Design for All - Design for Disabled: How important is anthropometry?

BACKGROUND: Design for All or Universal Design is a relatively new domain in Ergonomics. With globally ageing populations, it has however recently gained significant interest. OBJECTIVE: This position paper summarizes the outcomes of a workshop held at the virtual 21st Triennial Congress of the International Ergonomics Association. The paper expands the horizon of traditional Ergonomics into a domain where people are differently abled and establishes a platform for the essential needs of future ergonomic standards which are required to inform inclusive design guidelines, or Design for All, extending the range of users. METHODS: The paper includes contributions from Asian, Australian, European and US workshop participants who are accessibility design experts in their respective geographic regions. The paper summarizes issues related to anthropometry in the Design for All, based on recent work in the US (Access board) and actual developments in various national and international accessibility standardization bodies, such as the Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand, the European Standardization Organization (EN 17210:2021; EN 17161:2019) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 21542:2021 and BS ISO 7176-5:2008). CONCLUSIONS: The paper concludes that despite the identification of a significant gap in knowledge of the anthropometry of people with disabilities as far back as 1990, work towards bridging the gap and enabling ergonomic standardization has not progressed since then globally. The lack of standardization in anthropometric data on people with a physical disability continues to complicate provision of data for mobility and accessibility design and hampers accessibility standardization efforts.

Effects of aerobic exercise on lipid profiles and high molecular weight adiponectin in Japanese workers.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome is characterized by the accumulation of several metabolic risk factors. It is important to improve physical activity and dietary habits to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in humans. METHODS: The study participants participated in a weekly aerobic exercise program that included a session composed of a brief meeting, warm-up exercises, and primary exercises (low and high impact, stretch, muscle training, and cooling down). To evaluate the effect of this intervention we measured body fat composition, holding power, and quality of life assessment. Blood tests were also carried out before and every 3 months during the study. RESULTS: Of the 37 participants enrolled in the exercise group, 31 (83.8%) completed the 12-week program. The control group consisted of 42 subjects, 36 (85.7%) of whom were available for follow-up at the end of the 12-week study period. In the exercise group, weight, body fat percentage, waist circumference, the World Health Organization quality of life 26 (WHO-QOL 26) score, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol had improved significantly at the end of three months. The high molecular weight adiponectin concentration of the participants in the exercise group increased during the 9-month period of the study, although this change did not reach statistical significance compared with pre-exercise. CONCLUSION: Aerobic exercise led to an improvement in body composition and lipid profiles. High molecular weight adiponectin concentrations tended to improve compared with pre-aerobic exercise levels.

Comparative study of eye movements in extent of central and peripheral vision and use by young and elderly walkers.

This study compares the visual abilities of young and elderly groups while walking, focusing on differences in the ranges and velocities of eye movements and on differences in the extent and use of their central and peripheral vision. On the basis of two experiments, the following differences between young and elderly walkers in the use of vision, as well as the effect of these differences on walking cadence (the number of steps per minute) were clarified. Elderly subjects depended more on central vision than younger subjects while they were walking, and their walking cadences were hindered by limited visual range. In contrast, younger subjects made use of both their central and peripheral vision while walking; the clarity of peripheral vision gave them greater control over the process of their walking than elderly subjects had.