As of this writing you can get a free preview of the full Sept/Oct issue that includes my first column.Īs the number and variety of gestural interface applications has exploded, design researchers have been focusing more on the physical aspects of human-artifact interaction. I encourage you to check out the Design Bureau web site and consider subscribing to the print or iPad version. If you'd like to submit questions for future issues, please email me. Like the magazine itself, my column will cover questions from a variey of areas including packaging, travel, shopping and interfaces. This is premiering in the just released Sept/Oct issue (#13) of Design Bureau magazine For those unfamiliar with Design Bureau, see my review from earlier this year. Starting this fall, I will have a recurring Q&A column called Bureau of Ergonomics. People often ask for my input on everyday design and ergonomics questions - I was once even contacted by an automobile dealer who was concerned about a customer's request to swap the brake and accelerator pedals (I wisely chose to stay out of that). Update Sept 27 - You can now directly access the article on Design Bureau's web site. iOS’s tab bars are anchored to the bottom of the screen, where your thumb more naturally rests, so it remains easy to change app sections (contrast this with Android’s tab bars, which are usually located at the top of the screen, and sometimes out of reach).".The device is 20% thinner, which allows your hand to wrap around more fully and to gain slightly more reach and.The screen’s width remains narrow and only grows vertically, meaning it’s still easy to reach the entire width of the device.iPhone 5’s huge reduction in weight makes it easier to hold while contorting your hand to touch the hard-to-reach areas of the screen."Four inches is only now barely acceptable on iPhone 5 because: Although seemingly based on his own thumb dimensions, Curtis extrapolates out some interesting insights on the ergonomics of the iPhone 5: Update Dec 1 - I learned of Dustin Curtis' examination of thumb reach for the 3.5" vs 4" versions of the iPhone. It will be interesting to see whether Apple continues this emphasis in its marketing and whether competitors start doing likewise. For instance their are some concerns about the just announced iPad Mini, including the fesability of one-handed grasping (see A Mini Tablet for a Maxi Hand). It's important to note that there's a difference between marketing ergonomics and designing ergonomics (often a huge difference). But that's exactly what we've tried to do with the new EarPods." (emphasis added) "Making one headphone to fit everybody's ears would be like trying to make one pair of shoes to fit everbodys feet - I mean it's impossible. The long-form ears video is certainly more interesting and explanatory, and Jony Ive admits, albeit subtley, the challenges in designing a one-size-fits-all product: The thumb advertisment is intentionally simplistic and non-technical, almost poetic. Interactions of the iPhone and iPad, consumers are looking beyond theįlat-world of the digital display to the more holistic three-dimensionalĪs an ergonomist it's interesting to see how potential ergonomic benefits are defined and communicated to the consumer public. Interaction and physical design, an area that Apple has pioneered via gestural Why is Apple marketing a new emphasis on physical ergonomics? Perhaps with the growing intersection of digital Here's the long-form version, not typically seen on TV, with Jony Ive discussing the 3D scanning of ears to determine best fit: For example the "Thumb" commercial compares the range of thumb reach to the screen layout of the iPhone 5:Īnother one of their ads, "Ears" touches on the anthropometrics of the outer ear (although certainly not using those technical terms). While Apple hasĪlways been know for marketing their products based on simplicity, ease of use and aesthetics, their newest TVĬampaign puts a direct emphasis on the physical ergonomics of their Although not as fun as Samsung's current advertising campaign, Apple's latest television spots are notable for their focus on ergonomics.
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