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Ergonomics is the application of scientific information concerning humans to the design of objects in other words Using what we know about people to design better things
Function
Safety
Comfort
Ergonomics affects...
Texture Shape Layout of controls Width of handles How colour is used Materials chosen Form Forces required
Anthropometry
Q. Imagine you are positioning an emergency "rip cord" on this train. How high up should you put it?
Anthropometry
A. Where people can reach it! But how could you be sure?
Anthropometry
Take a look at this man
Anthropometry
He is average Average age Average weight Average height Average size How do we know he is average?
We know he is average because we know the sizes of the smallest to largest people and how many there are of each size
1.75m
Anthropometric Data is the measurements of people Lots and lots of people and every possible measurement
Height
Height
ths 100
Height
Height
Anthropometry in design
It would not be possible to design a product that would suit everyone So Designers focus on people within the most common size range Designing for this range of sizes helps make sure products fit as many people as possible
These people are in the range between the 5th and 95th percentiles
Number of people
5th Percentile
Anthropometry in design
When we are designing for people we need to take account of different types of Anthropometric data Q. What information would we need before we could to design a laptop computer? A. Size of hands and fingers, the height and angle of the head, the position of the wrists, the force fingers can exert, the weight we can carry, size of lettering we can see...
Ergonomic Design
Good Ergonomic design is based on Anthropometric Data
Ergonomic Design
How do Anthropometrics affect Ergonomic design? Q. When designing a door who should we consider? A. The tallest people
Ergonomic Design
But if all doors were designed to suit the tallest person they would need to be over 2.75 metres high! That is a metre taller than the average man.
Robert Pershing Wadlow 811 was the tallest person the tallest living person is 89
So instead doors are made to suit people using the 95th Percentile for height. We ignore those above that height.
1870mm Number of people
Ergonomic Design
Lets look at another example where Anthropometrics affects design Q. When designing a supermarket who should we consider? A. The shortest people
Ergonomic Design
The shelves in the supermarket need to be designed so that so that the shortest people can reach the items safely But the shortest person can only reach shelves 1.5 metres high This would mean that supermarkets would have to be almost twice as big to stock the same number of goods
So instead the shelves are designed using the 5th Percentile for height. We ignore those below that height.
1500mm Number of people
5th Percentile
Ergonomic Design
Lets look at one more example Q. When designing a chair who should we consider? A. The shortest and the Tallest people
Ergonomic Design
We will focus on one measurement. The height of the seat This is the called the Popliteal measurement
Ergonomic Design
The Popliteal is the height from the back of the knee to the floor when sitting If we design for the 5th Percentile the chair seat would be 380mm high
Ergonomic Design
If we design for the 95th Percentile the chair seat would be 470mm high To get the feel of this raise your feet of the ground It is uncomfortable
In this instance the designer uses the 50th Percentile for Popliteal height. So the chair is comfortable for most people
425mm Number of people
50th Percentile
Popliteal Height
Physiological Factors
Ergonomic considerations for Men and Women are different
Physiological Factors
As well as gender, we may also need to consider factors such as Age, Strength, Dexterity, Fitness and Literacy of the user Think about how these factors might affect the design of this medicine bottle
Psychological Factors
What we think and feel. Our Reaction and Emotions to a design will be affected by its Shape, Colour, Texture Our Experiences of the design
In Summary
Ergonomics is a Design factor which takes the user into consideration. The designer must consider...
Anthropometrics
Information about size and of the user e.g. height
Physiology
Information about The physical attributes of the user e.g. strength
Psychology
Information about the thoughts of the user e.g. feeling safe
Example
Consider the design of these products
Example
Consider the design of this product
Example
Consider the design of this product
Example
Consider the design of this product