Kevin Yoo: The Compassion Behind Universal Design

On this episode of C&C, Marcus interviews Kevin Yoo, a designer, entrepreneur and creator of wearable technology. 

Kevin shares his journey into design, his love of art and design and how we can integrate design to create better experiences for patients and caregivers alike. 

Kevin shares the inspiration for WearWorks’ Wayband technology and how it benefits not only people living with a visual impairment, but that it ultimately can be used for clinicians, patients and really, anyone!

Key topics:

• [2:08] Kevin’s background in design
• [4:53] What is design?
• [7:05] How universal design led Kevin to co-found WearWorks
• [10:40] Why relying on haptic technology was the best option for WearWorks’ universal design
• [14:53] The intuitiveness of the WearWorks design
• [16:06] “A compass that you can feel”
• [17:58] Wayband’s journey in production and where it currently stands
• [19:03] The ease of use and how user friendly the Wayband is
• [22:12] The compassion behind Kevin’s work
• [23:48] Kevin shares with us a time when someone was present for him
• [29:18] Breakthrough healthcare designs out there that excite Kevin
• [33:27] What piece of art would Kevin take with him on a desert island?
• [35:47] What fictional character would Kevin be for a day?
• [36:23] How would Kevin choose to spend $100 if it had to be spent on himself?

Resources for you:

• Learn more about WearWorks: https://www.wear.works/
• Download the Wayband app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wayband/id1405786049
• Preorder your Wayband device: https://www.wear.works/preorder
• Learn more about Maya Lin’s artwork: https://stormking.org/artist/maya-lin/
• Listen to the C&C episode with Kevin’s co-founder, Keith Kirkland: https://bit.ly/cc-KeithKirkland
• Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yoodesigned/
• Connect with Marcus on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcusengel/
• Subscribe to the podcast through Apple: https://bit.ly/MarcusEngelPodcast
• Subscribe to the podcast through Spotify: https://bit.ly/Spotify-MarcusEngelPodcast

Learn more about Kevin Yoo:

Kevin is a born entrepreneur with a heavy focus on Product Design and Sustainability, combined with a passion for human-centric innovation and a background in haptics. He has a keen sense of new growth in business, the market, and technology. 

Date: 04/11/2022

Name of show: Compassion & Courage: Conversations in Healthcare

Episode title and number: Episode 46 – Kevin Yoo: The Compassion Behind Universal Design