LG Electronics is collaborating with the Korean Intellectual Property Office to improve accessibility in home appliance usage through customer experience discovery.
LG Electronics announced on the 30th that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Korean Intellectual Property Office at the LG Twin Towers in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on the 28th. The signing ceremony was attended by Vice Administrator Mok Seong-ho of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, Vice President Jo Hwi-jae, head of the LG Electronics IP Center, and Yoon Dae-sik, head of external cooperation.
The two organizations plan to collaborate to discover ideas for improving appliance accessibility using the transaction platform "Idea Ro" under the Korean Invention Promotion Association, and to raise social interest in enhancing accessibility for individuals with disabilities.
In particular, LG Electronics will hold an idea contest on the theme of improving accessibility to home appliances for individuals with disabilities in collaboration with the Korean Intellectual Property Office and the Korean Invention Promotion Association. The initiative aims to gather various customer opinions on appliance accessibility, including new ideas for the assistive accessory "LG Comfort Kit," which helps individuals easily use products regardless of gender, age, or disability.
Teams or individuals wishing to participate in the contest can submit their ideas for improving appliance accessibility via "Idea Ro" by the 28th of next month. Submitted ideas will undergo evaluation concerning technical feasibility, problem-solving potential, feasibility, and originality before being ultimately selected as award-winning entries.
LG Electronics plans to purchase the ideas selected in this contest and review their applicability for actual products and services. Additionally, the company will support the involvement of its accessibility improvement community, "Bold Move," in the ideation process to amplify the voices of customers with disabilities.
Under its ESG vision of "Better Life for All," LG Electronics has designated "Diversity & Inclusion" as one of its six strategic tasks and is actively listening to the opinions of customers with disabilities to ensure their perspectives are reflected in products and services.
In addition to "Bold Move," LG Electronics operates an advisory panel composed of customers with disabilities and accessibility experts. The company is conducting activities aimed at improving accessibility, including the "LG for Everyone" campaign, which introduces product and service usage methods through videos for individuals with disabilities and senior customers, and the "Home Appliance School Project," which distributes easy-to-read books free of charge to ensure that children and teenagers with developmental disabilities can safely use products.
Vice President Jo Hwi-jae of the LG Electronics IP Center said, "We will discover new ideas for improving appliance accessibility in collaboration with the Korean Intellectual Property Office and develop products and services that help everyone use appliances conveniently, maximizing customer value."