Autocare, an ergonomic all-in-one laundry combo, was conceived in three weeks by a student design team in Umeå, Sweden.
Design students develop appliances for the physically impaired
YSN Staff
Electrolux Group recently challenged design students at Sweden’s Umeå Institute of Design (UID) to create home appliance concepts for people with physical disabilities.
The project represents the seventh year Electrolux has partnered with UID on the program, which gives teams of advanced product design students just three weeks to develop novel home appliances. This year’s directive, “Design for All Abilities,” was undertaken by four student teams that were tasked with creating easy-to-use products for people with physical impairments ranging from failing eyesight to arthritis.
The fruits of their labor included Autocare, a combo washer/dryer featuring a large, tactile knob, a high-visibility font and a voice-activated interface that remembers favorite cycles. It also features an auto-dispensing system that uses detergent sheets rather than heavy liquid, and a lint compressor for less frequent emptying.
Another team concept was Ease, a top-loading horizontal oven that eliminates the physical strain of bending and lifting required by traditional ranges. Users slide dishes onto a tray at countertop level, which are then lowered into the oven cavity. Other features include single-button control, high-contrast lighting and clear visual indicators to enable an easier, safer cooking experience, the students said.
Creations from past years have included appliances designed for AI-assisted home robots (2023), single people living in small spaces (2022) and those residing in multi-generational homes (2021).
“These talented students really stepped into the consumer’s shoes,” said Timo Mashiyi-Veikkola, Electrolux Group Head of Design Research. “They came up with creative solutions that not only made it easier for people with a range of disabilities to use, but also considered safety and aesthetics. These fresh ideas are inspiring and suit our ‘Human Touch’ design philosophy. One important element of that is design with empathy and quality.”
“It’s always rewarding to work with Electrolux Group on these design sprints,” added Thomas Degn, Associate Professor and Director of the MFA Advanced Product Design Program at UID. “It’s a real-world test of our students’ skills and helps us all imagine a better world through design.”
