ERGONOMICS / ANTHROPOMETRICS

ERGONOMICS

Ergonomics Ergonomics or Human Factors- the systematic study of human capabilities, behaviour, limitations and requirements and the application of such knowledge to the design of the products. Ergonomics: Greek Ergos- work Nomos-Laws. Literally the laws of work. The use of ergonomics in product design is important because it is principally concerned with the relationships between the user and the equipment or products and environment in which they are used. The user is the focus of attention and the approach is based on the improvement of performance and efficiency by a scientific enquiry into the problem of human needs, limitation and capabilities. By using physiological, psychological and anthropometric information designers can react to problems when designing products and make the eventual use of the product much more effective to the consumer.

                  What is ergonomics? Most people have heard of ergonomics and think it is something to do with seating or with the design of car controls and instruments. It is...but it is much more! Ergonomics is the application of scientific information concerning humans to the design of objects, systems and environment for human use. Ergonomics comes into everything which involves people. Work systems, sports and leisure, health and safety should all embody ergonomics principles if well designed.

How do you use ergonomics                                  How do you use ergonomics? Ergonomics incorporates elements from many subjects including anatomy, physiology, psychology and design. Ergonomists apply their diverse knowledge to ensure that products and environments are comfortable, safe and efficient for people to use.                                 What is 'ergonomic design'? Ergonomic design is a way of considering design options to ensure that people's capabilities and limitations are taken into account. This helps to ensure that the product is fit for use by the target users.

SAFETY COMFORT EFFICIENT

ANTHROPOMETRICS

Anthropometric Variance Parameters Anthropometrics The study of Anthropometrics (human measurement) is concerned with the physical sizes and shapes of humans.  Of particular interest are the differences between and among different populations (men vs. women, Northern Europeans vs. Japanese). Anthropometric Variance Parameters                                                  Gender height, size, weight, strength, and body segment proportion Age height, size, weight, strength, and body segment proportion Ethnicity height, size, weight, and body segment proportion

Anthropometrics literally means man (anthro) measurements (metric) Anthropometrics literally means man (anthro) measurements (metric).  It is the measurement of the size and proportions of the human body, as well as parameters such as reach and visual range capabilities.  Accurate data on height, weight, limb, and body segment sizes are needed to design items ranging from clothing, furniture, automobiles, buses, and subway cars to space shuttles and space stations.  Anthropometrics enables us to properly size items, including system interfaces, to "fit" the user.

Anthropometrics We learned in the previous section that There are individual differences in human characteristics and that these follow a normal distribution.   This is true with anthropometric measurements.  You may have heard the expression "to design for the 5th percentile female to the 95th percentile male."  This means that for the selected anthropometric measure, such as height, the lower limit of our range is the height of a 5th percentile female and the upper limit is the height of a 95th percentile male.  This range accommodates 90% of the population for that one selected measurement .                                                                                                                               

Anthropometrics (continued) We again use the concept of "population."  This is important in anthropometrics as there are differences in size and body segment proportions due to age, gender, and ethnicity.  So, to properly select the data to use, we must know something about our population composition, and we must know what percentage of the population we wish to accommodate.  The anthropometric range will be much different if we are designing products for male, professional basketball players than if we are designing for the general public.

Anthropometrics (continued) In choosing the proper anthropometric measurements to use, we must know not only the user population, but also the specific application or design problem.  If we are designing overhead luggage racks for public transportation, accommodating 90% of the rider population is probably sufficient.  However, if we are determining the position of an emergency button, we should design to accommodate 99% of the rider population, including wheelchair users. High Forward Reach Limit                                                          High and Low Side Reach Limits