it's time to pour the batter for their first pancake, eliminating the horror and embarrassment of an ugly and distorted pancake. This will make the art of pancakes easy and more user-friendly.

4-1-08 Universal Design- Alex Riemann
Name: Alarm Clock Problem: Not everyone wakes up at the same time everyday of the week and sometimes you forget to switch the time everyday. Causing you to wake up late or causing you to wake up when you can still be sleeping. Modification: Alarm Clocks could have weekly schedules on them that let you set your alarm at a different time for each day of the week. Universal Design: People won't have to remember everyday to change the time on their alarm clock, change it once at the beginning of the week and don't worry about waking up late or having your sleep cut short when you can still be sleeping.

4-4-08 -- Universal Design -- Amy Gress
Name: Flashlights Problem: You never know when your flashlight is going to run out of batteries. So you always have to carry around an extra pair of batteries or regret it when your flashlight dies. Modification: A light on the side of the flashlight that begins to flash when the battery is low on battery. That way you can either recharge the battery right then or can know that you need to carry extra batteries with you if you plan to use it soon. Universal Design: Everyone will know when it is time to change their batteries in their flashlights, which will prevent the user from not being able to use their flashlight when they need it because their battery died. It will make the use of flashlights more enjoyable and user-friendly.

4-4-08 - Universal Design - Erin Cook
Name: Tanning Beds Problem: To adjust the levels of the face tanner or the air conditioning and music among other things, you have to look at the buttons above you to read which button is which. This often causes you to accidentally lose your protective eyewear, or you are forced to take them off because they make your vision too dark to read the buttons. Modification: Either make the buttons much larger with clearer labels, or preferably, create a voice activated bed that allows you to simply say "increase face tanner" or "increase air-conditioning," etc. Universal Design: Those who are blind (hey, they still might want to get tan) will be able to adjust their preferences on the tanning bed without having to4 search for the proper button. Also, people's eyes will be better protected. It would make the tanning-bed experience less anxiety-provoking for new users worrying about adjusting the various levels while still proctecting their eyes and enjoying the tanning experience.

4-4-08- Universal Design- Samantha Rist
Name: Cellular Headphones Problem: Cellular companies provide them so that you may listen to your music on certain phones, but most brands (excluding the iPhone) do not include a microphone on them, so people will have to unplug their headphones in order to receive or make a phone call. This could impair a persons' awareness (if driving, etc), and is not very convenient. Modification: All headphones should include microphones so that a person does not have to fumble with a headset in order to talk. Universal Design: The headphones could light up and ring in your ear if you are receiving a call; the headphones could have a steady blink if your music was simply playing; the headphones would have no light and/or noise indicator blaring if they were not being used.

4-4-08- Universal Design- Sarah Peterson
Name: Flashlight Problem: Generally you need batteries to operate a flashlight and you can't tell when they will be dead. Also the light tends to dim when the batteries are low. Modification: A flashlight that doesn't need batteries and can recharge itself. Universal Design: There could be a handle on the side that comes out and that you can turn in order to generate energy. The system inside would capture the energy produced and use it to produce light. That way if you are on a camping trip you don't need batteries to be able to see.

4-4-08-Universal Design- Alex Rock Name: Cell phones Problem: One of my friends has fat fingers, and has difficulty pressing the numbers on his cell phone without hitting another one accidentally. Modification: Some ways to avoid this problem would be to have set buttons that one could personalize on their own computer, and transfer his own design to his cell phone. He would then be able to modify his own cell phone to fit his needs.

4-01-08 - Universal Design – Grant Noble
Name: Office, Desk Chair Problem: Assembly is way too difficult Modification: Eliminate screws and replace with a sturdier design which allows for easy assembly. Parts will be placed one on top of the other in an interlocking fashion which allows for easily assembly. Universal Design: Gives everyone the chance to build a chair and eliminates further frustration, while possibly preventing headaches/stress.

4-05-08- Universal Design- Morgan Riley
Name: Cell phone batteries Problem: Even though cell phones show the battery life, it is still very unclear sometimes when exactly your phone will die. My phone especially, if it is on the last bar on the battery life and I don't use it, my phone will not die all day. Modification: Phones should have a minute marker that tells you exactly how many minuites of life it has left. Universal Design: In the spot on the screen of a cell phone where the battery symbol is, put a minuite marker next to it so you know exactly when your phone is about to die.

4-06-08-Universal Design-Sarah DuPree
Name: Car-maintenance Problem: Okay whenever my car needs fixed it messes up in some way such as oil needs changed, gas, battery, engine. It needs maintaining and i wish i could fix it quicker than having it have lots of trouble. Modification: To help decrease car problems without constantly having to pay for a check up that is not needed it would be cool if not only symbols were used for things needed in each car, but a voice would tell you it needs fixing. I would pay better attention to this in my opinion b/c i don't always notice the symbols until later.

4-06-08 Universal Design- Travis Lindeman
Name: Text Messaging Problem: I have newly acquired the ability to text. This has yet to become an enjoyable experience. I am notorious for rambling posts, emails, messages, etc. that say nothing with a lot of words. Do to the sensibilities of an English major I am indignant about proper punctuation. So while texting (even though limited to a mere 200 characters) I try to enhance messages with punctuation that maintains its integrity. On screen and on the buttons there is no symbol to indicate something as simple as a period, apostrophe, or capital letter. Living in a different time and calling myself a competent being, who reads directions, honestly? It was not until an inebriated misguided finger stumbled upon the "1" key to grace the message with a period. So I have figured it out, but had to drink to do so. Modification: Something as simple as a period, exclamation mark, or a lingo that says "punc" next to the "1" would have made my earlier messages into the poetry they are.

