Sunday, July 18, 2010

Ergonomics (Product description and Idea Trigger)

Descriptions

Appearance - Is green and smelly. It has grooves in the inside.

Function - It has grooves on the inside which helps grip onto the bottle cap and thus it helps to open the bottle.

I have not seen anything like this before, and I guess this is a new design.

Design considerations

Size of bottle cap, size of user's hands, how the user will hold onto the item.

Improvement design


Ergonomics II

1. What is Ergonomics?

It is the study of a workplace to make the user feel safe and comfortable when he/she is using the workplace/item.

2. What are the 5 aspects of Ergonomics?

Safety, comfort, ease of use, productivity/performance, aesthetics.

3. For each aspects of Ergonomics, explain with an example of a product that is designed for the elderly, how the product meet that particular aspect of Ergonomics.

Safety - The hand-rail. It helps prevent the elderly from falling since they have something to hold onto.

Comfort - Beds in the hospital are usually comfortable, since there are elderly that would get injured and they would have to go to a hospital.

Ease of use - Some handphones have large number keys so the elderly would be able to see it clearly.

Productivity/Performance - Vacuums that can bend save the elderly the trouble of having to bend down when they need to vacuum.

Aesthetics - Signs should be large and the color contrast should be good and the first letter of the word be large (Like This), so they can read it easily.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Ergonomics 1

Workplace where the guy in gray works: workplace 1, that where the guy in black works: workplace 2.

1. Workplace 1 looks like a workplace for an average person, since the items he uses for his workplace look like normal items. Workplace 2 looks like that of an innovative and maybe a rich person since the items that he uses look new and innovative, and some of the items might be expensive.

The chair in workplace 1 is a normal chair but the one in workplace 2 is innovative, since it can bend back. The computer in scenario 2 in workplace 1 is far away, but the problem is solved in workplace 2 where the computer screen can be adjusted, its height and distance from the user. The light in workplace 1 is bright, and cant be adjusted since it is warm, but that in workplace 2 is dim, and can be easily moved. The chair in workplace 1 cant be moved so much, so the person has not much space to move. But the chair in workplace 2, similar to that in scenario 1, can be bent backwards, even at the head. In scenario 5, workplace 1 the guy is trying to find suitable positions to use the laptop, in workplace 2 the guy does not have to bend his head to look at the laptop, and he also uses another keyboard besides the one on the mac. The last scenario. In workplace 1, his desk is crowded with stuff, some of which do not help him with his work. Workplace 2, his desk his almost empty, and the excess rail helps him to see the laptop screen nearer.

2. Workplace 2 is preferred, since it is simple, and is is something like minimalist design, it is almost blank, but some of the items used are innovative and look interesting. We have also seen them in use, and also when compared to a normal item, like the freedom chair and the normal chair.

3. Comfort, how much space is saved and/or used up and does this hinder the work of the user?

4. It helps determine the problems the user faces and it can lead to solutions to that problem.


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