Ergonomics is a branch of science drawing from physiology, engineering and psychology studies.

It seeks to harmonize the functionality of tasks with the human requirements of those performing them. Ergonomic design focuses on the compatibility of objects and environments with the humans using them. The principals of ergonomic design can be applied to everyday objects, and work spaces. The word ergonomic means human engineering. Ergonomic design is said to be humancentered design focusing on usability. It seeks to ensure that human restrictions and capabilities are met and supported by design options. In an ergonomic environment, equipment and tasks will be aligned. Mass production of products does not take into account that humans come in various shapes and sizes. The proportions of a chair that work well to support a six foot tall body frame can add stress and challenges to a smaller sized person. Mass production can make the most commonplace products difficult to use. Considerations like the size and shape of tools and how they fit into the hand that will use them are important to ergonomic design. A can opener requiring little effort from the strong hands of a twenty year old male might present significant challenges for the weaker hands of a seventy year old female. A thorough understanding of the specific tasks an object is intended for is central to achieving the ergonomic design goal of aiding the human form in executing them. Quality ergonomics is thought to reduce the risk of injury and errors by ensuring that technology and humanity fit and are working together. Greater accuracy and more efficient performance will be achieved by meeting human needs with technology. Quality of life will also be improved. Poor lighting and glare from computer screens in work spaces can detract from performance by adding difficulty. Ergonomically incorrect lighting can result in neck or eye strain and shorten the time a worker is able to perform a task in this environment. Ergonomically correct lighting can make the same task easier by improving a workers ability to see, reducing neck and eye stress, and allowing performance of the task longer and more efficiently. The need for ergonomic design is thought to have originated during World War II, when it became apparent that military systems could be more effective if they took into account the environmental requirements of the soldiers operating them. After incorporating ergonomic changes in some military systems, efficiency and effectiveness as well as safety were

improved. The number of manufacturers and business recognizing the benefits of ergonomic design principals continues to grow.

WHAT IS THE FUNCTION OF ERGONOMIC? 1. Safety Effective and successful fits assure high productivity, avoidance of illness and injury risks, and increased satisfaction among the workforce 2. Comfort- give comfortable to the user 3. Ease- easy to function 4. Productivity- the best ergonomics solutions will often improve productivity by reducing unnecessary or awkward postures and exertions almost necessarily reduces the time it takes to complete a given task, thus improving productivity 5. Aesthetics - value might be cheap and practical, but people are usually interested in a little aesthetic value, too, even if it adds something in weight, cost, time, etc. For example, much of the design of automobiles has to do with aesthetic value and not function.

If a product is ergonomic it is specifically designed to be comfortable and easy to use, physically and psychologically. Ergonomic products are often advertised as reducing fatigue and repetitive strain, and boosting productivity. In recent years ergonomics have been associated more and more with computer products, such as ergonomic mice and keyboards. While a standard keyboard is said to place the wrists in an unnatural position, an ergonomic keyboard is split with each half set at an angle to the other, forming a slight V-shape. A more natural posture can be maintained while resting the hands upon an ergonomic keyboard, thus facilitating a comfortable experience even for extended periods of use. However, the simple claim that a design is ergonomic doesn't necessarily make it more comfortable. There is no governing guideline for creating an ergonomic product, and research used for designs can, in some cases, be faulty. This can lead to a product that, by popular standards, is even less comfortable than its traditional counterpart. Environment that is conducive to natural movements of the body, the NIH lists some simple exercises one can perform throughout the day, while sitting at a desk, to relieve fatigue. Aside from workspace, another area where ergonomic design figures prominently is interior automobile design. Car seats with adjustable height, seat pan tilt, and lumbar support; dashboards and consoles laid out with controls placed in intuitive locations - even the control knobs themselves are designed to be easy to use. Although any product can have some ergonomic value - ATMs, power tools, and racing bikes to name a few-as a general rule, the more continual use a product gets, the more time will go into ergonomic research in designing it. Hence, the emphasis on workspace products and automobiles. The goal of ergonomic products or environments is to interface with humans in the most natural way possible. In buying products and creating environments with ergonomic design at home and at work, one should be able to enjoy one's work or play with added ease and reduced stress.

EXAMPLE OF ERGONOMIC

Example: office chair An ergonomic office chair is an office seat that has been carefully designed for the user to be able to work productively, efficiently and safety as well as minimizing any feeling of fatigue or discomfort. 1. Seat dept adjustment = it is vital for proper leg positioning and comfort 2. Height back adjustment = it is important for good lower back and lumber support 3. Arm height adjustment = comfortable to support arm ang shoulders giving ease movement and minimizing the risk of repetitive strain injury. 4. Seat height adjustment = for feet to firmly on the floor with upper legs angled slightly downwords 5. Tilt tension adjustment = to contol and adjust the balance of chair, so it move with providing proper support.

When designing a chair, one of the most important factors is comfort. This is linked closely to the seating height. Usually the seating height is calculated by measuring the most comfortable height for the person who is going to use the chair. If the chair is to be used by numerous people (such as in a Doctors waiting room), it is important to measure the comfortable seating height of a range of people and then work out the average height. The average seating height is then applied to the chair