Redesigning earplugs: Issues relating to desirability and universal access

Abstract

Young people growing up with increasing social noises face the risk of hearing damage because of their long term exposure to loud music. Few hearing protection products on the market were designed for this young market. The challenge was to design earplugs that appeal to 18-30 year olds with a focus on desirability. Using personas and scenarios as tools, design students at Brunel University developed a range of creative concepts for aesthetically pleasing earplugs. The project illustrates that by focusing on desirability and key issues of universal access (i.e. diversity of users, tasks and contexts), a medical type of product could become as popular as fashion accessories, thus appealing to the mass market. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.