Hands Free Cooking Aid for the Visually Impaired

Lieven is a woman in her 50s who has central scotoma (She has a blind spot in the middle of her vision). She loves to cook and enjoys doing so independently. While cooking, she often has trouble recognizing products.

To solve this problem, she uses the google lens app on her smartphone. This app scans the product and reads out the text it sees.

This solution comes with a few problems. 

1. By using the smartphone, she no longer has her hands free to cook. 
2. Knowing where to point the smartphone so the product is in frame is difficult
3. The app doesn't always function as it should

We, Gilles, Bente and Mathieu, were tasked with finding a solution to these problems in context of our human centered design class.

Our solution is a body harnas with a 3D printed phone case.

Features of the harnas and phonecase

• the case opens and closes with magnets
• inside the phonecase there is a phoneholder that can be adjusted to the size of your phone for extra security.
• the phonecase and harnas can be separeted for easy cleaning

Elastic band (we used 2 differend width sizes 2,5 cm and 5,5 cm, but this is not necessary)

3D printed parts

2 round headed phillip screws M6 or one M6 bar of 13,5 cm

2 hexagon domed cap nut M6

4 magnets (6mm diameter, 2 mm high, +/- 740 g strength) link

clip (we repurposed one from an old backpack)

phone holder part (we repurposed one form a old phone holder)

Measure the elastic band and cut it to right size. Use the picture above as a refrence.

We used a wider elastband for piece A to add more comfort.

In total there are 7 parts that need to be printed.

Some parts require a little sanding to make everything fit together.

You can find the files here

This step is optional.

It gives the product a nicer finish.

Weave the elastic ban (B) through the 3D printed part and sew the harnas on the marked places.

Tip: for a nicer finish fold over the edge of the elastic band before sewing.

We used hot glue to attach the magnets

The finshed product!

Unfortunately we haven't found the ideal app to use.

These are the best apps that are currently in the app store that we have found:

• envision AI
• goolge lens
• Supersense - AI for Blind