Surveying the dimensions and characteristics of Korean ears for the ergonomic design of ear-related products

Six hundred male and female Korean subjects aged 17–89 were selected for this study. Four different points of the outer ear—the lengths of the pinna, the ear connection point, the earhole and the lobule thickness—were measured and analyzed along with demographic data, including age, stature and weight. The results showed that age, sex and different ethnic populations were determinants of ear dimensions as exemplified by the length of the pinna which increases as age increases (r=0.689). The primary objective of this study was to provide product designers with the anthropometric dimensions of Korean ears and recommend appropriate solutions for the ergonomic design of ear-related products. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the change in body parts due to aging be considered in the application of anthropometric data when designing such products.

Relevance to Industry

Limited research has been done on the dimensions of ears although an extensive amount of research has been conducted on other parts of the human body. The findings of this study, therefore, can be used as a basis for researching and producing ergonomically designed ear-related products.     

Plus size and obese workers: anthropometry estimates to promote inclusive design

Abstract

A significant proportion of the adult population globally is overweight, obese or classed as ‘plus size’. This has led to variability in size and shape across the working population and exclusion in the workplace. A new dataset of the anthropometry of plus size people has been created. Length dimensions were similar to other data, but breadth, circumference, and depth measurements were substantially larger. The hip breadth and abdominal depth were important for predicting largeness in this population. These data help explain the high exclusion rates from design and the number of fit, reach, posture and clearance issues reported by participants with a high BMI: generally, the higher the BMI the greater prevalence of problems. It is hoped that a better understanding of the anthropometric characteristics of the plus size worker will inform the design of safe, productive work environments to promote inclusion for a wider range of people.

Practitioner Summary: A new anthropometry dataset of plus size people has been created. The higher the BMI the greater the problems with design in the workplace for fit, reach, posture and clearance. To ensure inclusion and reduce stigma it is important to understand more about the size and shape of this population.     

Match between school furniture dimensions and children's anthropometry

The purpose of the study was to examine whether school furniture dimensions match children's anthropometry. Children aged 6-18 years (n=274), divided into 3 groups on the basis of the used furniture size, were subjected into anthropometric measurements (shoulder, elbow, knee and popliteal height, buttock-popliteal length and hip breadth). Combinational equations defined the acceptable furniture dimensions according to anthropometry and match percentages were computed, according to either the existing situation--where children use the size assigned for their grade--or assuming that they could use the most appropriate of the sizes available. Desk and seat height were bigger than the accepted limits for most children (81.8% and 71.5%, respectively), while seat depth was appropriate for only 38.7% of children. In conclusion, the assumption that children could use the most appropriate yet available size significantly improved the match, indicating that the limited provision of one size per cluster of grades does not accommodate the variability of anthropometry even among children of the same age.     

Hand anthropometry of Hong Kong Chinese females compared to other ethnic groups

Abstract

An anthropometric study of the hand dimensions of Hong Kong Chinese female workers was carried out using 100 subjects. Twenty-three hand dimensions were measured and compared with data from the United Kingdom, Japan and the United States of America. The Hong Kong Chinese had overall smaller hands than the United Kingdom and the United States of America females and larger hands than Japanese females. Comparisons were also made between the Hong Kong Chinese and United Kingdom females on the basis of age and ethnic group. In every case where a significant difference occurred the Hong Kong females had shorter, narrower hands with longer fingers than all other groups.     

The relationship between anthropometry and hand grip strength among elderly Malaysians

It is known that the ageing process will result in a decrease in anthropometric dimensions as well as loss of hand grip strength, which is natural among elderly people. Previous studies have shown that the decrease in anthropometric dimensions may influence hand grip strength of elderly people. Hence, this paper seeks to determine the relationship between anthropometric dimensions and hand grip strength among elderly Malaysians. A total of 112 elderly subjects aged 60 years and above residing in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, are recruited in this study. The subjects comprise 56 males (age range 60–79 years, mean: 66.88, SD: 5.35) and 56 females (age range: 60–82 years, mean: 66.98, SD: 5.16). In this study, 38 anthropometric dimensions are measured, along with hand grip strength. The anthropometric dimensions are measured using a professional standard anthropometry set whereas hand grip strength (in Newtons) is measured using a dynamometer. The mean values, standard deviations and percentiles are determined and the data are analysed by correlation analysis. The results show that there is a significant correlation between the following anthropometric dimensions (stature, sitting hip breadth, wrist circumference, hand circumference and heel ankle circumference) and hand grip strength. These findings of this study are indeed useful for product designers to design and develop ergonomic hand-held products for elderly Malaysians.     

