HOSENOZZLETIM TOCCI | PROF. V.P. HJELTNESS | 10 JAN 2010IDUS 221: HUMAN FACTORS IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

PROJECTOVERVIEW

thumb length01% US | 48 mm43% US | 58 mm50% US | 59 mm99% US | 69 mm

index finger length01% US | 66 mm16% US | 71 mm50% US | 76 mm99% US | 86 mm

middle finger length01% US | 74 mm06% US | 80 mm50% US | 88 mm99% US | 99 mm

ring finger length01% US | 69 mm02% US | 73 mm50% US | 81 mm99% US | 93 mm

little finger length01% US | 51 mm07% US | 55 mm50% US | 61 mm99% US | 71 mm

thumb breadth01% US | 14 mm23% US | 22 mm50% US | 23 mm99% US | 32 mm

index finger breadth01% US | 18 mm46% US | 20 mm50% US | 21 mm99% US | 24 mm

hand thickness01% US | 28mm50% US | 33 mm93% US | 37 mm99% US | 38 mm

hand thickness w/ thumb01% US | 51 mm29% US | 60 mm50% US | 62 mm99% US | 72 mm

HANDMEASURMENTS

hand breadth01% US | 28mm50% US | 33 mm93% US | 37 mm99% US | 38 mm

hand breadth across thumb01% US | 51 mm07% US | 55 mm50% US | 61 mm99% US | 71 mm

The purpose of this project is to redesign a common garden tool with close

attention to human factors’ considerations. The first phase of this project entails

gathering anthropometric data relevant to the specific tool, task, environment, and

user. For the hose nozzle, physical user interaction is limited to the hand;

therefore, several measurements pertaining to the dimensions of my hand were

recorded and compared with anthropometric data from the US (see Dreyfuss).

All measuremnts are taken with calipers in mm. The data are

compared to data for the 1st, 50th, and 99th percentiles for men

from the US. My dimensions are in green.

source: Dreyfuss, Henry. The Measure of Man and

Woman: human factors in design. New York: John Wiley &

Sons, 2002. p 42.

%7 mm38

%05m

m09

%59m

m001

maximum grip diameter05% US (est) | 45 mm50% US (est) | 52 mm66% US (est) | 54 mm95% US (est) | 59 mm

GRIPMEASURMENTS

maximum functional spread05% US (est) | 112 mm47% US (est) | 141 mm50% US (est) | 142 mm95% US (est) | 162 mm

AGE+NATIONALITYCOMPARISON PHASE1CONCLUSION

HOSENOZZLETIM TOCCI | PROF. V.P. HJELTNESS | 10 JAN 2010IDUS 221: HUMAN FACTORS IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

To measure the maximum grip diameter, the hand is

placed around a cone and lowered until only the thumb

and middle fingers touch (Pheseant 250). To simplify

this process, I created a circle with my thumb and

middle fingers and measured the diameter. The

maximum functional spread is taken by

“gripping a wooden wedge with the

tip end segments of the thumb

and ring fingers” (250). My

dimensions are in green.

hand breadth US hand breadth UK hand breadth elderly

hand length US hand length UK hand length elderly

source: Pheseant, Stephen. Bodyspace: anthropometry, egonomics and the design of work. Boca Raton, FL: Taylor Francis Group, 2006. pp 244, 249, and 254.

197mm

83mm

%59m

m502

%5 mm571

%05m

m091%87m

m791

%59m

m502

%5 mm571

%05m

m191%27m

m791

%4.59m

m791

%5 mm061

%05m

m081

%59m

m591

%59m

m09

%5 mm57

%05m

m08

%07m

m38

%59m

m59

%5 mm08

%82m

m38

%05m

m38

%5 mm08

After analyzing the data and comparing with both estimated measurements and actual data from the

United States and the United Kingdom, it is clear that egocentric, ethnocentric, and gerocentric design are

limited in application. While my own dimensions may be a useful starting point, to extrapolate my data

for all users would be an oversimplification. It is also clear that body dimensions are not

linearly correlated, even for a single isolated appendage such as a hand.

Furthermore, there are instances where I myself do not fit the 5th

to 95th percentile range, which serves to indicate the limits of that

rule as well. Essential measurements for the hose nozzle include

the hand, palm, and finger lengths as well as the grip diameter.