Elderly Challenge Reflection

1) What have you learnt?
I learnt how:

• to make a good prototype
• do we analyze the other products
• to find the problems of the elderly.

2) What are the difficulties encountered?
I had difficulties finding the problems since I am not a elderly and I do not face the same problems as they do.

3) How did you overcome the difficulties?
I went to ask some elderlies

Link your reflection based on the 10 Cs.

Communication since we need to ask the elderly what difficulties they face

Creativity in order to make a great product with hardly any problems

Curiosity since we need to explore with different ways of making the product

Collaboration to get feedback from our prototype

Critical Thinking since we need find a product which has the least problems

Commitment or else we would not complete on time

Reflection - Prototype

1. What are the difficulties that you have encountered during the process?

The difficulties faced when making the prototype is finding a problem faced by the elderly.
2. How do you overcome the difficulties encountered?

I overcame it by putting some parts in my life such us watching television and that reminded me of elderly challenges faced when using the remote.
3. What are the 2 key takeaways for this lesson?

The designing the prototype and the purpose of it

What concepts do we use in the product such as ergonomics

Ergonomics (Product description and Idea Trigger)

i) Describe the product. (Appearance, Color, Function, etc)
It is multi-functional since it is able to scrape of the peels of the fruit and it is able brush off the dirt left on the fruit.

It is simple to be used.

It comes in handy when you need to peel of the peels when it is very difficult to peel it off.

It is timeless to complete the

job than peeling it off with a knife or looking for dirt and tak

e them out.

ii) What are the design considerations when designing this product?
Safety: It reduces the chance of being scraped since there is a plastic blockage from the handle to the blade.

Productivity: There is a combination of two products in one object so you can change your task by just turning the object than changing the utensils. It also reduce the amount of space occupied by the object.

iii) Would an elderly faced difficulty using this product? If yes, what are the difficulties that the elderly would face?

The elderly might not see the blade so he might put the thumb on it and end up slicing the skin of it off. The hand might slip the object since the grip is not good enough.

iv) What do you think can be done to improve on the design of the product to suit the elderly? (Sketch the improved design in your sketchbook and take a picture of it. Post the improved sketch at the end of your post.)

The first improvement shows that the blade is placed on the top of the brush where people will not place their thumb there so there is a high-chance of not getting injured. The next improvement made is improving the hand to have a better grip so it is made of rubber and there is a place to put the fingers.

Ergonomics II

1. What is Ergonomics?
Ergonomics is applied science of designing an equipment to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue and discomfort.

2. What are the 5 aspects of Ergonomics?
The 5 aspects are safety, comfort, ease of use, productivity and aesthetics

3. For each aspects of Ergonomics, explain withan example of a product that is designed for the elderly, how the product meet that particular aspect of Ergonomics.
Safety: Handrails by the staircase so the elderly will have support going up the staircase or they might fall down.

Comfort: Automatic wheel chairs since the elderly only need to move the lever to the direction he wants to go so there is less effort needed t

han pushing the wheelchair

Ease of use: Elderly-friendly hand phones since they are simple to be used and have big buttons with a large font so the elderly is able to see it. The

y also have a SOS button behind for emergency purposes.

Productivity:

Aesthetics: Signage to tell them where they are so they will not get lost.

Acknowledgments: http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Ergonomics

Ergonomics I

1. Compare the 2 different workplaces, state your observations.

Chair: In workplace 1, the person is not able to lean back so much so it will be not comfortable while the chair in workplace 2 is able to.

Arm-rest of the Chair: The arm-rest in workplace 1 was difficult to adjust the arm-rest to the person’s wanted position since if he applied to force, it will go all the way down but if he applies less force, it will remain in the same position. While in workplace 2, the armrest of the chair can be easily adjusted.

Monitor Arm: In workplace 1, the monitor is placed far away since there are books occupying the space in front so the person is not able to see the words on the monitor while in workplace 2, the monitor arm can be adjusted with height and depth and the monitor can be in front of you and the books can be on the table in front and not pushed to the side.

Lamp: The lamp in workplace one is too hot and glaring and the light shines to unwanted places like the computer screen while the lamp in workplace 2 is not hot so it can be easily adjusted to the wanted area.

Table: The table in workplace 1 is small so all the stuffs are cramped together in 1 desk while in workplace 2, there is a shelf below for the CPU and another shelf for the books and a keyboard holder under the desk.

Laptop holder: There is no laptop holder in workplace 1 so the person is unable to use the laptop comfortably. While the user in workplace 2, can do his work comfortably since he can put his laptop on it with his notes on top of it so he can type down what is in his notes quickly.

2. Which workplace is preferred? State with reasons why one workplace is preferred over the other.

Workplace 1 would be preferred for people who are looking for cheap workplaces while workplace 2 would be preferred for people who wants to do their work in comfort.

3. What are the considerations that should be taken into account when designing a workplace that is suitable for the user?

It must be comfortable, convenient for the user to use it and cheap.

4. Why do you think that Ergonomics is important when designing?

Ergonomics is important since customers will have more demand on buying it so it affects the economy. It also affects the way the person does his daily routine every day.