A pregnancy test for the blind has been designed in London. It has no lines or writings but it has an engine that raises some protuberances
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousA British charity has developed a prototype tactile pregnancy test, designed for blind women who can thus discover, in complete privacy, whether or not they are pregnant.
The new test, developed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), shows the results not with the classic lines or even with a written text but by lifting tactile silicone protuberances.
In this way, blind women have the opportunity to take the test even in complete autonomy. Until now, in fact, they necessarily had to ask for the help of their partner, a relative or a friend, while perhaps they would have preferred to experience this delicate moment alone.
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No-one should have to sacrifice their privacy because of inaccessible design. Our #DesignForEveryone campaign is calling for an inclusive world for blind and partially sighted people.
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The test was devised by London-based designer Josh Wasserman, who met a small group of non-selling women in their homes as part of the design process.
The prototype features an absorbent pad that is 50% larger than the average and an outer part that helps the woman to distinguish between the upper and lower part of the device.
When urine is absorbed by the tampon, it activates an internal motor that lifts the first tactile bump on the underside of the device but if pregnancy hormones are detected, the device also lifts another set of bumps, thus clearly indicating a result. positive.
Initially it was thought of a test that would transmit the result through sound but this possibility was discarded after discovering that women preferred an experience in complete privacy and therefore that others could not listen, neither accidentally nor on purpose.
The research methods and industrial design of the device have been made public now we have to see if any manufacturer will decide to market this type of test, as the RNIB hopes.
However, finding a company that mass-produces the RNIB test could prove difficult as the limited number of customers would mean high production costs compared to other types of tests already on the market.
Another option to consider would be to work with health care companies to produce a pregnancy test that can be used by both sighted and blind people:
"The dream is to buy any pregnancy test with the knowledge that it is accessible," said RNIB President Eleanor Southwood.
Fonte: The Wall Street Journal / Instagram
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