Incorporating codes of practice into reinforced concrete design programs

Changing the Code of Practice embodied in a reinforced concrete design program usually needs much expensive programming effort. A solution to this problem is described in which the Code-dependent sections of design programs are isolated and specified in a new problem-oriented language, developed for this task. Changing Codes in this program merely means changing the file of Code provisions. A simple beam design program, already run under five Codes, is described and some comparative design results are also shown.     

Ethnic differences in Indonesian anthropometry data: Evidence from three different largest ethnics

Different ethnics may show different dimension on anthropometry. This study measures 1135 students from three different ethnics in Indonesia, all participated based on voluntarily basis, to see whether ethnicity is a significant factor in Indonesian anthropometric data. There were 632 Minangkabau students mostly located in Sumatera Island, 344 Javanese students mostly located in East and Central Java Island, and 157 Sundanese students mostly located in West Java. Results showed that most of mean dimensions and all of the bodily proportions have significant differences, both for male and female subjects. The implications for Indonesian anthropometric databases and design purposes are discussed.Relevance to industryTo enhance safety and comfort, design of equipments and facilities in Indonesia should take into account anthropometric differences in Indonesians ethnics. Failure to do so will imply in the less safe and comfort.     

A quantile-based anthropometry synthesis technique for global user populations

Detailed anthropometric data are valuable in making well-informed and responsible design decisions. However, such data are available only for a few user populations around the world. More widely-available information is in the form of summary statistics (e.g., means and standard deviations) and the values of body measures at certain key percentiles (e.g., 5^th, 50^th, 95^th). Such information, while useful, is not suitable for in-depth analyses of a population's variability, since it does not allow for the consideration of correlations between different body measures, does not describe irregular distributions of body dimensions, etc. This paper presents a new method that utilizes values of body measures at different percentiles in synthesizing a detailed anthropometric database for a virtual population of users. The procedure is demonstrated in the context of Japanese civilian youth and U.S. military, and is shown to be simple, accurate, easy to use, and applicable across these two anthropometrically dissimilar populations. The case study shows that the virtual population is statistically equivalent to the actual target population in a number of ways. In addition to achieving statistical equivalence with the actual population's body dimensions, the method also ensures that the synthesized individuals are composed of appropriate and realistic body proportions and combinations of anthropometry.     

Incorporating user satisfaction into the look-and-feel of mobile phone design

The look-and-feel of the mobile phone was investigated using a consumer survey. Seventy-eight participants evaluated the design of 50 different mobile telephones on the perceived scale of image/impression characteristics, including: luxuriousness, simplicity, attractiveness, colourfulness, texture, delicacy, harmoniousness, salience, rigidity, and overall satisfaction. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate results. The results showed that the image and impression characteristics of the products were closely related to the human-product interface specifications as well as overall shape of the product. Design variables such as texture, use of surface curvature, surface treatment, operating sound, and control response ratio were perceived as important by customers. This study also suggested a series of statistical processes for selecting and screening the critical design variables closely related to the customer's impression of a product. The product evaluation and analysis methods could be generalized to other consumer products.     

Incorporating user satisfaction into the look-and-feel of mobile phone design

The look-and-feel of the mobile phone was investigated using a consumer survey. Seventy-eight participants evaluated the design of 50 different mobile telephones on the perceived scale of image/impression characteristics, including: luxuriousness, simplicity, attractiveness, colourfulness, texture, delicacy, harmoniousness, salience, rigidity, and overall satisfaction. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis were used to evaluate results. The results showed that the image and impression characteristics of the products were closely related to the human-product interface specifications as well as overall shape of the product. Design variables such as texture, use of surface curvature, surface treatment, operating sound, and control response ratio were perceived as important by customers. This study also suggested a series of statistical processes for selecting and screening the critical design variables closely related to the customer's impression of a product. The product evaluation and analysis methods could be generalized to other consumer products.     

