Zip Accessible Remote

Our challenge was to raise the bar for accessibility in commercial kitchen design, particularly in shared workplace environments. While tap remotes already exist, they often address limited use cases and do not support a broad range of accessible needs.Meeting access needs: Zip Water set out to design a solution suitable for people with mobility limitations, visual impairment, reduced dexterity or strength, ageing users, and those with temporary or permanent injuries.Delivering on safety: Product safety was equally critical, with a strong focus on reducing the risk of accidental activation, scalding, unintended dispensing, and water spillage in busy commercial settings.

Zip Water designed a remote that easily connects to a new or existing Zip Commercial HydroTap G5, enabling immediate remote activation without replacing the tap or current setup.Solution for diverse needs:- The remote features multi‑sensory touchpoints, including Braille and visual light prompts, to support users with visual impairment.- Button sizes meet AS1428 standards to accommodate limited dexterity, tremors or alternative use methods such as elbow activation.- Activation requires deliberate button presses, calibrated to reduce excessive force without accidental triggering.Prioritising safety:- A dedicated safety lock for boiling water reduces the risk of unintended dispensing and scalding.

The Zip Accessible Remote was developed in consultation with architects specialising in disability access, Vision Australia, RNIB (UK), specifiers, designers and consultants across Australia and the UK. This collaborative approach ensured the solution responded to real user needs and accessibility standards.The product promotes social inclusion, diversity and independence by enabling equal access to filtered drinking water.Used with Zip HydroTap, it also helps reduce single‑use plastic bottle consumption, supporting lower environmental impact through measurable plastic and energy savings. The product is designed and manufactured at Zip Water’s factory in Western Sydney, supporting local R&D, manufacturing and jobs.

The Zip Accessible Remote incorporates a range of design features to support a broad spectrum of accessible needs.- Braille: uses standard, uncontracted Braille to improve readability for a wider proportion of vision‑impaired users.- Large, high‑contrast buttons: assist users with reduced hand control, tremors, limited dexterity, or to operate the remote using an elbow rather than fingers. - Bright colours and clearly printed words, combined with iconography, improve recognition for users with low vision or cognitive accessibility needs.- Flexible installation options allow the remote to be recessed for a streamlined aesthetic, or surface‑mounted using an angled bracket. The angled bracket can reduce glare and improves visibility, particularly for seated users. - A dedicated safety lock button minimises unintended boiling water activation.- Buttons are tuned to require deliberate pressure, preventing activation through accidental contact.- An integrated LED lighting sequence on the icons, guides users’ step‑by‑step, providing clear visual prompts that indicate which button to press next and confirming successful interaction.