1. Blind Ambition
Research Proposal by Matthew Schmitt
Blind Ambi
A research project aimed at finding an opportunity to design an object
or system to enhance the cooking experience for the visually impaired.
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2. Blind Ambition
Project Summary
Cooking Blind
While cooking is not exactly a high risk activity, the kitchen
is not without its hazards either; just think about open flames,
red-hot pan handles and sharp knives. Imagine how difficult
preparing and cooking a meal might be for the visually
impaired. This simple everyday activity requires more
maneuvering of objects than most often realize, with most
tasks requiring some sort of visual context. With more than 25
million Americans experiencing significant vision loss, there is
clearly an opportunity to improve the cooking experience for
the visually impaired.
By studying the specific hardships and challenges, inabilities,
and adaptations blind individuals have made in order to cook,
I will be able to develop a series of products or a system to
enhance the cooking experience for the visually impaired.
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Blind Ambition Research
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Overview
My initial research has shown that the visually impaired
have an enormous desire to cook, but can often have
a very difficult time performing even the simplest of
tasks in the kitchen. Learning how to use basic kitchen
tools or appliances and becoming familiarized with
the kitchen and its surroundings are just two things
that are nearly impossible for the visually impaired
without aid.
Once familiar with the kitchen, there is still a host
of routine tasks that can still be extremely difficult
to a person who is visually impaired. Shopping
for ingredients, identifying ingredients, measuring
ingredients, pouring, food preparation, knowing when
meat is thoroughly cooked, cleaning up, and overall
kitchen organization are all tasks that are relatively
simple but require some sort of adaptation on the part
of the blind individual. It is these problem tasks and
adaptations that I am focusing on, as they will lead to
fruitful opportunities for design and innovation.

4. Blind Ambition
Support Team
Allan Golabek
Tel 203 - 770 - 5211
Email: Almassage1@Comcast.net
Allan Golabek is an older blind individual who
really enjoys cooking and is very comfortable
in the kitchen. By observing Allan, I have
discovered how he has adapted and how he
has modified his surroundings to facilitate the
cooking process.
Alex Snow
Tel 203 - 426 - 8003
Alex Snow is a blind 22 year old recent college
grad who has almost no experience in the
kitchen. Teaching Alex how to cook proved to
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be extremely valuable since any difficulties he
had became extremely evident.
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Blind Ambition Support Team
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Cooking Class at Perkins School for the Blind
Rick David John
At the Perkins cooking class, it was unanimous that both Pouring liquids and
Measuring were the most difficult tasks for a blind person. Not far behind
ranked cleaning and plugging devices into outlets.

6. There are many talking products such as
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talking thermometers, talking scales, talking
Research timers, and talking measuring devices.
Tools
The PenFriend. This device uses an electronic
eye to read a small sticker, much like a bar
code reader. Each sticker has a different
‘fingerprint’ which the pen associates with a
specific message. This device can be used
to label and identify files, cds, clothing and
foods.
Food Bumper. Designed to keep food from
sliding off the plate while eating.
An electronic Braille display connects to
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a computer and allows the user to read
what appears on the computer screen.
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This technology can be used for reading
recipes in the kitchen, however most blind
individuals prefer to use a simple hand-held
voice recorder.

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This device is commonly referred to as a
Blind Ambition “say when.” It hangs over the edge of a
Research
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glass and beeps when the liquid being
poured reaches a certain level. However,
most blind individuals prefer to use the
change in sound or weight to identify how Tools
much liquid is in a glass.
This product is a knife guide designed to
aid the user in cutting even slices. Most
found this product difficult to use since the
guide hung below the edge of the knife,
preventing the knife from cutting all the
way through the food.
This is a timer with braille indications
marking the time increments. Most blind
individuals prefer to use digital talking
timers instead.
This is a “Pot Watcher.” When placed
inside a pot, it is designed to move around
and make a rattling sound when the pot
begins to boil. Most blind individuals have
no need for this product because they can
tell when a pot is boiling by the sound the
bubbles make.

8. Research
Cooking Process
Three Steps:
Preparation Cooking Cleaning

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Blind Ambition Research
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Preparation
Food preparation encompasses all tasks performed prior to cooking.
Tasks include identifying and locating ingredients, measuring, cutting,
pouring, and mixing.

10. Blind Ambition
Research
Cooking
The act of cooking is the use of an oven,
stove, grill, or other kitchen appliance to
cook the food.
Common problems with cooking include
the manipulation of hot objects, knowing
when meat is fully cooked, stirring,
spilling, pouring, measuring, plugging in
electric appliances, and operating product
interfaces.
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Blind Ambition Research
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Cleaning
The act of cleaning includes washing food, cleaning dishes,
cleaning work surfaces, putting dishes away, and storing away
excess food items.
Common problems with cleaning include knowing when
something is clean or dirty, leaving behind a mess, spilling,
knocking objects over, cutting oneself on sharp dishes, and
pouring leftover food into a container.

