Incorporating Anthropometry into Design of Products

Abstract

To achieve mass customization and collaborative product design, human factors and ergonomics should play a key development role. In population, accommodation, sizing has been aimed at improving the product to either get better fit, or broaden the range of befitting users (Li, 2006; Nui et al., 2006). Thus, anthropometry is considered the very ergonomic core of any attempt to resolve the dilemma of ‘fitting the tasks to the human’ (Sanders and McCormick, 1993). As products are designed for specific types of consumers, an important design requirement is selection and efficient utilization of the most appropriate anthropometric database (Wickens et al., 2004). Great effort has been expended conducting numerous surveys to establish anthropometric databases for different population groups such as the armed forces, students, civilians, and farm workers (Mououdi, 1997; Wang et al., 1999). These anthropometric data sets provide critical design information for an enormous range of ergonomics-based tasks such as workplace design (Wang et al., 1999), and sizing for clothes (Meunier and Yin, 2000) and school furniture (Milanese and Grimmer, 2004). Effective utilization of this data, however, requires a thorough analysis of the inherent design problems on the designers’ part. Wickens et al. (2004) adopted a systematic approach to utilization of anthropometric data in design, principally through: (1) determination of the target population (the intended users); (2) determination of the relevant physical dimensions; (3) determination of the percentage of the population to be accommodated; (4) determination of the ideal percentile value for the selected anthropometric dimension; (5) incorporation of the necessary design modifications based on this anthropometric data; and, (6) use of mock-ups or simulators to test the design. Thus, key design issues include identification of the target user groups and identification of the most important bodily dimensions. Two cases were presented in this chapter as design for baby diaper, and spoon of children.