SEOUL - May 18, 2022 - A long-standing commitment to bettering people’s lives – regardless of their age, understanding of technology or any physical challenges they may face – serves as the foundation for LG’s consumer innovations. LG continues to work hard to maximize the usability of its advanced home appliances, consulting with diverse users and leveraging its tech and design knowhow to ensure that all of its solutions are as accessible as possible.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day, which is held every year on the third Thursday of May, is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the importance of ‘inclusive technology’ and the positive difference it can make in the lives of people with disabilities and impairments. As May 19 approaches, let’s take a look at some of the innovative ways that LG is fostering greater accessibility and allowing all consumers, no matter their circumstances, to experience the full convenience and value of its cutting-edge products.
Home Entertainment for Everyone
LG believes that everyone should be able to enjoy first-class home entertainment and has developed assistive technologies to lower any barriers that may get in the way. The company’s diverse lineup of TVs now carries a variety of accessibility features, including audio guides for those with visual impairments and closed-captioning for those with hearing impairments, as well as simplified control (including voice command support) via the Magic Remote to make the whole experience easier – from adjusting the volume to accessing content services.
Removing Barriers from Household Chores
While some LG solutions offer customized assistance for users with certain disadvantages, others offer elevated convenience that can benefit everyone. One such product is the LG SideKick™ Pedestal Washer, a mini-washing machine designed to sit discretely below an LG front-load washer. The SideKick is ideal for small loads that need frequent washing, such as workout gear, and makes it possible to clean two loads of laundry at once. And because it raises the height of the main washer, it makes the task of loading and unloading laundry from the front-loader less taxing for most users.
Diverse Voices Guiding Way to ‘Barrier-Free’ Solutions
To develop home appliances that are accessible to the widest range of users, LG proactively seeks input from its customers and consults with experts in the field of disability inclusion. Since 2013, LGE US has been operating the LG Accessibility Advisory Board, which is made up of accessibility specialists, disability organizations and law firms. Through annual meetings and in-depth discussions, the council is helping LG to create barrier-free solutions that will enable more people to take advantage of all that its latest tech has to offer.
At the same time, in South Korea, LG last year established an accessibility council consisting of accessibility experts and advisory group of disabled people. LG and the council’s experts are working together to formulate a measurement standard that will evaluate the accessibility of the company’s home appliances. The accessibility indicator will initially be used to assess the accessibility of LG TVs, washers, air conditioners and air purifiers, with other product categories to follow soon afterward. The advisory group of disabled people will actively join the creation of the measurement standard by directly experiencing and giving feedback on LG products under development.
With its comprehensive, considered approach to addressing the needs of all users, LG is helping to bring greater inclusivity to the consumer tech space, presenting thoughtful innovations that make daily life easier for everyone.
