Kevin Chiam Yong Sheng

2017
16 Weeks
Solo Project

Even with sight, cooking can be daunting, much less without vision. For the blind, preparing food naturally becomes challenging as they learn to cope with the uncertainties of spills or injuries like knife cuts or burns. To overcome the steep learning curve, Folks kitchenware leverages on natural, sensory feedback and tactile cues such that they can prepare food safely with confidence and dignity.

The knife spots a retractable guard that guides and safeguards the user’s fingers during cutting transitions.

Video: knife prototype in action.

The chopping board affords modular arrangement of trays that facilitate with ingredient transfer.

Video: chopping board prototype in action.

The teaspoon’s integrated float rises as liquids are poured into a given vessel, e.g. cup. The user stops pouring when the float makes contact. This prevents content from overflowing and scalding them when hot liquids are transferred.

Video: teaspoon prototype in action.

The ring’s terraced profile allows the user to effectively recognise the burner’s boundaries. It also centralises and secures cookware in place during the cooking process.

Video: stove ring prototype in action.

The lid provides a convenient nesting spot for kitchen tools and helps the user to identify the steam outlet with ease and avoid burns or scalds.

Video: pot lid prototype in action.

Think. Make. Evaluate. Repeat.

Ideas inspired by observations made during ethnographic research were broken down into simple touch points and later translated into low fidelity prototypes to test both feasibility and usability. Concepts that pass the initial test were refined and revised for further experiments with the visually impaired. Furthermore, feedback sessions with domain experts helped to anchor and validate the concepts.