Making Everyday Home Products More Accessible

Most everyone agrees that technology and innovation have made our lives immensely easier and more productive. Two decades ago, working and studying from home was an entirely different experience without broadband, smartphones or Zoom. But there has been a need to make such technological innovation more accessible to everyone.

As part of the company’s new ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) initiatives covering human rights, LG is committing to making its home appliances more accessible to the physically challenged. The new vertical laundry solution, WashTower, will be the first appliance from LG to include audio instructions and braille overlays. LG will increase the number of more accessible home appliance products and markets over the course of the year, starting with the enhanced WashTower and CordZero M9 robot vacuum cleaner.

Voice instructions in LG WashTower and CordZero M9 vacuum will make it easier for customers with visual impairment to access the appliance’s many advanced features via audio prompts alone. Additional tones will be implemented throughout the washing machine so there is clear feedback whenever a button is pressed to better guide the user in selecting the correct function and options.

Navigating LG WashTower’s Center Control for visually impaired customers will be infinitely more convenient with the use of braille overlays. Accessibility enhancements for more LG products including robot vacuums, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators and air conditioners are in the works.

With a greater commitment toward good ESG management, LG is putting in place the necessary components to help ensure a better society for all and a better life for every customer. This effort has not gone unnoticed by LG’s long-time accessibility partner in the United States, the National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM), who is also a member of the LG Accessibility Advisory Council.

“LG’s U.S. accessibility council activities are particularly noteworthy; global teams from LG come together to host nearly a dozen leading U.S. accessibility experts and disability advocacy organization leaders,” said Donna Danielewski of NCAM. “They provide candid and critical input and feedback on LG’s latest hardware, software, and planned activities – while also receiving updates about LG’s progress along its accessibility journey. Our team in NCAM is always grateful for the opportunity to learn from the council participants (as well as representatives from all levels of LG) while also bringing our own expertise to the table.”