Universal Design
- Approach to Universal Design
- Universal Design within Epson
- Some of Epson's Universal Design Features
- Color Universal Design
Approach to Universal Design
Seiko Epson recognizes the importance of providing products and services that reflect universal design principles so that consumers of all ages, genders, nationalities, and abilities and so forth can use them. We try to make our products accessible to the widest possible audience by exercising the utmost care from the development stage to design products that anyone can easily use.
Universal Design within Epson
Internal Guidelines
Epson has prepared two sets of written guidelines that describe universal design and color universal design features that must be incorporated into our products and services to help ensure the widest possible product accessibility. We make sure that our products reflect universal design principles by using a process to verify that universal design elements are incorporated in each step of the product commercialization process, from planning and design to manufacturing.
Internal Monitor Program
Seiko Epson invites employees and members of their families to participate in a monitor program. Registered monitors evaluate product usability and design from an ordinary user's perspective.
In FY2023, we had 403 registered monitors and asked them to evaluate the products prior to release, including printers, projectors, and wearables, to identify things such as product operability, visibility, and receptiveness.
Some of Epson's Universal Design Features
To enable anyone anywhere to operate our products, we decide the configuration of operating panels as well as dimensions, colors, textures, and markings based on data about usage environments and usage applications. We try to maximize the ease with which each product can be handled.
Automatic Keystone Correction for Quick Set-Up (Business Projectors)
Projectors produce vertically or horizontally distorted ("keystone") images when they are set up at an oblique angle to the screen for some reason. These keystone effects need to be corrected by pressing a button.
Epson's EB-1795F business projector has one-touch image position and adjustment features that enable even novice users to effortlessly align images so that they sharp and clear. By eliminating troublesome and time-consuming set-up, we have enabled anyone to smoothly prepare a projector for business meetings.
Easy-to-Follow Video Manuals
In 2013, Epson began uploading PC- and smartphone-accessible video manuals to YouTube to provide Epson printer users with easy-to-understand guides for using their products.
First-time users of a product, even if they are used to operating earlier Epson printers or printers from other companies, can get lost even after reading the manual because of difficulty in intuiting or imaging new operating procedures. Providing them with a video-based simulated experience can enable them to smoothly operate their actual product and facilitate understanding of instructions in the manual.
You can access the Epson Video Manuals channel at the following link:
* The video above was provided using the service of YouTube™. YouTube™ is a trademark of Google Inc.
Color Universal Design
We are also employing color universal design1 principles to create products, manuals, and software that are easy to use for people with various forms of color vision deficiency or color blindness.
1 Designs that use color in a way that enables information to be clearly conveyed to the widest possible audience, including people who see color differently (such as people with congenital color blindness, cataracts, or glaucoma).
Improving Visibility with Color Universal Design
Epson business printers are equipped with a color universal design function2 hat adds underlines or textures to text that requires emphasis and that converts the colors in graphs to corresponding patterns to make them easier to distinguish for people who see color differently.
2 This technology was developed based on Epson's own criteria and does not guarantee visual accessibility to all.
Colors on Control Panel LCDs, LED Lamps, and Buttons
Large Format Printers
Blue LEDs are used for power buttons, and high-brightness orange LEDs are used for warning lamps. Universal design principles are also followed for colors used for on-screen instructions.
Business Inkjet Printers
We have reorganized the elements on the operation panel to make it as intuitive and easy to see as possible for most people, regardless of individual differences in color vision.
Interactive Projectors
The color scheme of the drawing toolbar in whiteboard mode has been designed to make it easy to identify for as many people as possible.