机械产品的协同仿真设计

为了保证机械产品质量,提高产品生产效率,满足不同客户的特殊需求,对SolidWorks做二次仿真开发,并在此基础上进一步做协同开发,实现协同、仿真合二为一;同时,对后台大量仿真数据采用自动管理和人工管理两种方式,确保前台协同仿真设计系统的高效性、实用性。     

A survey of hand anthropometry of female rural farm workers in Ibadan,Western Nigeria

An anthropometric survey measuring 18 dimensions of the right hand in 37 female rural farm workers living in Ibadan, western Nigeria was conducted. The means, standard deviations and percentile values are reported for these. The means of the collected data are compared with those for females from the UK, from Hong Kong and from America, using data from other published studies. The results suggest that the Nigerian female hand is wider and thicker, but shorter than that of their foreign counterparts. Such differences have implications for design and evaluation of hand tools for the Nigerian female population.     

On the improvement of anthropometry and pose estimation from a single uncalibrated image

Recently, we developed a technique that allows semi-automatic estimation of anthropometry and pose from a single image. However, estimation was limited to a class of images for which an adequate number of human body segments were almost parallel to the image plane. In this paper, we present a generalization of that estimation algorithm that exploits pairwise geometric relationships of body segments to allow estimation from a broader class of images. In addition, we refine our search space by constructing a fully populated discrete hyper-ellipsoid of stick human body models in order to capture the variance of the statistical anthropometric information. As a result, a better initial estimate can be computed by our algorithm and thus the number of iterations needed during minimization are reduced tenfold. We present our results over a variety of images to demonstrate the broad coverage of our algorithm.Published online: 1 September 2003     

Incorporating affective customer needs for luxuriousness into product design attributes

In a highly competitive market, customers' product affection is a critical factor to product success. However, understanding customers' affective needs is difficult to grasp; product design practitioners often misunderstand what customers really want. In this study we report our experience in developing and using an affective design framework that identified critical affective features customers have on products and are systematically incorporated into product design attributes. To identify key affective features such as luxuriousness, we utilized the Kansei engineering methodology. This approach consists of three steps: (1) selecting related affective features and product design attributes through a comprehensive literature survey, expert panel opinion, and focus group interviews; (2) conducting evaluation experiments; and (3) developing Kansei models using multivariate statistical analysis and analyzing critical product design attributes. To demonstrate applicability of the proposed affective design framework, 30 customers and 30 product design practitioners participated in an evaluation experiment for car crash pads, and 44 customers and 20 designers participated in an evaluation experiment for two interior room products (wallpapers and flooring materials). The evaluation experiments were conducted via systematically developed questionnaires consisting of a 7‐point semantic differential scale and a 100‐point magnitude estimation scale. The results of the experiments were analyzed using principal component regression and quantification theory type I method. Using the analyzed survey data, the relationship between luxuriousness and related affective features and product design attributes were identified. This relationship indicated that there was a significant difference in the perception of luxuriousness between customers and designers. Consequently, it is expected that the results of this study could provide a foundation for developing affective products. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Survey instrument for the universal design of consumer products

Universal design is a process intended to include all user groups in product or environmental design. The objective of this study was to develop a usability testing survey instrument to inform how well consumer products complied with established principles of universal design. Thirty-six adults, aging adults and adult wheelchair users performed standardized tasks with pens, food storage containers, pliers and calculators, and for each task responded to a preliminary set of survey items and rated task difficulty. Factor analysis of the survey responses produced an eleven-factor solution that accounted for 67% of the variance in scores and corresponded fairly closely to the principles of universal design. Analysis of scale scores developed from each factor showed that some of the scales were sensitive to product feature and user group differences, and were negatively associated with perceived task difficulty. Such a tool may aid designers who intend their products for user groups of diverse abilities and preferences.     

