Hold, grasp, clutch or grab: consumer grip choices during food container opening

Society is ageing and sadly that ageing leads to a host of issues, not least a society in which the majority are likely to have some loss of strength and dexterity. This can lead to complications in undertaking everyday tasks such as using transport, bathing or even handling and opening food.Packaging has to provide a multitude of services; to protect and preserve the product, to provide information to the consumer and not least to allow access to the contents. This access to packaging - or ‘openability’ - has become a significant issue for designers and manufacturers with the change in demographics as described above. Understanding the choices consumers make in how they manipulate packaging can help designers produce packaging that is more able to meet the requirements of modern society. Studies previously undertaken by the authors showed that consumers did use different grips when opening packaging and that certain grips were theoretically more comfortable and stronger than others. This paper outlines a further study whereby consumers were asked to apply the most common grips to a specially designed torque measuring device.Details were taken about the consumers: age, gender, occupation, hand size, plus their preferred grip choice for packaging of this type. The study showed that typically women chose a grip that maximised their opportunity of opening the closure and that this grip choice was more limited than that available for men. This has implications for inclusive design of many everyday products.     

A User‐Centric Evaluation Procedure for the Design of Child‐Resistant Medicine Bottles

Recently, people have begun to realize the importance of child‐resistant (CR) medicine packaging. However, most manufacturers and designers have not been able to effectively provide prevention strategies or design criteria to protect consumers. This research proposes a systematic approach to analyze CR packaging design problems and experiments to evaluate the identified design parameters and to generate the most suitable CR medicine packaging design. The design of a CR packaging bottle is used as an example to help explain the development procedure. During the development procedure, user trials, questionnaires, and children's anthropometric data on bottle opening and hand operations are analyzed. Five design parameters, specifically the cap diameter, cap height, bottle height, bottle diameter, and torsion, are identified and used to perform a Taguchi orthogonal array experimental analysis. A computer‐aided design system is also built to help generate the most suitable design alternatives. The results should assist designers in determining the most important CR design parameters and their most suitable combinations for bottle and related CR medicine packaging design.     

Correlation among cap design,gripping technique and age in the opening of squeeze-and-turn packages: A biomechanical study

Child-Resistant Packagings (CRPs) are important because they prevent children accessing potentially harmful products. However, the locking mechanism located on the caps still presents usability problems, especially for elderly users. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of packaging design, gripping technique and age in the transmission of torque when opening packages with squeeze-and-turn closures. Three different packages of mouthwashes (squeeze-and-turn type) were analyzed and two gripping techniques were used: tridigital and bidigital. The sample comprised one hundred subjects across five age groups equal in size (3–5 years; 8–12 years; 13–17 years; 30–59 years; over 60 years). For maximum torque measurement, the packages were adapted to receive a torquimeter internally installed and connected to the cap. The results show that packaging design, gripping technique and age are factors that influence the transmission of torque when opening squeeze-and-turn packages. In terms of the packaging design, the cap with the largest diameter allowed the application of higher torques. The opening process using the tridigital gripping presented higher values than the bidigital. In terms of the relative strength of grip across the age groups, children from 3 to 5 years presented the lowest torque values. However, the torque transmission with tridigital grip for children under 5 years old was higher when compared to the bidigital grip for all groups and packagings. The current findings provide biomechanical data on opening squeeze-and-turn packages, contributing to the design of packages that best balance safety and usability.     

Serious stair injuries can be prevented by improved stair design

An estimated 2.5 million injuries, and a further 4000 deaths in the UK in 1995 were due to home accidents. About 230,000 of these injuries and 497 deaths resulted from falls on stairs. When exposure is taken into account, stairs are one of the most hazardous locations in buildings. Of these falls, those where the person falls forward are most likely to cause severe injuries. One aspect of stair design, the "going" (the horizontal distance between two consecutive nosings) can be changed to decrease the potential number of serious trip accidents. Builders should therefore be encouraged to build stairs with larger goings.     

浅谈礼品的包装设计

赠送礼品一直以来都是人们表达情感的重要方式,相应地,礼品包装也是礼品的重要组成元素。随着科技进步和社会发展,中国销售市场的礼品包装越来越奢华、复杂,但其外形构造千篇一律,给人们视觉上带来审美疲劳,同时,包装材料、工艺的过度浪费了很多自然资源,给环境带来了巨大的污染。那么,礼品的本质是什么?如何进行礼品包装设计?这是我们需要思考的问题。     

民国时期的包装设计的开元与传承

文章以民国年间的包装设计为论题,从文化、经济、政治、教育、科技、设计理论、设计史论等角度全面分析、梳理其脉络,阐述了民国时期产品包装设计的起源、发展、壮大、成熟等历史特征和艺术特质,在此基础上提出了开元与传承铸造了民国时期的包装设计风格。作为中国特有的包装设计文化现蒙,笔者虔心整理论述。希望能够抛砖引玉,引起当代艺术家们以新的眼光审视过去。并为今天的包装设计带来一些启发与思考从而推动包装设计理论、史论发展。     

