Designers study physical characteristics to optimize the user’s safety, health, comfort and performance.
Understanding complex biomechanics and designing products to enable full functionality of body parts can return independence and personal and social well- being to an individual.
Physiological factor data
Types of physiological factor data available to designers:
- For example, bodily tolerances such as fatigue and comfort.
- muscle strength in different body positions
- endurance in different body positions
- visual acuity
- tolerance to extremes of temperature
- frequency range of human hearing,
- size
- eye/hand coordination
- etc
How physiological factor data are collected:
using a wide range of methods, such as performance testing, user trials and observations, collection of anthropometric data, etc
Comfort and fatigue
When users interact with products, they may put stress on their bodies which leads to comfort and fatigue. The data designers collect related to comfort and fatigue in form design decisions, such as jar openers for the elderly or people with Arthritis.
Fatigue: When people are put under physical or mental stress/activities for extended periods, fatigue can set in. People react differently when they are fatigued. Errors can creep in which then could prove dangerous. Designers need to understand peoples tolerances and design products and environments that help to reduce fatigue.
Comfort: This various between people. For instance the type of bed that a person will choose is determined by the firmness of the mattress.
Biomechanics
Biomechanics is the research and analysis of the mechanics of living organisms.
The importance of biomechanics to the design of different products considering muscle strength, age of user, user interface (surface texture, handle size, etc) and torque.
- In a kitchen: viewing distances, pulling strength, lifting strength and turning strength.
- In a can opener, valve wheel, corkscrew, door handle, jam jar lid – torque becomes important.
International Mindedness
It is important that the physiological factor data are either regional/national data or great care is taken when applying data from one source to a potentially inappropriate target market.
Theory of Knowledge
This topic is about human factors. How do ethical limitations affect the sort of investigations that can take place where human subjects are involved?
Sample Questions
Discuss the importance of biomechanics to the design of a given artifact.