Muscular strength profiles and anthropometry in random samples of men aged 31–35, 51–55 and 71–75 years

Maximal isometric muscular strength and anthropometric characteristics were studied among three random samples each containing about 180 Finnish men belonging to three generation cohorts, and having a mean age of 32·9 ± 1·4, 53·1 ± 1·5 and 72·7± 1·4 years. Strength was measured on special dynamometers for grip, trunk and knee extension and trunk and elbow flexion. The anthropometric characteristics included body height, weight, body-mass index, skeletal weight, fat weight and a weight factor.

The youngest cohort had the highest and the oldest cohort the lowest values for strength as well as body height and fat-free body weight, while the middle-aged group had the highest and the youngest group the lowest values for body weight, fat weight, body-mass index and for the weight factor.

In correlation analysis grip strength was found to have the highest correlation with chronological age and to be least affected by the body anthropometric variables among the strength variables studied. On a percentage scale the decline of strength from the youngest to the oldest cohort was in the order: knee extension (47%), hand grip (42%), trunk extension (42%), trunk flexion (35%) and elbow flexion (35%). The body-mass index was found to be an important variable to be controlled in studying differences between age groups in muscle strength.     

Incorporating multiple patterns of activity into the design of cognitive work support systems

The design of support systems for cognitive work needs to account for the different patterns of activity resulting from changes in context. The contextual control modes from Hollnagel’s model of control are presented as a suitable framework to describe these patterns and to identify the implications for design of support systems. The design and evaluation of a prototype support system for airline operations is used as a case study in supporting multiple cognitive control modes. The evaluation of the prototype with experts illustrated clear and distinguishable changes in the patterns of activity in different contextual control modes. Notably, different designs were demonstrated to support particular contextual control modes and to disrupt cognitive activity in contextual control modes which they were not intended to support.     

Incorporating design rules into the LIGA technology applied to a fourier transformation spectrometer

For very complex systems made with the LIGA technology, manufacturing and subsequently yield problems may arise if the aspects of the manufacturing are not already considered in the design process. To enable the designers to make manufacturable designs collections of design rules as could be found in [1] are very useful. The rules can be utilized to make better, more production oriented designs, which will ease manufacturing and subsequently boost the yield. As an example the following paper presents a novel miniaturized Fourier Transformation Spectrometer which was designed following design recommendations that can be found in the literature. The applied rules are explained and the obtained results are discussed. We observed a very high yield in the pure LIGA process steps and an outstanding robustness of the integrated electromagnetic actuator.     

Sex differences in anthropometry for school furniture design

This paper is concerned with anthropometric dimensions of young Koreans and their interrelationships for school furniture design. Ten anthropometric measurements were taken from 1248 subjects, age range 6-17. The study investigated sex differences in interrelationships between body dimensions, to provide suitable sizes of chair and desk for boys and girls. The results showed that stature had a high relationship to body dimensions for school furniture design, and that there were significant sex differences in relationships between stature and the body dimensions. In particular, boys above 126 cm in stature required higher desk and chair heights than girls of the same stature. On the other hand, girls above 120 cm in stature required a larger depth and breadth of chair than boys of the same stature.     

基于意图认知的复杂电气产品外观设计策略

受功能结构等多重约束和功能导向设计理念影响,复杂电气产品外观设计更关注 工程技术的合理性和功能表达的完整性,易忽略用户对产品的认知体验需求。针对这一问题, 分析该类产品外观设计意图产生模式和用户意图认知模式,总结意图认知中存在的 3 个问题： 用户认知创新与失真导致意图超出与缺漏、设计师与用户的认知差异导致语义鸿沟、用户单纯 化认知导致理解障碍。针对性提出复杂电气产品的 3 项外观设计策略：基于质量功能配置法 (QFD)的用户认知前置、构建延续性与差异性并存的外观设计特征库、以用户认知和工程约束 共性特征为引导的族群收敛,以在技术约束基础上实现用户对设计意图信息的获取和情感的满 足,进而提升该类产品外观设计的市场竞争力。