Comments for Universal Design in Japan

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Produced by [redacted] [redacted]

Other pieces by Ross Chambless

Summary: Why are household appliances and other machines talking in Japan?
 

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Review of Universal Design in Japan

Universal Design is a nice soft feature piece about the increasing trend to use automated voices integrated into product design in Japan. In the piece, we hear automated voices at the train station, in vending machines, crosswalks, parking garages, ski lifts, and household appliances. It's a nice blend of natural sound and interviews, held together with narration from producer Ross Chambless. The piece covers a lot of ground, maybe too much for a single feature, and as a result it sometimes starts to lose focus. Overall, it is a nice, sound rich feature that would be compatible with a magazine program like All Things Considered.

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Review of Universal Design in Japan

Shows how and why Japan is the perfect place to develop this emerging technology that is bound to become more and more integrated into our lives.

I just hope there will always be a way to turn it off in case you prefer not to have your sneakers telling you which way and how fast to go on your morning jog!