ERGONOMICS: Making Products and Places Fit People

A unique exploration of product design for safety, health, and comfort. Ergonomics, sometimes called human-factors engineering, looks at such issues as size, shape, texture, posture, and location in construction of everyday items. How deep should a sofa be for tall and short people? What kinds of highway signs can be best seen while speeding by? The aim of ergonomists is to find out what consumers want and need and to simplify products to perform well. Gay has done thorough research, conferring with industry sources and relating the many ways ergonomists discover what works best. Categories include research for factories, offices, the home, visual messages, transportation, space, and the handicapped. Clear black-and-white diagrams and photos illustrate the problems posed. From the placement of restroom signs to the glare on the video display terminal, ergonomics influences our lives. Gay offers readers a chance to see how these decisions are made.