Ergonomics (Product description and Idea Trigger)

Picture:

This is a brush as well as a scraper. As you can see, the product is used to brush the stoves. There is even a knife concealed in the handle of the brush. The bristles of the brush is made of copper, because the brush is used to scrub the stove, so it has to be hard. The knife is used to scrape the little holes in the stove where it is hard to reach. 

The product is elderly friendly as the handle is made to fit the person's hand. It has a curved shape, but big enough to fit the little blade in the brush. 

The developers of this brush took into consideration of the safety of the person who uses it, as he made the knife retractable so that the person would not cut him or herself when using the brush. 

The elderly would face some difficulties handling this product though. They would have problems trying to take the knife out of the base of the brush, as their fingers might have to dig deeper, therefore, their fingers would hurt. The part where the knife would have to be taken out, would hurt the elderly.

Improvements that could be made on this thing: I could replace the part of the knife connected to the base of the brush with a gear at the bottom, instead of the rectangular piece of plastic connecting it. I could just use a gear connecting the base to the brush to make things more simpler. 

Ergonomics II

1. What is Ergonomics?
The study of people's efficiency in their working environment.
2. What are the 5 aspects of Ergonomics?
The five aspects of Ergonomics are :safety, comfort, ease of use, productivity/performance and aesthetics.
3. For each aspect of Ergonomics, explain with an example of a product that is designed for the elderly, how the product meets that particular aspect of Ergonomics.
Safety: Railings, as they prevent the elderly from falling down when walking on slippery surfaces.
Comfort: Wheel chairs, as the elderly can move from one place to another quickly without walking
Ease of use: Slopes, as the elderly can just move slowly downwards to the ground level, and he 
could also prevent himself from tripping
Productivity/Performance: Use stuff that is made of durable materials
Aesthetics:Hearing aids, as they fit right into the ears of the person.

Ergonomics 1

1. Compare the 2 different workplaces, state your observations.
The first workplace is very cluttered and messy, and the person has trouble trying to move his stuff around,
whereas the second workplace is well organized, and the person does not have trouble moving about, does not feel as stressed as the first person and has no problems finding his stuff.

2. Which workplace is preferred? State with reasons why one workplace is preferred over the other. 
I think the second workspace is most preferred, as things are organized, the table is not cluttered like the first one, it is ergonomically friendly and the person can find his things quickly.

3. What are the considerations that should be taken into account when designing a workplace that is suitable for the user?
Firstly, you have to take note of the user's height, because if the person is tall, he might need a laptop with a higher laptop stand, or a chair that be adjustable to the desired height.


4. Why do you think that Ergonomics is important when designing?
This is because the person might have to change his workspace frequently, and also he might adopt a bad posture.