12. Blind Ambition
Analysis
Design Opportunity
After studying the challenges involved with food preparation, cooking and cleaning, I
found a design opportunity in Pouring and Measuring since it is
a common problem in all steps of the cooking process.
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Blind Ambition Analysis
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Pouring
The act of pouring seems quite simple, but to someone who has lost their
vision it is a much more complicated task involving many different factors.
“I have no idea when it begins to pour.”
“Is it just spilling all over the floor?”
“I’m never sure I’m over the pan.”
Blind individuals have difficulty knowing when a liquid begins to
pour, knowing if they are pouring in the right location and knowing
Problem how much or how fast something is pouring. Pouring can often be
wasteful and messy, and often requires the individual to place their
finger in the food.

14. Blind Ambition
Analysis
Measuring
For someone who has lost their vision, measuring can be quite difficult.
Many recipes require a specific amount of certain ingredients, and
the tools available for measuring are difficult for a blind individual
to use. When the blind measure ingredients, the result is often an
inaccurate measurement and a large mess.
“I have to put my fingers in the food.”
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“I can’t tell if I’m holding it level.”
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Problems include identifying which measuring device is the right size,
Problem identifying how far to fill a measuring cup, holding the device level,
spilling, and wasting ingredients.

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Blind Ambition Analysis
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Measuring & Pouring
Not only does cooking require specific measurements of some
ingredients, it also requires a lot of measuring while pouring by
gauging how fast something is pouring out, or how much is already
in the food. Without your vision, it is very difficult to tell how fast
something is pouring, or if it is pouring at all.
Techniques for gauging how much of an ingredient is being poured:
Placing fingers in the ingredient, Using weight, Using sound, Using time, Counting
Most blind individuals gauge a measurement by sticking their
Problem fingers in the ingredient they are pouring. This is often unsanitary,
inaccurate, and messy.

16. Blind Ambition
Design Intent
Pouring & Measuring
The Problem Pouring and measuring ingredients is a challenge that the blind face
in all three steps of the cooking process. My intent is to enhance
the cooking experience for the visually impaired by developing a
product or a system to help the blind measure and pour various
items in the kitchen.
Design Intent Develop a series of products or a system for measuring and pouring
that blind individuals can use without needing to rely on years of
experience, without having to rely on weight, time, or sound, and
keeps fingers out of the food.
Design Criteria The product must be:
Accurate
Identifiable
Clean
Durable
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Safe
Easy to use
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Reliable
Intuitive
Functional

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Blind Ambition Project Scope & Plan
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Over the next twelve weeks, my goal is to successfully
develop a product that eliminates the problems related to
pouring and measuring in the kitchen. By identifying the
root of the problem and developing numerous solutions,
each addressing the constraints in the design intent, I will
be able to produce a body of successful concepts. I will
then push these concepts by building models and testing
in the real world to narrow down and further refine these
concepts into a final product.
Ultimately, by focusing on an audience that is visually
impaired, it is likely that any innovations that can enhance
the cooking experience for them would benefit most
sighted individuals as well.

18. Blind Ambition
Bibliography Blind Individuals Alex Snow
Tel 203 - 426 - 8003
Allan Golabek
Tel 203 - 770 - 5211
Email Almassage1@Comcast.net
Professionals Debby Smith Individuals in the Perkins
Perkins Elder Learning Center Cooking Class
Tel 617 - 972 - 7643 John
Email Debby.Smith@Perkins.org Rick
David
Laurie Gaines
Admissions Director, Independent Texts Perkins School for the Blind
Living Program www.perkins.org
Tel 800 - 852 - 3131 ext. 216
Email laurie.gaines@carroll.org The Carroll Center for the Blind
www.carroll.org/
Beth Caruso
Perkins Community Living Services AFB
Email CommunityLiving@Perkins.org (American Foundations for the Blind)
www.afb.org
Molly Campbell
Assistive Device Center NFB
Tel 617 - 972 - 7520 (National Federation for the Blind)
Email Molly.Campbell@Perkins.org www.nfb.org
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Laura Bozeman, Ph.D. Blind Net
Program DIrector - Vision www.blind.net
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Rehabilitation Therapy
Tel 617.287.4385 Independent Living Aids, inc.
Email Laura.bozeman@umb.edu Magazine

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Blind Ambition Bibliography
Blind Ambition Institutions/Programs Perkins School For The Blind
175 North Beacon Street, Watertown, MA, 02472
ELC (Elder Learning Center)
45 Beechwood Avenue, Watertown MA
Skills taught can include cooking, personal care,
clothing care, home safety, reading & writing,
handling money and walking indoors and outdoors.
Assistive Device Center
Designs and constructs such custom devices that
help children lead rich and independent lives.
Custom-made items meet the unique needs of
individuals while being affordable, durable and
attractive.
The Carroll Center for the Blind
770 Centre Street Newton, MA 02458
617 - 969 - 6200
A private, non-profit agency which serves persons of
all ages who are blind or visually impaired.
Independent Living Program
A twelve-week plus course to assist clients in
achieving or maintaining personal independence.
Vision Rehabilitation Therapy
UMass Boston
100 Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
617 - 287 - 4385