Interaction design

Most products are only designed for the majority, by using for instance the P95 rule. Although this includes the majority it explicitly excludes a large group of people as well; the P5. Especially user groups that have a disability such as blindness or hearing loss are ignored almost continuously by today’s product designers. The field ‘inclusive design’ tries to develop products that include as many people as possible.

A hearing device or glasses are no products of inclusive design, they are specially made products to reduce or solve a disability. But a cellular phone that also can be used by blind people is a good example of inclusive design.

Designer Kim Changduk and his team have developed a toilet that not only can be used people without a disability but also by people that are in a wheelchair. With existing toilets the transfer from wheelchair towards the toilet is a problem as there is often a lack of space to place the wheelchair next to the toilet as well as the lack of supports. The common solution is to have a separate toilet for people who are in a wheelchair. In the end this is quite expensive as only a few people use this toilet.

The ‘Universal Toilet’, as the design is called uses a transfer method for wheelchair users that is not so common. People ride their wheelchair in front of the toilet and then make the transfer, using the toilet the other way around. Although I am not sure this transfer method is ideal it sure a big improvement compared to existing situations.

The project has received several awards, including the ‘red dot award’ and the project team has the ambition to take the product into production. They have decided the toilet should be made of steel and is still looking for investors. So if you have a big wallet?!

Website Universal toilet