Haptics of Cooking

Boey Wang

Boey (Bo) Wang is dedicated to creating fully inclusive products for performing everyday tasks. His series of cooking materials are designed to be attractive and functional to both people with and without visual impairments. Through his work, Boey wants to raise awareness and demonstrate how a multi-sensory product experience can benefit everyone.

In the Netherlands alone, 300,000 people struggle with visual impairments such as colour blindness and nearsightedness. Most standard products are unsuitable for them or require modifications. Ironically, alternatives or modified solutions are usually exclusively designed for people with physical disabilities and not widely used by the general public.

We spoke with Boey about his passion to create truly inclusive designs, what it means to put the sense of touch first in the design process, and the journey from a graduation project to a commercial product.

Text: Lisa Hardon

Photography: Anouk Moerman

Hello Boey, can you tell us a bit about yourself? What drives you as a designer?

Hello! I was born and raised in a small city in China. Growing up, I always loved drawing. I still make cartoons. I struggled with the educational system due to my average grades, which led to frustration until I reached college. However, my father's belief in my unique value, beyond conventional standards, inspired me to find my own path. He taught me to see the intrinsic worth of every individual, and I want to advocate for those who don't fit the mainstream.

My grandfather, a farmer and carpenter, also had a significant influence on me. His practical approach to making furniture and building houses taught me how a living environment is created from scratch. His ability to provide for his family through his craftsmanship showed me the importance of practical wisdom and creating meaningful designs. Watching him work, I learned to appreciate the process of making things and the art of using available materials.

This family history inspired me to work with my hands as well, and led me to become a product designer focused on inclusive design.

What is an inclusive designer, and what made you want to become one?

During my studies at Design Academy Eindhoven, I learned that visual beauty often takes center stage in the design process. Beautiful objects naturally invite touch, and the tactile experience enhances their visual appeal. This insight made me wonder: what if we change this perspective by focusing on the tactile experience first? This approach could develop functions that benefit those with visual impairments, while also creating new and instinctive perspectives on aesthetics and shape.

During my design research, I met a visually impaired person who became a close friend. Our relationship gave me great insight into the challenges faced by those with visual impairments. She invited me to her home for dinner and offered to cook for me. Observing her cooking process was eye-opening. Despite her visual disabilities, she navigated her kitchen with remarkable efficiency. She knew the exact location of every ingredient and drawer, and she used her touch, sound, and smell to manage the cooking. For example, she could gauge the readiness of a meal by feeling it and identify the state of boiling water or a running blender just by sound.

Witnessing her mastery in the kitchen inspired me to develop products that engage senses beyond just the visual. I wanted to create multi-sensory tools that enhance everyday tasks for visually impaired individuals, but can also be used by everyone.

In the Netherlands alone, 300,000 people struggle with visual impairments.

You create products for people with restricted vision, that are also attractive to people that can see. What is the problem with ‘normal’ products?

In the Netherlands alone, 300,000 people struggle with visual impairments such as colour blindness and nearsightedness. They have a different way of interacting with products that is usually overlooked in product design. The prevailing mentality in disability design is to modify "normal" functions to meet the needs of the minority, often viewed as a "solution for the alternative." As a result, while the aim is to create inclusive products for people with limited vision, these solutions often end up separating non-visual and visual users from the same functions.

Many standard objects are unsuitable for visually impaired individuals, or require modifications.

For example, touchscreens on electronic devices like stoves, ovens, washing machines, and remote controls often lack tactile information. Likewise, measuring tools such as tape measures, rulers, thermometers, and timers frequently need tactile or high-contrast modifications to suit the needs of visually impaired individuals. But many assistive tools designed for the visually impaired are unattractive to those with normal vision.

This is why I aim to design multi-sensory products that provide a more comprehensive experience for everyone. By using touch as a means of communication, I create products that meet the needs of visually impaired individuals, while improving the comfort of visually abled users. This approach allows visually abled individuals to better understand the challenges faced by those with visual impairments, fostering greater understanding and compassion. Ultimately, this helps to connect people more closely by experiencing the same function intuitively.

So, what multi-sensory products do you design?

I designed a set of cooking tools consisting of three ergonomic knives and a 3D cutting board. Additionally, I designed a tactile measuring cup. The products are designed with touch as the primary orientation, which differs from common visual cues but feels intuitive when held.

Starting with kitchen utensils was a deliberate choice, as cooking is a fundamental activity in everyone's life. The kitchen is a place where independence and creativity are paramount, making it an ideal setting for inclusive design. The cooking experience can help bridge the gap between different abilities, promoting a more inclusive and compassionate lifestyle.

The products are designed to be so intuitive that they can be used without relying on sight. They aim to assist both visually impaired and visually abled users in cooking in the same way. This dual-purpose design enables visually impaired users to perform everyday tasks and live independently, while allowing visually abled users to connect to cooking and food on a more sensory level. This shared experience boosts the confidence and autonomy of visually impaired users, while also cultivating awareness and empathy among visually abled users.

How do your products distinguish themselves from the ones we know?

