Mise
A kitchen light and prep system that turns sound into sight.
Product Design · Lighting · Inclusive Design
Mise is an all-in-one kitchen light and prep system designed to support deaf and hard of hearing individuals while cooking. Its responsive light band shows timer progress and reacts to alarms, appliance alerts, or crashes. With a built-in timer, prep containers and a cutting board, Mise integrates seamlessly into your cooking flow — not just another gadget, but part of the process.
With Mise, every sound has a light, and every cook has control.
01
Problem
The kitchen is a highly auditory environment. Timers beep, water boils over, appliances alert users when something needs attention. For deaf and hard of hearing individuals, these cues are often inaccessible, creating moments of frustration, missed signals, and even safety risks.
02
Design Motivation & Insight
Market research revealed a clear gap in kitchen products for deaf and hard of hearing users:
-
Existing products were primarily single-function (timer or alarm)
-
Light-based timers were often unclear and required constant visual attention
-
Most solutions disrupted cooking flow rather than supporting it
-
No products translated multiple everyday kitchen sounds into one cohesive system
Minimal · Intuitive · Non-intrusive · Multi-functional · Cohesive
How could I design a product that communicates multiple sound-based cues in the kitchen without constantly demanding attention or interrupting the cooking flow?
03
Concept Development
Good design starts with seeing the world through your user’s perspective.
To better understand the experience, I cooked with noise-canceling earbuds to remove sound cues. It became clear how often we rely on hearing in the kitchen — and how exhausting it would be to constantly monitor for visual alerts.
I explored how light could communicate kitchen sounds through subtle pulses, brightness changes, and color shifts.
_edited.jpg)
Concepts ranged from modular light units to ceiling-mounted systems to freestanding forms. Through iteration, I focused on integrating the light directly into a prep station, embedding accessibility into the workflow itself.
04
Form and CMF
Inspired by mise en place, "everything in its place," the final form combines a central prep station with an integrated light system.
The responsive light wraps around a base topped with:
-
A removable cutting board
-
Prep containers
-
A built-in timer
-
An illuminated acrylic backboard with clearly labeled icons
The form is calm and minimal, drawing from Scandinavian design. Natural materials and soft light create a product that feels at home in the kitchen rather than clinical or assistive.
Modeled in Fusion 360. Rendered in Keyshot.
05
Design for Manufacture
Although prototyped with 3D printing, Mise was designed for injection molding using recycled plastics. The housing maintains consistent wall thickness, internal ribbing, and draft for efficient production. A rear-aligned parting line minimizes visible seams.
The acrylic light panel slides into molded side channels and secures with snap-fit tabs for easy servicing. Electronics are accessed through a concealed bottom panel hidden beneath rubber feet.
Food-contact components, including the CNC-milled cutting board and polypropylene prep containers, are fully removable and separated from internal electronics.
Modular, scalable, and serviceable.
06
Final Design
Mise translates kitchen alerts into distinct, glanceable light signals. Whether a timer finishes or an appliance needs attention, users receive clear visual feedback without disrupting their flow.
By integrating form, light, and function, Mise creates a safer, more accessible, and seamless cooking experience.