基于区块链溯源的包装防伪信息追溯方法

为了应对假冒伪劣产品日益增多,给消费者和厂家带来信任危机的问题,提出基于区块链溯源的包装防伪信息追溯方法,该方法利用区块链技术的不可篡改性、分布式共识和透明性,实现了商品生命周期的全程可追溯和防伪保障。为了验证该方法的可行性和效果,进行了一系列仿真实验。实验结果表明,优化后的算法在通信成本、吞吐量和延迟三个方面比PBFT效果优异,采用优化算法的包装防伪信息追溯方法能够有效的防止假冒伪劣产品的流通,提升消费者对产品的信任度。通过进一步的研究和实践,可以优化该方法,以推动商业生态系统的可持续发展。     

Carpe diem, Carpe ampulla: A numerical model as an aid to the design of child-resistant closures

The population of most developed countries is ageing. Despite continuing medical advances, ageing brings with it a host of issues, not least a loss in strength and dexterity. One major area of concern is the ability of elderly consumers to access packaged goods such as food and medicines. In previous studies, the authors developed a numerical model of a human hand that was used to investigate the effect of physical dimensions and choice of grip on joint stresses to aid the understanding between physical effort, ability and discomfort. This previous work was supported by ethnographic studies and led to recommendations for packaging design. In this paper, a small ethnographic study is undertaken which identifies the grip types used to access to a product that is known to cause particular difficulties for the elderly, the "squeeze and turn" child-resistant closure or CRC, commonly used on medicines and cleaning products. One of the grip types used was chosen to be modelled using the numerical model developed in previous studies by the author. Model geometry and loading were adapted to simulate the "squeeze and turn" nature of the initial opening for closures of this type. A series of studies were then undertaken using different hand geometries; an average male hand, an average female hand and a fifth percentile female hand. The prediction from the model here is that female users with smaller hands will experience more discomfort when accessing squeeze and turn CRC's and that the turn process whilst maintaining the squeeze is problematic.     

改进型遗传算法在弹药集装中的应用研究

针对遗传算法在求解最优化集装问题时收敛速度慢,易陷入局部最优的不足,对标准遗传算法进行了改进,将交叉概率和变异概率进行自适应调节,再结合移民策略,提出了可自适应调节参数的改进遗传算法,并把该算法应用于弹药集装问题之中,实验结果表明其能够提高装箱的利用率。     

“所见即所得”——对包装设计的一点思考

包装是商品的外衣,在商品社会中对商品的流通销售起着举足轻重的作用,但仅仅从包装材料、表面装潢和立体造型的角度去设计的包装还不能完全满足消费者的需求。文章通过对消费者的心理调查后原创性的提出:"所见即所得"也是包装设计中不可忽略的隐性原则,如能在包装设计中较好的运用这一原则,必定能受到好的效果。文章以此为载体,希望引起广大设计师的关注,共同为我国的经济建设贡献自己的一份力量。     

浅析封装腔体内自由粒子的产生及控制

军品封装过程中,封装腔体内自由粒子的存在严重影响了封装的成品率,控制自由粒子的产生是提高封装成品率的主要解决办法。分析了封装腔体内自由粒子产生的多种可能原因,并针对这些原因提出了控制办法。     

Accident history,risk perception and traffic safe behaviour

Abstract

This study clarifies the associations between accident history, perception of the riskiness of road travel and traffic safety behaviours by taking into account the number and severity of accidents experienced. A sample of 525 road users in Cameroon answered a questionnaire comprising items on perception of risk, safe behaviour and personal accident history. Participants who reported involvement in more than three accidents or involvement in a severe accident perceived road travel as less risky and also reported behaving less safely compared with those involved in fewer, or less severe accidents. The results have practical implications for the prevention of traffic accidents.

Practitioner Summary: The associations between accident history, perceived risk of road travel and safe behaviour were investigated using self-report questionnaire data. Participants involved in more than three accidents, or in severe accidents, perceived road travel as less risky and also reported more unsafe behaviour compared with those involved in fewer, or less severe accidents. Campaigns targeting people with a less serious, less extensive accident history should aim to increase awareness of hazards and the potential severity of their consequences, as well as emphasising how easy it is to take the recommended preventive actions. Campaigns targeting those involved in more frequent accidents, and survivors of serious accidents, should address feelings of invulnerability and helplessness.     

The interaction between lid diameter,height and shape on wrist torque exertion in younger and older adults

The following study investigated wrist torque strength measurements of a group of younger and older adults. The aim of the study was to examine the impact of shape, diameter and height of lid on wrist torque opening strength. Forty participants took part in the study in four groups, younger males and females and older males and females. Data were collected for 12 test pieces. Anthropometric data were also obtained for stature, weight, hand breadth, hand length, chuck grip force, grip force, lateral grip force and pinch grip force. The analysis of the wrist torque strength measurements found that participants could exert greater force with square test pieces compared to circular test pieces of the same diameter. Examination of the circular test pieces found that as diameter and height increased, so did torque exertion data for the test pieces between 20 mm and 50 mm diameter. The surface area of the test pieces was found to be highly correlated with the level of torque exertion, thus a linear model was developed to describe this relationship. The model could be used to predict maximal torque closure levels for use in the packaging industry. The anthropometric data revealed that as height, weight, hand length and hand breadth increased, there was a correlation with the levels of torque exerted. Future research needs to further examine the relationship between surface area and torque exerted and the design of spherical lids to increase the contact area between the hand and the lid.     

