POUR

Assisstive device for blind users to help pour

Problems addressed

Difficulty in aligning vessels

Lack of continuous feedback

Overfilling and spilling

Key Contribution

Cues in the form to help align

Floater that rises with liquid

Tactile readings for measuring

Scroll to see the whole journey below

INTRODUCTION

Background: Ergonomics Project

This project was done for a course in Ergonomics in a duration of three weeks. Created a novel product with physical micro-interactions for feedback, and to assist safely pour and measure liquids. Evaluated concepts through AD-SWOT and time-motion analysi and reduced pour time to ~2/3 while avoiding any spilling and over filling while pouring.

"Design intervention to help visually impaired persons safely pour and measure hot liquids."

The Concern

Pouring and measuring liquids is a task we do as a part of various day to day activities like cooking, serving water, making tea and taking medicines. We rely heavily on visual feedback and hand eye coordination for performing the task safely and efficiently. Such tasks can be extremely difficult for the visually impaired. Without a visual feedback, a lot of information is missing that is essential such as position of cup and container, level of liquid, trajectory of liquid, etc. This project focuses on such cognitive aspects of ergonomics.

Images captured from Molly Burke's and Drew Hunthausen's videos

EMPATHIZING

Conducted Blindfold Simulation

I performed a blindfold simulation on myself for different scenarios and with different utensils. I observed the behaviour and the challenges first hand and analysed them through a video.

User Journey Mapping

Pouring cold water from jug: Insights

-Large mouth and bulky nature of the jug creates difficulty

-Difficult to aim inside the glass, aligning takes some time

-No feedback of how much water is pouring and is all of it going inside?

-Difference in temperature of glass’ outer surface provides feedback of the level of water filled inside

Pouring hot tea using electronic leveler: Insights

-Storing electronic assistive devices: they might get misplaced

-Leveler does not provide continuous feedback and creates a waiting time of doubt and anxiety

-Grooves on the thermos head provide friction for support against rim and tactile clue to align with cup.

-Flow in a thermos is controlled by the small openings, easy to open and shut the flow at any time with a press

Human Machine System Model

Task Analysis

1. Locating cup and container/ kettle/ bottle in space.

2. Coordinating both hands. Identifying relation between two.

3. Aligning the openings of the two.

4. Pouring liquid in a controlled way.

5. Regulating the flow of liquid.

6. After cup is filled till required level, tilt the kettle back to normal.

Point 3, 4 and 5 are aided by continuous feedback form te system to keep th evessels aligned, control and regulate the flow.

ANALYSING PROBLEMS

AD- SWOT Analysis

For developing assistive devices one needs to consider the abilities along with the disabilities of the user. It also becomes important to consider the environment of the user and the threats imposed by it. In their study, Fong-Gong Wu, Min-Yuan Ma, Ro-Han Chang discuss how SWOT analysis can be used to design a criteria for the design of an assistive device for a specific context.

The SWOT analysis for the current scenarios was done by listing out all the user statements, insights, observations, and design ideas and the sorting them into groups. Strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities were induced from those statements like affinity mapping.

Strengths

S1 . Gauge weight, balance, location and alignment to facilitate direct manipulation of light vessels at normal temperature.

S2 . Can perform tasks step by step by assessing sequential feedback for each step at a time.

S3 . Good, naturally learnt tactile sense to discriminate between different textures and temperature qualitatively.

S4 . Easy to pour with small openings. They also provide enhanced audio feedback due to high pressure of a small stream.

Weaknesses

W1 . Difficulty in aligning multiple objects.

W2 . Difficulty to rely on Tactilo-Kinesthetic Feedback for heavy and hot objects.

W3 . Lack of continuous and multiple feedbacks (of position of vessels, trajectory of liquids) restrict user from taking impromptu regulation (of position of vessels, trajectory of liq.)

W4 . Difficulty in handling and locating multiple discrete objects.

Opportunities

O1 . A Multipurpose device for funneling, filtering and measuring

O2 . An intermediate measuring device to measure first and then pour

O3 . A separate dispensing system for any liquid

O4 . Electronic device with amplified/ augmented sensory feedback

Threats

T1 . Direct contact of liquid while pouring can cause burns

T2 . Getting burnt by touching a hot vessel while locating them

T3 . Burning sensation and discomfort due to steam rising from vessel

T4 . Dropping and breaking (also losing) objects

IDEATION

Generating Ideas using points from SWOT

After SWOT analysis, Weihrich (1982) proposed a strategy called the ‘‘TOWS’’ (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, and Strengths). It is a method of systematically identifying relationships between these factors and suggesting solutions from the analysis. TOWS maximizes the Strengths and Opportunities, while minimizing the Weaknesses and Threats.

The corresponding labels with the sketches (SnOn/ WnOn) indicate the nth SWOT principle they are linked to.

Evaluating Ideas Based on Principles

In their study, Fong-Gong Wu, Min-Yuan Ma, Ro-Han Chang also provide a quantitative framework for evaluating the concepts that categorizes the criteria principles into safety, functionality and usability.

The criteria for evaluation was based on the most important needs of the user derived from the SWOT. The needs were first categorized under safety, functionality, and usability and the hierarchized by giving each need a weightage of 0.09, 0.03, 0.01 with more preference to safety.

	Safety principle	Weightage
P1	No spilling over the edge while pouring	0.09
P2	No over filling	0.09
P3	Avoid touching hot vessel	0.09
	Functionality principle	Weightage
P4	Pour measured/ desired amount of liquid	0.03
	Usability principle	Weightage
P5	Ease of measuring	0.01
P6	Ease of pouring/ controling the flow	0.03

All ideas can not be prototyped and tested but we need to filter them out critically and identify the few ideas with most potential. For this reason, I evaluated the ideas based on the problems they intend to solve hypothetically. The dots indicate that the idea has the potential of fulfilling those principles.

