GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING KITCHEN APPLIANCES FOR THE ELDERLY Except where ...

107 Pages·2006·2.63 MB·English

GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING KITCHEN APPLIANCES

FOR THE ELDERLY

Except where reference is made to the work of others, the work described in this thesis is
my own or was done in collaboration with my advisory committee. This thesis does not
include proprietary or classified information.

_________________________________
Susan Richelle Raven

Certificate of Approval:

________________________ ________________________
Christopher Arnold Tin Man Lau, Chair
Assistant Professor Professor
Industrial Design Industrial Design

________________________ ________________________
Shea Tillman Stephen L. McFarland
Assistant Professor Acting Dean
Industrial Design Graduate School
GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING KITCHEN APPLIANCES
FOR THE ELDERLY

Susan Richelle Raven

A Thesis
Submitted to
the Graduate Faculty of
Auburn University
in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the
Degree of
Master of Industrial Design

Auburn, Alabama
August 7, 2006
GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING KITCHEN APPLIANCES
FOR THE ELDERLY

Susan Richelle Raven

Permission is granted to Auburn University to make copies of this thesis at its discretion,
upon request of individuals or institutions and at their expense. The author reserves all
publication rights.

________________________
Signature of Author

________________________
Date of Graduation

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VITA

Susan Raven, daughter of Richard and Eleanor Raven, was born on October 22,
1981, in Lansing, Michigan. She graduated from Shaw High School in Columbus,
Georgia in 1999. In the same year, she entered Auburn University and received a
Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering in August 2003. In May 2005, she graduated with a
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design from Auburn University. She started her
graduate career in May 2005 at Auburn University pursuing a Masters in Industrial
Design.

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THESIS ABSTRACT

GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING KITCHEN APPLIANCES

FOR THE ELDERLY

Susan Richelle Raven

Master of Industrial Design, August 7, 2006
(B.S., Auburn University, 2005)
(B.M.E., Auburn University, 2003)

106 Typed Pages

Directed by Tin Man Lau

The number of elderly people in the United States is growing due to the baby
boom. The life span of kitchen appliances is also growing due to new technologies that
are developed. Since the elderly will be using their kitchen appliances longer than
before, their appliances should be designed with their needs in mind.
The guidelines created in this study give specific dimensions and shapes for
features such as knobs, buttons, switches, and handles. The luminance level of lights,
frequency and decibel of sounds, and color and size of graphics are also given. To create
these guidelines, existing control standards and the aging process of humans were
analyzed.
The guidelines were applied to the design of a microwave oven.

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Style manual or journal used American Psychological Association

Computer software used Microsoft Word, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES.............................................................................................................ix

LIST OF FIGURES............................................................................................................x

I. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................1
a. Problem Statement......................................................................................................1
b. Need for Study............................................................................................................1
c. Literature Review........................................................................................................2
d. Definition of Terms....................................................................................................8
e. Assumptions...............................................................................................................9
f. Scope and Limits......................................................................................................10
g. Anticipated Outcomes..............................................................................................11

II. CHARACTERISTICS OF ELDERLY........................................................................12
a. Physical Changes......................................................................................................12
b. Psychological Changes.............................................................................................16
c. Reaction Towards Technology.................................................................................19

III. DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGN GUIDELINES........................................................20
a. Controls.....................................................................................................................20
i. Layout....................................................................................................................20
ii. Force.....................................................................................................................22
iii. Round Knobs.......................................................................................................22
iv. Pointer Knobs......................................................................................................26
v. Press buttons.........................................................................................................27
vi. Toggle Switches...................................................................................................30
vii. Contact Switches................................................................................................32
viii. Rocker Switches................................................................................................33
ix. Toaster Lever.......................................................................................................34
x. Feedback...............................................................................................................35
1. Lights................................................................................................................36
2. Sounds...............................................................................................................37
b. Handles.....................................................................................................................43
c. Displays.....................................................................................................................46
i. Graphics.................................................................................................................46
ii. Lettering................................................................................................................56
iii. Colors...................................................................................................................58
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iv. Digital Displays...................................................................................................60
d. Technology and Form of appliances.........................................................................61

IV. GUIDELINES FOR DESIGNING KITCHEN APPLIANCES FOR ELDERLY.....64
a. Controls.....................................................................................................................64
i. Round Knobs.........................................................................................................64
ii. Pointer Knobs.......................................................................................................65
iii. Press Buttons.......................................................................................................66
iv. Toggle Switches...................................................................................................67
v. Contact Switches...................................................................................................68
vi. Rocker Switches..................................................................................................69
vii. Toaster Lever......................................................................................................70
viii. Feeback..............................................................................................................71
1. Lights................................................................................................................71
2. Sounds...............................................................................................................72
b. Handles.....................................................................................................................72
c. Displays.....................................................................................................................73
i. Graphics.................................................................................................................73
ii. Lettering................................................................................................................73
iii. Colors...................................................................................................................73
iv. Digital Displays...................................................................................................74
d. Technology and Form of Appliances........................................................................75

V. APPLICATION OF GUIDELINES............................................................................76
a. Idea Sketches.............................................................................................................76
b. Preliminary Models...................................................................................................82
c. Final Model..............................................................................................................85
d. Summary of Project.................................................................................................91

VI. CONCLUSIONS.......................................................................................................92

VI. REFERENCES..........................................................................................................93

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Index Finger Width.............................................................................................29
Table 2: Hand Length of Elderly......................................................................................31
Table 3: Hand Breadth......................................................................................................35
Table 4: Intensity Level of Sounds...................................................................................37
Table 5: Classifications of Hearing Impairment...............................................................39
Table 6: Preferred Listening Level of Speech Sounds by Age.........................................40
Table 7: Hearing Loss in a Population 0-100 years old....................................................42
Table 8: Minimum Character Height When Viewed in Close Proximity.........................53
Table 9: Visual Acuity vs. Age.........................................................................................55

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: DIP Range of Motion........................................................................................23
Figure 2: PIP Range of Motion.........................................................................................23
Figure 3: MCP Range of Motion......................................................................................24
Figure 4: Hand Strength: Adults vs. Elderly.....................................................................25
Figure 5: Ulnar Drift.........................................................................................................27
Figure 6: Normal and Elderly Range of Motion in Hand Joints.......................................45
Figure 7: Existing Graphics on Kitchen Appliances.........................................................48
Figure 8: Stroke Width, Height, and Width......................................................................57
Figure 9: Form of Appliances for Elderly.........................................................................62
Figure 10: Round Knob Dimensions................................................................................64
Figure 11: Pointer Knob Dimensions...............................................................................65
Figure 12: Press Buttons Dimensions...............................................................................66
Figure 13: Toggle Switch Dimensions.............................................................................67
Figure 14: Contact Switch Dimensions............................................................................68
Figure 15: Rocker Switch Dimensions.............................................................................69
Figure 16: Toaster Lever Dimensions...............................................................................70
Figure 17: Light Dimensions............................................................................................71
Figure 18: Handle Dimensions.........................................................................................72
Figure 19: Graphic Dimensions........................................................................................73
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