Ergonomic Assessment Methods for the Evaluation of Hand Held Industrial Products:A Review

Abstract

In the segment of industrial products, hand held products occupy a major section. An important issue in design of these products is to identify the factors that lead to human comfort and those leading to discomfort. The aim of this paper is to discuss some approaches for product evaluation and to discuss their significance in designing better products. Usability testing is increasingly being realized as an important tool for evaluating products. Comfort and iscomfort assessment has been a topic of major concern when comparing and evaluating products. The understanding of the two terms in the context of product evaluation and the methods for evaluating comfort and discomfort experience have also been discussed. The work reviewed provides a solid foundation on which any future research for product development and assessment can be performed and analyzed.