Easy Read - Digital magnifier scores high on VI user's comfort

In the recent times, digital magnifiers have emerged in the electronic market as convenient accessories to visually impaired people. But the practical predicaments lie with their lack of serious ergonomic designs, and more importantly ludicrously high costs. That combined with utilization of unsustainable components certainly do not make them user friendly. Well, a designer has supposedly worked out all of these problems to make that transition from convenience to conscientiousness. In the process, the Easy Read digital magnifier was created, catering to an optimized level of user comfort from perspective of both procuring and usage.

Easy Read

After a detailed literature study, the designer came upon some basic elements of conventional digital magnifiers that could be improved. This included the primary handle and button positioning that caused wrist pain over longtime usage. Moreover, the complexity and bulkiness along with the high cost factor (ranging from $580 to $2352) made such products unwieldy for the majority of users. Thus a technological amendment was the need of the hour, and that is exactly what the designer adroitly achieved.

Easy Read

His version of a digital magnifier, i.e. the Easy Read embodies a sleek, simplistic contraption that visually (and practically) transcends well beyond its usage as a medical appliance. Coming with an unconstrained aluminum shell, special design features were applied to the sense of overall ergonomic bearing. As an innovative feature, the screen was made longer so that a whole sentence (of any text) could fit from end to end, thus highlighting user convenience. Finally, the mechanism was conceived as a rechargeable component which would lessen cost in the long run.

So, it's an uncomplicated design that scores high on practicality, convenience and comfort. Not to mention, it caters to a specific section of customers, oft unheeded by more 'conventional' products available in the market.

Via: JamesDysonAward