Ergonomics Examples: These are some examples of how ergonomics have improved and changed the world.
Example 1: The Chair In the 1700's, the type of chair most commonly used was the English Chair. The English Chair was the first chair made exactly into proportion, the legs were cut square instead of round, and the chair had a fully formed back. Most chairs before, unless they belonged to royalty, had no backs. This was an improvement, but there were still problems. The chair was still made entirely from wood, which, even with a cushion on, was extremely uncomfortable. The chairs also had no shape to the back, just a straight piece of wood with a fancy design on it, and they were also impossibly difficult to move around due to their weight. The first change to the chair was the addition of cushions that were actually attached to the chair. This began sometime before the 1850's, and made chairs much more comfortable and therefore, popular. The next change was the introduction of the folding chair. The first folding chair was actually invented in 1911, however, there are artifacts from Viking Sweden and Norway that look surprisingly like them. It wasn't until the 1940's that the folding chair increased in popularity, though.The last and most recent improvement is the introduction of the ergonomics chair. The ergonomics chair features neck support, back support, wheels, and sliding metal bars that automatically adjust to your back position. However, these chairs are expensive and are not very common. Example 2: The Computer In the 1940's and 50's, computers were colossal machines. The first general computer was the ENIAC, which used vacuum tubes, weighed 27 tons, consumed 150 kilowatts of power, and took up 167 square metres. That's the approximate size of a two story, three bedroom house! Computers continued to decrease in size over the years, but they weren't at all similar to the computers that we use today. In 1984, the first commercial computers were sold with a graphical user interface and a mouse, and it was called the Macintosh. It wasn't long before Microsoft caught on and produced Windows. A little later on, with the invention of microprocessors, LCD displays and improved battery technology, the first commercial laptops were created, the Apple Powerbook and the IBM ThinkPad. In the last decade alone, tablets and smartphones, which are now such a common sight, were invented. The trend towards smaller, lighter and faster to process continues today, as ergonomists continue to find new solutions. Example 3: The Backpack Believe it or not, but backpacks actually didn't become common until the 1960's. How did students carry their books? With their hands. Some would tie their belts around their books and strap them to their chests, but there was nothing to actually carry them in. The first backpack company was L.L. Bean, which modified the camping bag to carry books and assorted school items. However, there were still some problems that needed to be fixed. The main problem was the weight of the backpack once the books had been added in. Most children from the ages of 10-16 have back pain or worse, mainly due to carrying loads of books that were just too heavy. This is where the environment aspect of ergonomics comes into play. The companies knew they couldn't design a backpack that would completely solve this problem, so they came up with the next best solution: telling the customers how much weight they can carry in their bags. To help distribute the weight, they added a strap that would wrap around just below the chest and padding that would relieve pressure off of the shoulders. Studies are currently underway to help find more solutions to this problem.
Example 4: Ergonomics and Posture Ergonomists can adjust and redesign objects all they like, but no one benefits from an improved chair if they're slouching in it! These videos show how, by simply adjusting your posture, you can relieve a lot of the strain on your body. They also show how proper lighting and exercising during breaks helps as well.
These are some examples of how ergonomics have improved and changed the world.
Example 1: The Chair
In the 1700's, the type of chair most commonly used was the English Chair. The English Chair was the first chair made exactly into proportion, the legs were cut square instead of round, and the chair had a fully formed back. Most chairs before, unless they belonged to royalty, had no backs. This was an improvement, but there were still problems. The chair was still made entirely from wood, which, even with a cushion on, was extremely uncomfortable. The chairs also had no shape to the back, just a straight piece of wood with a fancy design on it, and they were also impossibly difficult to move around due to their weight. The first change to the chair was the addition of cushions that were actually attached to the chair. This began sometime before the 1850's, and made chairs much more comfortable and therefore, popular. The next change was the introduction of the folding chair. The first folding chair was actually invented in 1911, however, there are artifacts from Viking Sweden and Norway that look surprisingly like them. It wasn't until the 1940's that the folding chair increased in popularity, though.The last and most recent improvement is the introduction of the ergonomics chair. The ergonomics chair features neck support, back support, wheels, and sliding metal bars that automatically adjust to your back position. However, these chairs are expensive and are not very common.
Example 2: The Computer
In the 1940's and 50's, computers were colossal machines. The first general computer was the ENIAC, which used vacuum tubes, weighed 27 tons, consumed 150 kilowatts of power, and
took up 167 square metres. That's the approximate size of a two story, three bedroom house! Computers continued to decrease in size over the years, but they weren't at all similar to the computers that we use today. In 1984, the first commercial computers were sold with a graphical user interface and a mouse, and it was called the Macintosh. It wasn't long before Microsoft caught on and produced Windows. A little later on, with the invention of microprocessors, LCD displays and improved battery technology, the first commercial laptops were created, the Apple Powerbook and the IBM ThinkPad. In the last decade alone, tablets and smartphones, which are now such a common sight, were invented. The trend towards smaller, lighter and faster to process continues today, as ergonomists continue to find new solutions.
Example 3: The Backpack
Believe it or not, but backpacks actually didn't become common until the 1960's. How did students carry their books? With their hands. Some would tie their belts around their books and strap them to their chests, but there was nothing to actually carry them in. The first backpack company was L.L. Bean, which modified the camping bag to carry books and assorted school items. However, there were still some problems that needed to be fixed. The main problem was the weight of the backpack once the books had been added in. Most children from the ages of 10-16 have back pain or worse, mainly due to carrying loads of books that were just too heavy. This is where the environment aspect of ergonomics comes into play. The companies knew they couldn't design a backpack that would completely solve this problem, so they came up with the next best solution: telling the customers how much weight they can carry in their bags. To help distribute the weight, they added a strap that would wrap around just below the chest and padding that would relieve pressure off of the shoulders. Studies are currently underway to help find more solutions to this problem.
Example 4: Ergonomics and Posture
Ergonomists can adjust and redesign objects all they like, but no one benefits from an improved chair if they're slouching in it! These videos show how, by simply adjusting your posture, you can relieve a lot of the strain on your body. They also show how proper lighting and exercising during breaks helps as well.
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