Everyday Items That Need Redesign for Better Accessibility

Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2019/03/27 - Updated: 2025/05/18
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Disability Product Investors - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This article presents a thoughtful and practical list of everyday inventions and product improvements that could significantly enhance accessibility and convenience for seniors, people with disabilities, and the general population. Drawing on the author's extensive experience as an advocate and editor in the disability field, the piece highlights common frustrations-such as tiny medication labels, inaccessible USB plugs, and kink-prone garden hoses-and suggests straightforward solutions like tactile markings, better packaging, and user-friendly technology. The article's authority stems from the author's deep engagement with disability rights and lived experience, making the suggestions highly relevant and useful. By focusing on real-world challenges and inviting further input from readers, the information is both helpful and engaging, offering practical inspiration for inventors, manufacturers, and anyone interested in making daily life easier and more inclusive - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Given the fact that we now live in the 21st century it is surprising just how many everyday things there are that should be easier, and more accessible, for seniors, people with disabilities, as well as the general population.

Main Content

Google search results seem to feature endless web site lists of handy, gadgets, gizmos, and widgets that are currently available. However, it appears finding a list of things that SHOULD be created is a little harder - so we decided to create such a list. Listed below are a collection of things we feel should be invented or changed in order to be accessible, practical, solve a problem, and provide ease of use.

We would love to hear from you if you can suggest a handy feature, or item, that would make life easier for you. If your suggestion is suitable, (you'd be surprised at some of the suggestions we receive...), and you grant us permission, we will add your idea to this page, and maybe some handy-person, inventor, or even yourself, will bring it to life. Or, someone may actually take notice of things that need changing, such as the fact that the aging population no longer has 20/20 vision to read microscopic instructions on medications etc. I can not for the life of me recall a time when I could read prescription instructions on medication packages, tubes or containers, without the need of 3 pairs of glasses plus a zillion times magnifying glass! The writing seems to be smaller every year.

Another example are USB cords or devices, a common everyday item we use practically every single day. Why on Earth don't the manufactures of these USB plugs, dongles, flash cards or memory sticks use a raised embossed symbol, or something similar, so we can tell which side is up? Apparently the only way of knowing the correct side to insert the USB into your computer is:

• The majority of USB cords have a small USB logo on one of the flat sides of the plug. The side featuring the logo should be the top.
• Look for a metal seam that marks the underside of the USB connector - The seam usually faces down on horizontal USB ports and left on vertical ports.

USB plugs are not the most accessible devices for persons with a vision disability are they?

Other Things that Need Inventing,Changing or Modified to Work Better

• Resealable breakfast cereal bags.
• A hangover cure that really works.
• A genuine weight-loss pill that actually works!
• Self cleaning eye glasses that also don't fog up.
• A permanent eraser for permanent marker pens.
• No battery toys and other items and/or wireless electricity.
• A search engine that actually returns results that you asked it to!
• Why haven't wrinkle free fabrics been invented yet? No more ironing!
• Make the maze of trying to navigate and understand all of the settings in Facebook easier.
• A window looking outside the plane in the bathrooms to help people who have claustrophobia.
• A button on the TV that makes the "beeping" remote beep so you can find where the kids left it.
• A translator that can translate pets and animals noises into basic human speech - and visa versa.
• A cellphone that can charge, and maintain it's charge, without having to be plugged in to any charger.
• The need to shave! When will human evolution progress to where men and women do not need to shave?
• Weather forecasts - come on now, surely in the 21st century we should be able to get the afternoon forecast right the same morning...
• A device built into the main home water pipe that you can activate when you are away to detect a leak and shuts the water mains off completely.
• Make medicine for children taste better. Why do pharmaceutical companies still put out horrible tasting medicines - particular medicine for a child? Surely in this day and age a natural, or even and artificial flavor, could be added to the concoction in order to make it easier for kids - and parents - at medicine time.
• The same applies to medication for pets, therapy and service dogs etc. You love your pet or service animal but you are forced to make them endure some vile tasting drug to make them get well again. Not to mention being bitten or scratched to pieces by a kitty cat or dog that doesn't realize you are simply trying to help them! Would it not be possible to flavor their medication so they actually enjoy - or don't mind - taking it thus saving major hassles at dosage time!
• How about creating a kink proof garden hose that is... wait for it... actually kink proof! I have bought garden hoses that stated they wouldn't kink, but noooo, as soon as you get the furthest distance from the tap, the hose kinks just near the tap, resulting in walking back to unkink it, as no amount of shaking, twisting, cursing, ever seems to get the kink out of the so-called kink proof brand new garden hose!
• Why have most computer manufacturers removed the blinking light when the hard drive was busy? Or placed it in a location that is practicall inaccessible. Sometimes a computer will just show a blue, or blackened, screen. The blinking hard drive light would at least let us know if the computer was still busy doing its thing, and no hard drive light at all for several seconds usually indicated the computer had "frozen" and needed rebooting. Why remove such a handy source of information?

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.