Problem: Outlets are so often interacted with, but require a degree of force to plug and unplug devices. Without outlets, our products that require energy to function would not exists because there would not be a way to power our appliances and devices.
In addition, various types of outlets exist depending on purpose and location. Outlets across the globe are designed in all shapes and sizes, which result in more hassle on the user’s end due to outlet-adaptors. Outlets also range in design due to the amount of voltages exerted through the circuits.
Many outlets used in potentially shock-hazard environments have “test” and “reset” buttons. However, most users do not understand the relevance of the buttons. These controls are triggers to turn the outlet circuits on and off. The user must click both buttons simultaneously to turn the outlet off, and in order to turn it back on, one must press “test” then “reset”. I found this piece of information interesting because children often place themselves in harm’s way by playing with outlets, but not many users understand the function of these controls.
Goal: I began ideating a new solution for the existing outlet that could uniform the design of the outlet for easy plug-in by giving the user various and safe options operated through intuitive controls.
I considered various ways that the outlet could be displayed on a wall, but when I imaged how a user would interact with multiple outlets at once, the controls became overwhelmingly confusing. So I continued sketching for a solution.
Solution: I landed with a design that utilized a slider that clicked into place as the user increased the voltage rather than a dial which would be interrupted by the cord of the device that is plugged in. The slider would be in front of LED lights that would change color depending on the amount of energy used. In addition, the slider handle would have the touch screen GUI to display voltage details. Each outlet would be paired with a slider right above the port so that the user could easily decipher which trigger controlled which outlet if given a situation with multiple controls.