4-07-08 Universal Design - Hayley Harbert
Name: microwave Problem: oatmeal boils over, cheese burns and gets gross but crust is not hot, popcorn - half the kernels are not popped but it starts to burn modification: I don't know about the cheese burning one, but I hate that the oatmeal boils over and makes a mess - everytime! I wish the microwave could have a voice that declares when the food, in general, is done so it does not get overcooked, spatters, or boils over. Perhaps, the popcorn one is because the microwave just sucks.

4-08-08 Universal Design - Lindsey Jones
Name: Shower faucet/knob (controls water and temperature) Problem: It takes awhile to find the perfect water temperature when takinga shower. You have to keep playing with the knob to find a temperature that feels good. It is also a danger becasue children in the bathtub can be playing with the knob and accidently turn extremely hot water on and seriously burn themselves. Modification: Instead of a shower knob, I would have a waterproof touchpad with numbers in the shower. You can type in the degree of water you prefer (Once you find the perfect temp. once, remember it and do the same everytime). Instead of moving the knob back and forth to find the perfect temperature, just type it in. Universal Design: This feature prevents children in the bathtub turning on extremely hot water. Additionally, the touch pad could have brail on the numbers for blind people. Allows people to find perfect water temperature easily.

4-08-08 Universal Design - Stephanie Filardo
Name: Computer Keyboards Problem: The design is rigid, not allowing for personalization for people with different needs (be it a disability or need of greater functionality) Modification: Create a touchpad keyboard, so keys may be resized, moved, or even created to meet the needs of the user. The touch surface could be disabled so you don't end up with nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn across your screen when trying to utilize all of your desk space. Since everyone would get used to their personal keyboard, it would have to have bluetooth connection to be used on different computers in addition to a cord (for those who like their keyboard to be on a leash) and the keyboard itself would need to be flexible or foldable so it can be easily transported along with the user. Universal Design: Allows greater functionality. My fingers are smaller than others, so maybe I want smaller keys. Allow the user to define a "punctuation pad" similarly to the number pad or buttons to control computer media (and even mp3 players)...the possibilities are infinite. An optional voice prompt would light up the key the user is looking for, eliminating the "hunt" from "hunt and peck." This could assist those who are learning to type.

4-8-08 Universal Design - Courtney Mense
Consumer Product: Milk Problem: You wake up feeling really really hungry, also you have a horrible headache but you can't take any pain killer on an empty stomach so breakfast is crucial. You pour a nice bowl of your favorite cereal, mother watering stomach churning intense excitement, the milk hits the crispy flakes/pellets/krispies/squares and splashes and froths happily as the bowl fills with icy white goodness. As the perfect spoonful artfully chosen for variety of marshmellows/nuts/fruit and flakes/pellets/squares plus just the right amount of mushifier arcs gracefully into your expectant mouth suddenly everything turns sour, literally. While regurgitating the now ruined breakfast favorite into the sink in disgusted shock you consider how useful it would be to know beforehand without the date and sniff test that the milk was indeed, old and bad. Modification/Universal Design: As milk sours, it must undergo some chemical change or something. So maybe if we added some litmus-esque ingredient to the material in the carton that would turn green or something upon sensing the chemical we could prevent this nationallly occuring disaster. It would be even more universal if the chemical would also cause the material of the carton to change physically so that blind people would know it was bad too. You could have some fun with it and make the color look all moldy and gray to prevent the very desperate from drinking bad milk based on how grossed out the images would be. Or it could produce little toxic materials icons.

4-8-08 - Universal Design - Ryan Durant
Name: Water Fountain Problem: While it is easy to push in on the water fountain to make water come out, the amount of pressure you have to apply to get the pressure of water you want is inconsistent amongst different water fountains. On some it takes very little effort to push, and you get alot of water coming out at you quickly, while others it feels like you are pushing in as hard as you can and barely any water comes out. Modification: I dont know if there are already motion sensored water fountains, but that is what i would recommend. Once you cover the sensor the water comes out at an even stream and the same pressure every time. Universal Design: It allows everyone to use water fountains with out any help regardless if they have any type of disability or handicap. Everyone can stick there head over the fountain, which activates the sensor and water comes out.

4-08-08 - Universal Design - Kristen Cunningham
Name: Electronic Remote Controls Problem: There are too many buttons, and programing or even performing simple functions requires many steps. They become more and more complex, and many people are unable to even watch a movie without a hassel. Modification: Redesign remote controls and make things more self explanatory and easier to program. Universal Design: Even people who do not have much experience with technology can understand and run a dvd player, sound system and other technology.

4-09-08 -Universal Design- Alissa Ramsay
Name: Microwave Problem: When cooking food it is usually overdone, or frozen in the middle. It may be difficult for first-time cookers, or people who do not use a microwave often to judge how long something takes to cook. It may also be difficult for people with special needs to push so many buttons in order to cook something. Modification: Alter the microwave so that it may even only need 3 buttons: cook and defrost. We could modify the microwave so that it knows the proper temperature food should be cooked to. This would make the microwaving experience much easier and accessible for all users.