In class on Tuesday evening, we were given a problem to solve in ten minutes: design a clock for a blind person. This short exercise became the first assignment of the class. Although I played with several concepts, only one stayed with me through the end of the ten minute brainstorming period. I proposed a talking clock.
I began by brainstorming what I believed to be the user’s needs:
- Telling time on demand
- Waking up at a specific time
- Easily setting the time
As I started sketching from there, other needs emerged:
- Reliable power source (AC line voltage + battery backup) so the blind person should be able to obtain the current time under either battery or main power failure conditions
- Volume control in order to avoid unnecessarily disturbing others
- Automatic time setting radio signal
When I returned to the problem yesterday afternoon, I researched current products marketed to the blind and visually impaired:
 Pyramid talking clock |
 Talking Thermometer Clock I wonder how the blind or visually impaired person will know where to aim the infrared remote. |
 Keychain clock Seems similar to a product that might be used to “remember everything” |
 Simple clock |
My initial impression was that few appeared to have been designed specifically with this market in mind. I did find a another design feature to inform my previous brainstorming:
- A heavy base with non-slip feet might be useful for the blind
I researched braille numbers in order to see other possible ways to design the clock.