Most household appliances and alert systems are designed for people with full hearing ability, which excludes those with hearing loss from basic communication and safety cues such as doorbells, alarms, appliance signals, and even someone talking to them. As a result, deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may feel unsafe, dependent on others, or disconnected in their own home.
Heara Vibe is a wearable device designed to help users recognise and identify sound sources in their home environment. A device that delivers information through multiple channels and can provide timely, personalised alerts in any room of the house, ultimately improving safety, independence, and awareness.
Early Concepts
These are the first two ideas I had, which were more visually featured. It can point to the sound direction by the ball rolling or the arrow pointing towards it, combined with haptic feedback and lights.
Refined Concept
This concept focuses on a more cohesive, mechanical and structured aesthetic. I also developed a magnetic attachment system, so the device can be worn in multiple ways, not just like a traditional watch.
But I realized the interface containing too much information looks overwhelming and it’s very hard for user to setup themselves at home if they want to change anything.
Prototyping
In my final concept, I replaced all the features with a screen by exploring different interface options, which gives more alternatives to users who have different needs.
Once the user receives the product, they can set up the device themselves by using the app connected to the phone, where users can record household sounds and then label and categorise them within the platform. Once the system detects a matching sound, the device vibrates and displays a text on its screen, informing the user of what it has heard. The alert remains until the user presses the side button, which brings back the home screen.
This solution is especially useful for common household scenarios, such as doorbells, washing machines, fire alarms, when someone calls the user’s name and other personalised audio cues.
In the spirit of reconciliation Monash University acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
