Samsung Launches AI Appliance Manual to Help Visually Impaired Users (Image courtesy of Samsung Electronics)
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Electronics on Wednesday marked White Cane Safety Day by unveiling an artificial intelligence–based user manual designed to help visually impaired and low-vision users operate home appliances more easily.
The new guide, titled “Manual for All,” was developed in collaboration with TUAT, a startup specializing in visual-assistance technology that was selected earlier this year for Samsung’s C-Lab Outside incubation program. The initiative comes in response to feedback that traditional appliance manuals are often inaccessible to people with visual impairments.
Available through Samsung.com and the AI visual-assistance app Sullivan Plus, the manual offers screen-reading and audio playback functions, providing vivid, step-by-step descriptions of product designs, control layouts, and accessibility features. It also gives detailed instructions for using voice commands and affixing tactile stickers to aid navigation.
For example, the manual explains how to locate the dust filter on Samsung’s Bespoke AI Combo washer-dryer — “at the top right corner of the front panel” — a level of specificity absent from standard illustrated guides. A built-in voice Q&A function, table of contents, and frequently asked questions section help users find information quickly.
Samsung’s ‘Manual for All’ Brings Inclusive Design to Everyday Appliances (Image courtesy of Samsung Electronics)
Samsung said it verified the manual’s usability through research by the Korea Accessibility Evaluation Institute and consultations with the Samsung Fire Guide Dog School and visually impaired employees.
The Manual for All will first cover six key appliances, including the 2024 and 2025 Bespoke AI Combo washer-dryers and Infinite AI Combo models, before expanding to other product lines. The Korean-language version will soon be followed by translations in 20 languages, including English, Spanish, and French.
White Cane Safety Day, established in 1980 by the World Blind Union, promotes awareness of the rights and inclusion of people with visual disabilities — a cause Samsung said it hopes to advance through the wider integration of AI accessibility tools.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
