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Ergonomics Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/terg20
Rehabilitation technology or the ergonomics of ergonomics M. SOEDE
a
a
Institute for Rehabilitation Research , Hoensbroek, 6432 CC, The Netherlands Published online: 27 Mar 2007.
To cite this article: M. SOEDE (1990) Rehabilitation technology or the ergonomics of ergonomics, Ergonomics, 33:3, 367-373, DOI: 10.1080/00140139008927138 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00140139008927138
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
ERGONOMICS, 1990, VOL. 33, No.3, 367-373
Rehabilitation technology or the ergonomics of ergonomics M.
SOEDE
Institute for Rehabilitation Research, 6432 CC Hoensbroek, The Netherlands
Downloaded by [York University Libraries] at 08:52 30 December 2014
Keywords: Disabled people; Rehabilitation; Product design.
This paper describes some of the problems in rehabilitation technology. It is emphasized that design for people with impairments will become more and more 'less special'.A good design procedure involvesa verygood knowledgeofthe target group. Target groups cannot be described by the usual statistics as seen in ergonomics.
1. Introduction An impairment may remain even after medical treatment or one can be born with an irreversible impairment. All sorts of activities aimed at an optimal functioning of a person with an impairment in society is part of the field of rehabilitation. In many cases it is possible to alleviate the problem with a technical aid: rehabilitation technology. Large areas of rehabilitation technology (should) follow the rules of common product design. Additional problems arise because of the fact that target user groups are small (sometimes just one individual), or have peculiar properties and requirements. Furthermore, its commercial market differs from the normal consumer products market.
2. Description of target groups A detailed description of target groups, if at all possible, would take huge volumes of books. This paragraph will only address a (global) classification of target groups. There are two possible ways to describe target groups. The first, a very practical one, is description by diagnosis: medical cause being used as its basis. Examples are: muscle dystrophy, quadriplegia, amiotrophy, rheumatism, chronic pain, cerebral vascular accident (CVA), head trauma, amputation, blindness, and deafness. These diagnostic groups are often organized in unions or societies. There seems to be a large area of common problems in the medical, financial, psychological, social and provision fields. As rehabilitation became a more and more defined discipline, there grew a need for a more fundamental view on classification of handicapped people. The World Health Organization (WHO) provided such a classification around 1980. This actually provided a second way to describe the target groups (WHO 1980). This classification describes a person on three levels, i.e. impairment, disability and handicap. 'Impairment' is characterized by losses or abnormalities in a limb, organ, tissue or other structure of the body including the systems of mental function. 'Disability' is any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered nonnal for a human being. 'Handicap' is a disadvantage, for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or disability, that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex, and social and cultural factors) for that individual. Figure I illustrates the relation between impairment, OOI
Ergonomics Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/terg20
Rehabilitation technology or the ergonomics of ergonomics M. SOEDE
a
a
Institute for Rehabilitation Research , Hoensbroek, 6432 CC, The Netherlands Published online: 27 Mar 2007.
To cite this article: M. SOEDE (1990) Rehabilitation technology or the ergonomics of ergonomics, Ergonomics, 33:3, 367-373, DOI: 10.1080/00140139008927138 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00140139008927138
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http:// www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
ERGONOMICS, 1990, VOL. 33, No.3, 367-373
Rehabilitation technology or the ergonomics of ergonomics M.
SOEDE
Institute for Rehabilitation Research, 6432 CC Hoensbroek, The Netherlands
Downloaded by [York University Libraries] at 08:52 30 December 2014
Keywords: Disabled people; Rehabilitation; Product design.
This paper describes some of the problems in rehabilitation technology. It is emphasized that design for people with impairments will become more and more 'less special'.A good design procedure involvesa verygood knowledgeofthe target group. Target groups cannot be described by the usual statistics as seen in ergonomics.
1. Introduction An impairment may remain even after medical treatment or one can be born with an irreversible impairment. All sorts of activities aimed at an optimal functioning of a person with an impairment in society is part of the field of rehabilitation. In many cases it is possible to alleviate the problem with a technical aid: rehabilitation technology. Large areas of rehabilitation technology (should) follow the rules of common product design. Additional problems arise because of the fact that target user groups are small (sometimes just one individual), or have peculiar properties and requirements. Furthermore, its commercial market differs from the normal consumer products market.
2. Description of target groups A detailed description of target groups, if at all possible, would take huge volumes of books. This paragraph will only address a (global) classification of target groups. There are two possible ways to describe target groups. The first, a very practical one, is description by diagnosis: medical cause being used as its basis. Examples are: muscle dystrophy, quadriplegia, amiotrophy, rheumatism, chronic pain, cerebral vascular accident (CVA), head trauma, amputation, blindness, and deafness. These diagnostic groups are often organized in unions or societies. There seems to be a large area of common problems in the medical, financial, psychological, social and provision fields. As rehabilitation became a more and more defined discipline, there grew a need for a more fundamental view on classification of handicapped people. The World Health Organization (WHO) provided such a classification around 1980. This actually provided a second way to describe the target groups (WHO 1980). This classification describes a person on three levels, i.e. impairment, disability and handicap. 'Impairment' is characterized by losses or abnormalities in a limb, organ, tissue or other structure of the body including the systems of mental function. 'Disability' is any restriction or lack of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered nonnal for a human being. 'Handicap' is a disadvantage, for a given individual, resulting from an impairment or disability, that limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal (depending on age, sex, and social and cultural factors) for that individual. Figure I illustrates the relation between impairment, OOI