For visually impaired users and professional cooks alike, control and feedback while cutting food are crucial. The knives are designed to function as an extension of the hand. Unlike traditional knives with separate blade and handle, my design features a seamless, one-piece construction of streamlined metal. This allows users to place their hands closer to the blade for better control, connecting visually impaired users to the food. The handle is ergonomically crafted to fit naturally in the hand, providing a confident grip. And the knife’s balance is intentional, with a slight weight at the blade's edge to facilitate easier cutting.

The cutting board I designed features a round form with a flat cutting surface in the center, like most cutting boards. Surrounding this central area is a ring-shaped groove designed to collect cut ingredients and prevent food from falling off the board. This round shape not only facilitates easy collection of food but also makes it easier to move hands around the board. Additionally, there is a designated space below the board with gripping points for lifting and storing the knife. This helps visually impaired users remember where the knife is stored, reducing the risk of accidents and increasing overall safety.

In the measuring cup I use small holes to indicate quantities instead of lines and text. Inspired by visually impaired users who gauge liquid levels with their fingers, this cup allows users to feel the required milliliters by covering the designated holes, similar to playing a flute. While it may seem paradoxical for a container to have holes, this tactile method ensures precise measurement through touch alone. This design makes measuring intuitive for visually impaired individuals, and offers an engaging experience for all users.

Can we already buy your products in the market?

For the last two years, I have been working together with a manufacturer of kitchen tools to bring my product to market. My graduation project was about one knife, but together we decided to make three knives: a chef’s knife, a bread knife, and a paring knife. And of course, the cutting board. We plan to present the factory version of the product this October, with the aim of having it available for purchase early next year in department stores such as Bijenkorf and Sligro.

Many standard objects are unsuitable for visually impaired individuals.

What is your biggest challenge to get it on the market?

One of the challenges I faced during product development was realizing that my graduation project, which I initially thought was market-ready, was far from it. As I collaborated with my partner company, I discovered that the business development process was much more complex than I anticipated. I had to adjust the design to meet production requirements for both the knives and the wooden cutting board. Additionally, I had to consider packaging design, branding, marketing strategy, and communicating the design concept while negotiating with various stakeholders.

These skills weren't taught in design school, so I had to learn them the hard way through hands-on experience.

Well, the other big challenge was reducing production costs. Initially, I made everything myself. That was very expensive. Transitioning to a manufacturer required redesigning the product to meet factory standards and finding ways to lower production costs. For the knives, this involved a significant shift. Originally, I used cast steel. The molten metal was poured into a mold. But this method didn't work well for the final product, because the cast steel wasn’t durable enough. We switched to high-quality stainless steel suited for knives, which offers better hardness and durability.

And in terms of sustainability, did you make conscious choices?

Yes, definitely. Sustainability is a focus, with an emphasis on durability and longevity, ensuring these products are used for a long time and not discarded. This requires high-quality design, simple and durable construction, with each item made from a single continuous material.

Additionally, the packaging is made entirely of paper and is plastic-free, minimizing waste. But to be honest, it's very challenging to balance all these aspects of sustainability, whilst also taking the product costs into account. I want to keep improving step by step.

Now that your product is almost available in stores, how do you see your future and what will it take to get there?

I’m very excited about the initial push to bring these products to the market, starting with the Dutch and European markets. From there, my plan is to expand internationally using online campaigns, such as crowdfunding, to reach a broader audience. Crowdfunding will not only help raise the necessary funds but also create a community around my products. Additionally, I hope to partner with organizations that support visually impaired individuals and specialized tool distributors.

The ultimate vision is to develop these tools into a studio-owned sensory product brand. This brand will embody the principles of inclusive and sustainable design, making everyday living more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. I would like to promote innovation and encourage a human-centered, multi-sensory design approach.

Meanwhile, I want to conduct more design research and host workshops on how the sense of touch works, and integrate these findings into practical design solutions. Through these workshops and research collaborations, I can generate valuable insights that feed back into my design practice. This open-source, knowledge-generating approach can benefit both my studio and the wider design community.

So you want to expand your collection of products and you want to educate others. How can our community help you to achieve your goals?

To reach my goal, I would like to ask the community to help amplify the voice and message of this product. I am very grateful for the partners that are already collaborating and supporting me. The design method and knowledge behind these tools are also very valuable for future designers and students. It's important to let more people resonate with it, experience it personally, and understand its deep meaning. We are more alike than different, and these tools embody that idea.

Lastly, I would love to find more coaching, to learn more about running a sustainable business, positioning, and management, as these are skills I currently lack. I want to keep innovating and make a positive impact.

Finally, what message do you want to share with everyone?

The message I want to share with everyone is the importance of inclusive design that embraces the sense of touch and empathy for all users, including those with visual impairments. By focusing on tactile experiences, we can create products and lifestyles that are accessible, functional, and enjoyable for everyone. Inclusive design is about understanding and valuing the diverse ways people interact with the world. I invite everyone to join me in this mission—whether through distributing these products, joining my team, or investing in this vision. Together, we can make a significant impact and create a more inclusive and empathetic daily life.

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Haptics of Cooking

Boey Wang

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