	Safety			Function	Usability
Concept	P1 (0.09)	P2 (0.09	P3 (0.09	P4 (0.03)	P5 (0.01	P6 (0.03	Total
S3O4	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	0.25
S3O2	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	0.16
S2O2	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	0.22
S4O1	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	0.31
S1/W1O1	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	0.21
W1O2	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	0.12
W2O2	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	0.21
W2O3	NO	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	0.13

Scampering with the Hero Ideas

concept S4O1 that uses a funnel like mechanism and S3O4 that has a floater for continuous feedback through electronic sound are the top two concepts and I thought to combine these two and have a device that helps in both pouring and measuring liquids.

The concept borrowed the idea of a funnel-like structure from S3O4 and a floater for continuous feedback from S4O1 while adding an extra feature of a base for stability and helping in alignment by making a unifying system between the cup and the pourer, using the continuous form.

FINAL SOLUTION

An Apparatus Independent of Device

An independent apparatus that binds any vessel and a container into a system with tangible connections. It gives a form to the relations between pouring and poured vessel in space. Thus making up for the lack of visual referencing and estimations and facilitating seeing through hands.

Form follows communication

Here there are tactile/ physical micro interactions like:

-Rings on base to stably position the cup

-An inward dent in the base to align the pouring vessel in a straight line with cup

-The curves at the top to perfectly align and stably position the pouring vessel

-The stem to feel the rise in level of floater with no direct contact with the vessel

Floater mechanism

-Inverted U-shaped floater hangs on the stem

-The floater rises with rising level of liquid

-The bar at the back of stem rises in sync

-User can feel this rise and get a continuous feedback of the rate of filling

-This also prevents direct contact with the vessesls (if hot) while control over them

Communicating Liquid Level on the Stem

After designing the overall form and interactions that help in aligning and pouring, I had to design readings on the stem that communicate the rise in liquid as the floater rises. This will help the user measure the amount of liquid filled.

Made a paper prototype to test the reading with a rising floater level:

Proportional reading for proportional measurement

The measurement required for kitchen purposes is proportional eg. 1/2 cup, 1/4, 2/3 etc. We use visual sense to estimate these proportions. A continuous gaze running through the height judges its half, quarter, etc. Hence the user might not be bothered with accurate measures but equipped with a way to gaze the height and estimate the proportions by touching.

Feedback: Its not easy to compare the width of lines to tell the proportions. The sensitivity of measuring the level keeps reducing as the lines thicken and dont commnicate the level precisely.

Gauging the proportion with one finger touch

I made markings that represent vertical proportions in a horizontal line that can be felt with a single phalanx of finger. The user can first check the height of cup next to the stem and then slide the thumb/ finger downwards while gauging the proportion in terms of half/ quarter, etc.

Comparing ratio of raised vs flat lines to tell the proportions

Based on the height of cup eg. if the height of cup is 4 units, the user can slide the finger and stop where there are 2 units raised and 2 in deppression. With this comparison it is easier and more accurate to tell the proportions.

Final Render of the Product

Final User Journey

The following few images demonstrate how the final product is intended to use. The journey from locating, aligning, pouring to stopping after filling desired amount is considered while designing and solutions have been suggested for major problems highlighted earlier.

A single hand stroke to initialize and then read the markings

As the kettle fits in the curve of base, it is aligned with mug

The opening of the kettle settles in the curves of the ring

Continuous feedback from the floater rising with the liquid

Stop pouring as the floater reaches the desired level

EVALUATION

Prototype for Testing

A thermocol working prototype was made for the purpose of testing. It consisted of the base for stability, a funnel on top for aligning and pouring through, a stem to link the two that also carried the markings corresponding to the height of the liquid. A U shaped stem with a floater is to be placed inside the mug.

Tested on Blindfolded Users

The project was completed in lockdown condition due to COVID 19 and it was not possible to test it with actual users. Thus, it was tested at home by blindfolding people. The product was introduced to them only after blindfolding and was given to be used.

The product was tested against some qualitative and quantitative parameters. The users were first asked to fill a full cup without the product and then to do the same with the product. Time for both the activities was recorded for a time motion analysis. The other parameters were amount of spilling of water and accuracy of filling the required quantity.

Filling half cup without the product: spilling and more time

Filling half cup water with the product: user more confident

Feedback: works but a bit overwhelming at start

The product was successful in making the pouring and measuring better in terms of accuracy and safety. It did not make a considerable difference in terms of efficiency. It could prevent water spilling and overfilling but still took some time for the user to familiarize herself with the product.

In the time motion analysis, both the tasks are done in a decent amount of time. The task without the product was done in 35 sec and with the product was done in 25 sec. There is a 10 sec difference but as compared to an average sighted person who can fill the glass in about 5-10 sec, it is still way more than double.

The time for aligning was more but it helped later. The time for pouring was reduced due to continuous feedback giving confidence to the user.

CONCLUSION

Future Scope: Going Electronic?

The initial aim of the product was to solve an apparently simple task but the final solution opens potential for a new kind of kitchen product for blind that can be combined with products like weighing machine, induction, etc. that are currently used. The current mechanism of floater adds some complacacies in its use. The product can, however, be equipped with a sensor at its base and top funnel (weight, ultrasound) for a simpler use. The current device aims at a more tactile experience and to equip the user see through hands rather than digitizing the feedback. The form/ feel was liked by the user.

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