Comparisons of variables between fatal and nonfatal accidents in manufacturing industry

This study concerns with the comparisons of variables between fatal and nonfatal accidents in Korean manufacturing industries. The national industrial accident statistics for the years 1991–1994 were extracted from the annual publications of Ministry of Labor. These data were used to compare the distributions of fatal and nonfatal injuries in terms of company size, injured person's age, work experience, accident time, activity at time of accident, accident type, injury type, injured body part, and accident agency. Results show that the distributions of the fatal injuries are statistically different from those of the nonfatal injuries: (1) nonfatal injuries occur more frequently in the younger workers, while deaths occur more frequently in the older workers; (2) the proportion of death occurring in night shift is greater than that of nonfatal injuries; (3) `caught in and between objects' is the most common type of accident, but the second common type of accident is `awkward or sudden movement' in the nonfatal injuries, instead of `falls from a height' in deaths; and (4) `fracture' is the leading caused injury and death, but the second leading type of injury is `contusion or bruise' in the nonfatal injuries and `cerebral concussion' in deaths.

Relevance to industry

Strategies for accident prevention should be in reasonable agreement with significant variables of occupational accidents. These results can be used to develop more effective accidental occupational death and injury prevention programs for manufacturing industry.     

Mobile phones and driving: a review of contemporary research

This study reviews research on the effects of using a mobile phone when driving. First, it is should be pointed out that the availability of a mobile phone in a car is of great value, for example, in emergencies and accidents. However, the results from the research covered in this review show that using a mobile phone in a car while driving impairs driving performance significantly. To exemplify, a drivers attention to traffic and traffic information is impaired and the control of the car becomes less precise and smooth when talking over a phone. The conversation in itself impairs attention and manoeuvring performance as well as the motor activities needed for phoning. Based on the research available, the present review gives numerical estimates of the disturbing effects of different aspects of mobile phoning on driving performance. Contrary to what people assume, hand-held phones have not been shown to impair driving quality more than hands free phones. Instead, in contrast to public opinion, the content of a conversation is most important in determining the degree of distraction; complex conversations disturb driving much more than simple conversations. Analyses of accidents have shown that the impairment of driving while phoning leads to an increased risk of having an accident for both hand-held and hands free mobile telephones.     

An investigation of the Therac-25 accidents

Between June 1985 and January 1987, the Therac-25 medical electron accelerator was involved in six massive radiation overdoses. As a result, several people died and others were seriously injured. A detailed investigation of the factors involved in the software-related overdoses and attempts by users, manufacturers, and government agencies to deal with the accidents is presented. The authors demonstrate the complex nature of accidents and the need to investigate all aspects of system development and operation in order to prevent future accidents. The authors also present some lessons learned in terms of system engineering, software engineering, and government regulation of safety-critical systems containing software components     

Three Process Perspectives: Organizations, Teams, and People

This paper provides the author's personal views and perspectives on software process improvement. Starting with his first work on technology assessment in IBM over 20 years ago, Watts Humphrey describes the process improvement work he has been directly involved in. This includes the development of the early process assessment methods, the original design of the CMM, and the introduction of the Personal Software Process (PSP)^SM and Team Software Process (TSP){^SM}. In addition to describing the original motivation for this work, the author also reviews many of the problems he and his associates encountered and why they solved them the way they did. He also comments on the outstanding issues and likely directions for future work. Finally, this work has built on the experiences and contributions of many people. Mr. Humphrey only describes work that he was personally involved in and he names many of the key contributors. However, so many people have been involved in this work that a full list of the important participants would be impractical.     

Improving robot manipulation with data-driven object-centric models of everyday forces

Based on a lifetime of experience, people anticipate the forces associated with performing a manipulation task. In contrast, most robots lack common sense about the forces involved in everyday manipulation tasks. In this paper, we present data-driven methods to inform robots about the forces that they are likely to encounter when performing specific tasks. In the context of door opening, we demonstrate that data-driven object-centric models can be used to haptically recognize specific doors, haptically recognize classes of door (e.g., refrigerator vs. kitchen cabinet), and haptically detect anomalous forces while opening a door, even when opening a specific door for the first time. We also demonstrate that two distinct robots can use forces captured from people opening doors to better detect anomalous forces. These results illustrate the potential for robots to use shared databases of forces to better manipulate the world and attain common sense about everyday forces.     

Privacy leakage on the Web: Diffusion and countermeasures

Protecting privacy on the Web is becoming increasingly complicated because of the considerable amount of personal and sensitive information left by users in many locations during their Web browsing and the silent actions of third party sites that collect data, aggregate information and build personal profiles of Internet users in order to provide free and personalized services. On the other hand, most of people are unaware that their information may be collected online, and that, after their aggregation from multiple sources, could be used for secondary purposes, such as linked to allow identification, without user’s notice.