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'Extra-Ordinary' Ergonomics

How to Accommodate Small and Big Persons, The Disabled and Elderly, Expectant Mothers, and Children

By Karl H.E. Kroemer

Published August 12th 2005 by CRC Press – 254 pages

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Description

Small and big persons, disabled and elderly, expectant mothers and children. Everyone will fall into one of these categories at least once in their lifetime. In fact, demographics show that at least two of every five people vary from the norm in height, width, and weight at any given time. Yet customarily, designers design for adults of regular size with standard abilities. Written by an expert in human factors and ergonomics, Extraordinary Ergonomics explores designing for population groups that do not meet the customary standards in age, size, and abilities.

Underscoring the need for extraordinary ergonomics, the book illustrates various approaches to measuring the characteristics, capabilities, and limitations of those who differ from the norm. It provides the how-tos of designing for people who are smaller, weaker, or bigger, discusses specifically the design for persons with disabilities and the aging population, and covers human factors engineering for expectant mothers and ergonomics for children and teenagers. The author explains how to assess and determine abilities and needs and demonstrates how to design tools, homes, and environments to make working space safe and living space easy.

Reviews

"This book illustrates with copious detail and numerous examples how an underlying supposition of ergonomics - usually undeclared - and based on a so-called normal adult, is fundamentally flawed. This book is thorough, easy to digest, and sprinkled with anecdotal notes about human behavior. …I recommend "Extra-Ordinary" Ergonomics as part of the personal library of all professional ergonomists and human factors engineers."

-Richard W. Marklin, Ph.D., CPE, Ergonomics in Design, Vol. 14, No. 1, Winter 2006

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Contents

"EXTRAORDINARY" INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS OF PEOPLE

Introduction

Overview

Defining Ergonomics

Defining Extraordinary Individuals and Population Groups

A Day in the Life of My Mother

Differing from "The Norm"

Capabilities of the Mind

Sensing the Environment

Responding to Stimuli

Summary

ASSESSMENT METHODS AND TECHNIQUES

Overview

Measurement Teams

Anthropometric Techniques

Assessing Energetic Capabilities

Assessing Muscle Strength

Assessing Mental Workload

Assessing Vision Capabilities

Assessing Auditory Capabilities

Assessing Smelling and Tasting Capabilities

Assessing Taction Senses

Assessing Response Times

Assessing Complex Capabilities

Systematic Gathering of Information

Summary

PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING

Overview

Striving for Better Designs

Proper Design Procedures

Designing for Body Strength

Designing for "Signal Loop"

Designing for Groups of People, and for Individuals

Summary

DESIGN FOR MOVEMENT WITH SPECIAL SOLUTIONS FOR THE VERY SMALL & BIG, FOR THOSE WITH LOW BACK PROBLEMS, AND FOR BEDRIDDEN PERSONS

Overview

Design for Motion Instead of Posture

Design for Very Small and Very Big People

Design to Avoid Harm and Injury

Summary

DESIGN FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

Overview

Defining and Measuring Disabilities

"Ergonomics of One"

Locomotion Aids

Use of Computers

Consumer Products

Selection of Assistive Technology

Sources of Information and Advice

Summary

DESIGN FOR AGING

Overview

What to Expect as One Ages

Aging-Related Changes and Their Ergonomic Counteractions

Designing for the Older Person

Designing Computer Systems for the Aging

Designing Living Quarters for the Aging

Sources of Information and Advice

Summary

DESIGN FOR EXPECTANT MOTHERS

Overview

Special Designs for Women?

Changes in Body Dimensions of Expectant Mothers

Changes in Work Capacity During Pregnancy

Ergonomic Design Recommendations

Summary

DESIGN FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

Overview

Children Grow into Adolescents

Anthropometry of Children and Adolescents

Body Mass of Children and Adolescents

Body Strength of Children and Adolescents

Designing for Children and Adolescents

Designing "Safe" Openings

Summary

References

Appendix

Index