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Portability of three consumer products
A Mital1, A M Genaidy, H F Fard
1Ergonomics Research Laboratory, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
Applied Ergonomics
|December 1, 1989
Summary
Portability of consumer electronics like TVs, PCs, and typewriters was tested. Only the television set was found to be truly portable based on physical and perceived exertion during carrying tasks.
Area of Science:
- Ergonomics
- Human Factors Engineering
- Consumer Product Design
Background:
- Manufacturers often label electronic devices as portable, but objective measures of portability are lacking.
- Assessing portability requires evaluating the physical and subjective demands on users during transport.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally evaluate the portability of a television set, personal computer, and typewriter.
- To determine if these consumer products meet objective criteria for portability based on user workload.
Main Methods:
- Twenty-eight participants (22 males, 6 females) carried three consumer products over distances ranging from 45.72 to 182.88 meters.
- Physiological (pulse) and subjective (ratings of perceived exertion - RPE) workloads were measured to assess user strain.
Main Results:
- Both physiological and subjective responses were significantly affected by product type and carrying distance.
- Carrying a personal computer and typewriter resulted in excessive physical and perceived exertion compared to the television set.
Conclusions:
- Of the three evaluated consumer products, only the television set demonstrated true portability.
- Design guidelines for carrying tasks suggest that personal computers and typewriters, as tested, exceed acceptable portability limits.