Ergonomic Design Considerations in Health Tech

Why comfort and fit are essential design considerations in medical devices

In many industries, product design rarely accounts for the variability of user profiles, with a focus on the ‘average’ person.  Headphones or even glasses too often do not account for head size and comfort; instead, there is more of an emphasis on functionality. The medical device sector is no different. Dr Jae Son, CEO and Founder of tactile sensing expert PPS, explains how tactile sensors can boost adoption, improve patient outcomes, and help medical technology reach its full potential.

Ergonomics, also known as human factors, in the medical context is designing and engineering equipment that is tailored to the user’s body and needs. Comfort and fit, along with usability and performance, are key aspects of a medical device’s success. In surgical cases, up to 20 per cent of patients with knee replacements are unhappy with the results. This shows that even advanced medical devices and implants can fall short, often due to discomfort or a poor fit of the implant.

Another example is a sleep apnoea mask which has exploded in recent years with some people’s lives having been changed dramatically from better sleep. Research shows that many people don’t use sleep apnoea devices due to an uncomfortable fit. What feels comfortable for one user might not work for another. This means that designing for various body shapes and biomechanical variations is a big challenge. It takes more effort than just focusing on ‘the average user’.

The one-size-fits-all approach, while needed from a practical design, inventory management and business perspective, is one of the common pitfalls in designing medical devices. This may occur either because the high pressure causes the device to buckle, or because its size does not match the individual’s head, making an otherwise effective device unusable.  Like with other products away from the medical setting, such as helmets, shoes or goggles, if they do not fit right, they will not be used.

continue…