Introduction
People with blindness virtually face various challenges in their daily lives. Their visual impairment affects the every task of their daily activities. But the major problem they face is regarding looking their way on the road when they are going alone. Our idea is to design a device for these blind people to guide them for their way on the roads. The device is watch alarm. The active sensors of this watch alarm will identify any object in front of it and will intimate the user. This watch alarm will provide Google assistance to the user and will tell him about the directions where he wants to go. One can assess the watch from their computer with the assistance of the Google Map. In case of any major issue, the user can call his friends or guardians using this watch and they can guide him for his direction. Thus this device would be a blessing in disguise for blind people. Design Thinking Practice
Organization
We have interviewed some visually impaired people of Abu Dhabi University to ask them about their daily life problems and have decided to design this watch alarm to provide them with a solution.
Interviews
The first respondents of age 35 described that he usually face problems regarding getting correct direction on the road.
The second respondents of age 42explained that many a times he met with minor accidents while going on road because of direction issues.
The third respondent of age 40replied that the major problem occurs when we are going alone and sometimes we hit with an object and our phone falls down and we cannot connect with anyone for help.
The fourth respondent of age 26 also said that many a times he got hit with some objects because of direction problems.
The fifth respondent of age 29 described that they cannot take someone with them always. Thus they need a device which can help them for guiding them on their way on the road.
All the respondents said that they are really in need of such kind of device, which can help them in getting correct direction and they are ready to pay any amount for such kind of device.
Data Analyses
Journey Map of the interviewed students
The interviews present that all the blind people face difficulties for getting correct direction on the road. The journey map of their problem is as follows
Journey Map
| Going alone on the road | Hit with an object | Their phone falls on the ground | They are not able to get correct direction for their way |
Empathy map
| SAY “It’s difficult to manage alone on the road”. “There is no another option” | THINK Their daily issues have made the embarrassed. They think that they are burden on others because they have to ask for help from others again and again. |
| DO They are struggling with it | FEEL They feel that their visual impairment has made them embarrassed |
Prototype
| Stand By phase A blind person hit with an object on the road | Request Phase The watch alarm request an intimation to user on an object at front | Confirm phase The alarm rings and intimates the user regarding the object in front | Service Phase Google map will provide assistance for direction and will provide calling option for guidance. | End Phase The user can reach the destination without any difficulty and can get any assistance from the guide through call. | |||||
Problem Definition
How might we?
- How might we be able to get direction on the road?
- How might we be able to connect to friends or guardians in case of emergency?
Solutions
The following solutions are provided on the basis of views of students taken from their interviews regarding their problems.
Solution 1
The solution to the first question is that this device “watch alarm” will provide them Google assistance. The sensors of this device will detect any object in front of it and will intimate the user through an alarm. Moreover the watch will provide correct direction to the user with the help of Google Map. The user can feed the destination spot with an audio feature in it. The watch will intimate hi regarding direction to that spot.
Solution 2
In case of emergency, the users will be able to connect to their friends or guardians. There will be an option of call through a button on this device. This device will connect the call to the individual whose number is connected with this device. He will be able to watch the location of this device on his phone and can guide the user for his direction or in any other issue.
Evidence of the brainstorm
| Any object in front of him | Any object in front of him | |
| Feed destination spot using an audio option | The watch alarm will intimate him | |
| Watch alarm will provide correct direction for destination | In case of any other issue at destination spot or on the way | Calling option will connect the user with the assistance |
The above brainstorm gives the idea of the watch alarm and how it will be helpful for the blind students in their daily activities.
Reflection:
Due to their blindness, it has become difficult for them to move alone at distant places. Thus they require a device which can help them as a guide at distant places. To overcome this problem of visually impairedpeople, we have presented the idea of watch alarm which can guide them throughout their way like a human being.
All the solutions provided to tackle the problems of the blind people are effective but this idea can be more effective if it helps the people to intimate them regarding the names of famous places around them. It is possible because the device is already connected with Google Map. The next time we will add this feature so that this device can be more helpful for them.
Appendix
Survey Question
- What is your age?
- What is the major problem you face in your daily life?
How you want this problem to be solved?
- If there is a device which helps you to solve this problem, would you like to purchase it?
- What is your budget to purchase this device?
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