Old Switch, New Tricks

Designed for the elderly, but pretty much a fantastic idea for pretty much everyone, the Easy Switch isn’t just a clever idea, it has a clever name too! Playing on the double meaning of switch, the switchboard concept comes with labeled switch-pieces that can be alternated in use. The labels not only indicate the use/purpose of the switches (bathroom light, or living room fan), but are also sized differently, reserving larger switches for most-commonly-used scenarios. The switches can be color coded too, making them easy to locate and operate by the elderly. LED indicators also help in indicating if a switch is on or off.

I believe good products must be so instinctive in their use, that they make you lazy. The Easy Switch may be designed for people of a certain age, but the system can be used in any home to provide a simple and intuitive experience! Cuz hey, who doesn’t like being lazy!

The Easy Switch is a Red Dot Design Award winner for the year 2015.

Designer: Shenzhen Newplan Design Co. Ltd.

Sarang Sheth

Sarang is the co-editor in chief of Yanko Design. He is a former industrial designer at a Bangalore-based multidisciplinary design studio, working in areas including appliances, FMCG, packaging, technology, luxury, etc. Sarang has written about design and technology for over a decade and has been a jury member on international design awards. He occasionally works on tech concepts featured on Forbes, The Verge, Hypebeast, Digital Trends, SlashGear, Tom's Guide, LetsGoDigital, and Unbox Therapy. Sarang graduated from MIT Institute of Design, Pune.

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