joshdstein ретвитнул
Spent a day inside @GetLotusRing with Dhaval Patel, a former Apple engineer now building assistive technology in a Silicon Valley garage.
Lotus is a smart ring that lets people with disabilities control their home with simple gestures. Lights, switches, devices - operated without needing to reach, stand, or move.
The technology is impressive. But here's what actually matters:
Most consumer tech companies design for the mainstream first, then bolt on accessibility features later. Lotus flips that. They design for disability first, then expand outward.
When you design for the edge case, you end up building something better for everyone.
The features that make the ring work for someone in a wheelchair - gesture simplicity, no complex menus, instant response - are exactly what make any smart home product better.
I tested the ring myself. Visited the garage where prototypes get built. Watched it work in a real customer's home.
The gap between rough prototype and deployed product is massive in hardware. You can't iterate fast.
Every design decision has manufacturing constraints.
Dhaval left a senior role at Apple to build this in a garage.
Not because it's easy. Because it matters.
So grateful to have hung out with the team.
New episode live now. Link below.
English
