Level Up was made as a part of a 5 day Hackathon arranged by MIT Media Labs and LV Prasad Eye Institute in Hyderabad
Created in collaboration with Sanchit Kumar Agarwal and Sarvesh Pimpalkar
Thanks to Sujeath Pareddy, Dhruv Joshi, Mohan, Manish and Beula Christy, LV Prasad Eye Institute
Prototype Video
In our hectic routine we perform simple tasks like filling up a glass of water and serving tea or coffee which although sounds very simple becomes very difficult when the visual feedback is removed from the scenario. Visually impaired people have a great difficulty in filling up liquids on a vessel and are not very confident to do it themselves with a fear of spilling things over.
The current method used by visually impaired people for filling up a vessel is by dipping their finger inside the vessel and finding out whether the liquid is wetting their finger. They find this technique unhygienic and not socially accepting; also they cannot apply this method to hot liquids like tea or coffee. This is very discouraging for them in a social gathering it makes them dependent on someone’s help for a simple task of filling up a glass of water.
Electronic liquid level Indicators are available but not economically viable. 80% of visually impaired patients are not privileged enough to buy these devices. The solution had to be frugal and innovative.
The device is 3D printed and works mechanically. It works on the principle of ‘buoyancy’. The device has a small clip-on mechanism to fit on different tumblers, glasses and mugs. The vertical shaft is attached to the buoyant ball. The ball floats as the liquid level rises up to the brim, and the shaft rises up too. The visually impaired get a tactile feedback to stop the flow of liquid.
The device can be easily mass mantufactured using a ‘food safe’ material and can be used in Rehabilitation centers to train the visually impaired to become independent in performing their daily activities.
Ideation
Prototype 1
Testing of Prototype 1
Feedbacks
- Clip was not proper
- The inner cylinder did not float
- The whole device was very tiny for a visually impaired to feel
Prototype 2
Testing of Prototype 2
Feedbacks
- The new thickness of the clip was fitting in too tight on a tumbler, so removing from a liquid filled tumbler was very difficult
- The clip design did not fit on a mug
- The inner cylinder was not floating very easily
- The 3D printing machine was not able to print thin hollow cylinder
- The colour of the inner cylinder and outer body should be contrast. This will aid partially visually impaired to see the different parts.
- The visually impaired asked whether it can detect different levels, which the clip cannot do.
Prototype 3
Testing of Prototype 3
Feedbacks
- As 3D printing a thin hollow sphere was not possible, we used a foam to test proof of concept.
- The clip fitted on tumbler, cup and mug easily.
- For colour contrast orange worked, but white did not. (But due to lack of coloured 3D printing material that could not be tested)
- The visually impaired asked whether the material is food safe.
The Team
