[NFBWATLK] talking laundry box

[Cindy]

I think the most insulting thing about this is that such a device costs money. Maybe GE should just make their devices accessible or at least offer a free talking box for folks who have no choice but to use an inaccessible unit in their apartment community laundry room. I agree that laundry has changed; we did prioritize access to appliance at Washington Seminar a few years ago. Some laundry units only take credit cards and have have touch screens, so they are literally not accessible with tactile marking hacks.

Cindy Bennett
> https://www.bennettc.com/
> 
>  Ph.D. Candidate in Human Centered Design and Engineering
> University of Washington
> 


> On Jul 21, 2017, at 4:24 PM, Michael Forzano via NFBWATLK <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> The newer washer/dryer units have a display screen and tons of
> different settings. It sounds like this would give us access to them.
> Here is the actual website for the device:
> https://market.firstbuild.com/products/talking-laundry-module
> 
> Not sure why anyone would be against a device that gives us equal access.
> 
> Mike
> 
>> On 7/21/17, Kaye Kipp via NFBWATLK <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Well, we've gone this long without that kind of thing. I don't know why
>> anybody would think we needed it.
>> 
>> Kaye
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Jul 21, 2017, at 1:37 PM, Becky Frankeberger via NFBWATLK
>>> <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I don't know whether to be insulted or say thank you.
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Becky
>>> 
>>> GE's $99 'Talking Laundry' box was built for the blind
>>> 
>>> The device works with most current washers and dryers, too.
>>> 
>>> Article link:
>>> https://www.engadget.com/2017/07/20/ges-99-talking-laundry-box-was-built-for
>>> -the-blind/
>>> <https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.engadget.com?p=eyJzIjoiZnB
>>> YaFNrRC1HcUpfcW9aUmRnVFpQOU1MMHA4IiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZ
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>>> 9In0>
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Doing laundry might be dead simple for most people, but the visually
>>> impaired don't have it so easy. To make that easier, GE Appliance's
>>> skunkworks division FirstBuild
>>> <https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.engadget.com?p=eyJzIjoiSHB
>>> PSEE2OW9yamkxQUt4TkFUaW5qRlVfcE9NIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZ
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>>> yMGU0ZGI0MzRhY2MwMWQwOTk3XCJdfSJ9>  -- along with the help of a 14
>>> year-old
>>> -- has designed
>>> <https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.businesswire.com?p=eyJzIjo
>>> ibHVWdlVnNXNvb3VMNFYwWkk4OUhGbHlSNFpRIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSx
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>>> 9>  a system called Talking Laundry. With a name like that, the invention
>>> is
>>> pretty self-explanatory: it's a metal box (below) that audibly tells you
>>> how
>>> much time is left in a given wash cycle, and simplifies controls to one
>>> knob
>>> each for a washer and dryer.
>>> 
>>> Using a board computer and FirstBuild's Green Bean tools that convert
>>> code
>>> to machine language, teenage Jack DuPlessis (his dad works for GE and
>>> gave
>>> him the task) put a prototype together in the span of a weekend. Talking
>>> Laundry can even be retrofitted onto existing laundry machines; its sales
>>> page
>>> <https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/market.firstbuild.com?p=eyJzIj
>>> oia0lxREpBUUVQX2ZScVVBSzhIS1RmVWJCTXVrIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NS
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>>> A1NTlhZWQ4MDc5NTI4ZjgwY2EzM2U1XCJdfSJ9>  states that the module will
>>> connect
>>> to "most" current and all future laundry units.
>>> 
>>> Maybe best of all, these are available to buy right now and they won't
>>> break
>>> the bank. One unit will control both a washer and a dryer and will only
>>> set
>>> you back $99 -- a far cry from that $16,000 voice-controlled laundry
>>> folder
>>> <https://mandrillapp.com/track/click/30489975/www.engadget.com?p=eyJzIjoiVWh
>>> wT1lySGhVbmFBeG1HWU1mVzR1aGlaaG9nIiwidiI6MSwicCI6IntcInVcIjozMDQ4OTk3NSxcInZ
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>>> 1MWNlYTIyZTMxMzA3MGQxMmFmYzc4YTZkOTVjNDRlZDRkXCJdfSJ9> .
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> <https://mandrillapp.com/track/open.php?u=30489975&id=a46a8eb10b15494fb002db
>>> 162bc48654>
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
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