Journal of the Design area with a focus on Human Factors/Ergonomics, linked to the Graduate Program in Design, at the Arts, Design and Fashion Center of the Santa Catarina State University. ISSN: 2316-7963 Frequency: semiannual Year of criation: 2012
Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC)
Os artigos publicados pela revista são de uso gratuito, destinados a aplicações acadêmicas e não comerciais. Os direitos autorais são todos cedidos à revista. Os artigos cujos autores são identificados representam a expressão do ponto de vista de seus autores e não a posição oficial da revista Human Factors Design. O (s) autor (es) se compromete a sempre que publicar material referente ao artigo publicado na Revista Human Factors Design mencionar a referida publicação da seguinte forma: Este artigo foi públicado originalmente pela Revista Human Factors Design em seu volume (colocar o volume), número (colocar o número) no ano de (colocar o ano) e pode ser acessado em: https://periodicos.udesc.br/index.php/hfd/index
Copyright (c) 2026 Human Factors in Design https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
ERGONOMIC ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL LOAD IN TRANSPORT AND CARGO HANDLING
The transportation and handling of loads often require operators to exert physical force to reach their final destination. Therefore, it is crucial for fleet managers to adequately manage the risks involved in these activities. The present study aims to perform an ergonomic analysis of the physical workload using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method and to demonstrate that this method can be effective in the decision-making process of managers regarding ergonomic issues. The method provides rapid results on the impacts of physical workload on the worker's body, making it a valuable tool for managers to assess and address ergonomic risks. The results showed that the method was useful for the proposed situation and that operators perform 50% of their activities under a very high ergonomic risk.
Copyright (c) 2025 Human Factors in Design https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Fashion and inclusion: co-creation of clothing for children and teenagers with visual impairments
Starting from the importance of stimulating children and adolescents with visual impairments in tactile, auditory sensations, and in interactions with the environment around them, this article aimed to: contact with an institution that provides visual/essential stimulation; application of Co-wear: Functional fashion co-creation method with participants, their parents and teachers; design, development and evaluation of a functional fashion collection that met participants' design requirements. Based on applied, qualitative, exploratory research and case studies, the objectives were achieved. 8 t-shirts were developed with tactile and auditory features that favored the interactions of the participants, who tried and evaluated the clothing well.
Copyright (c) 2024 Human Factors in Design https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Disabled pregnant women: overview of pre-delivery care available in Brazil and worldwide
The experiences lived during pregnancy can influence the quality of motherhood. When it comes to pregnant women with disabilities, the challenges are even greater. This study aimed to identify, through a systematic search, studies on the practices of aid and support for the preparation of disabled pregnant women and health professionals related to childbirth, in order to establish a picture of the current situation of how these women are being supported in Brazil and in the world. As a result, it was found that most studies report the experiences of both disabled pregnant women and health professionals, the needs of both in relation to their interactions, and few are discussed about solutions for these needs, demonstrating the relevance of this discussion.
Interaction design and alternative and augmentative communication (AAC): an analysis of usability AAC applications
The communication rehabilitation process in autistic children requires support tools for physiotherapy and speech therapy sessions, the so-called assistive technologies. One of these tools is rehabilitation apps. However, the applications most used for this purpose can present a complex interface. Therefore, existing applications were analyzed, and two applications were selected (Let me talk and Symbo Talk), because they are widespread in the rehabilitation segment and because they have a greater number of functionalities. To analyze the usability of these applications, usability tests were carried out by task, with seven volunteer specialists, who work at the Centro Catarinense de Reabilitação (CCR) in Florianópolis. As a result, the Let me talk App was rated highest for its usability.
Digital inclusion of the elderly: assessment of the usability of the visual elements of a mobile prototype
This study is the result of a master's search that had aim to evaluate the visual elements of interface design, for the development of a mobile application to aid supermarket purchases, aiming at improving the process of digital inclusion of the elderly public. Initially, the visual elements applied to the prototype were established and subsequently evaluated by the target audience. The results obtained confirmed the suitability of the visual elements used and reinforced the need for greater fomentation of digital inclusion for the elderly public.
Antonia Fagnia Batista Pereira Vieira Diniz
A proposal for the development of sports shirts for goalball practice
The evolution of sports fashion in its multiple modalities is constantly growing in both the design and technology areas, where new materials and finishes are developed to add value and quality to the final product. The objective of this research is to propose adaptations to the men's sports shirts used by the Sesi Mogi das Cruzes paralympic goalball team. The target audience of this research are professional para-athletes, practitioners of sports activity, have some visual impairment and train every day. Informal interviews were carried out with para-athletes, health professionals and team coaches to understand what the main discomforts are caused by the current uniform. New uniforms were produced with the same modeling as the current uniform, but with a dry knit fabric, which aims to accelerate the speed of moisture transport from the body to the environment, keeping the shirt fabric dry. A field study was carried out with two volunteer para-athletes. On the first day para-athlete 1 wore the current uniform and para-athlete 2 the uniform proposed by this research and on the second day the para-athletes reversed the uniforms. To analyze the thermal comfort of the garments, photographs were taken with a thermographic camera, after the athletes had warmed up and after training with the ball. To analyze the other types of shirt comfort, interviews were conducted with the two para-athletes selected after warm-up and after training with the ball. The results showed that only replacing the knitted fabric with a dry knitted fabric was not enough to guarantee the thermal comfort of the proposed garment. To increase the comfort of the uniforms, it will be necessary to place a mesh fabric (small hole), to increase the ventilation of the clothing, in the regions where higher body temperature was detected. It was proposed the development of a prototype in seamless knitting, where there is the possibility of combining during the weaving of the piece areas of plain knit and areas with mesh.
Ergonomic considerations on the activity of the hospital emergency and urgent unit management
The study proposes to identify the main demands faced by the head of the urgency and emergency unit of a university hospital in Santa Catarina, focusing on the ergonomics of the activity. The intention is to propose ergonomic recommendations for the work process, since there is a lack of studies that analyze the work of health professionals who work in strategic leadership positions. The research method was content analysis, through semi-structured interviews. Adaptation of the activities developed was proposed, in the organization of work, distribution of tasks, training and qualification of the team, among other strategies to promote a healthy and safe work environment.
Support methodology to the informational and conceptual design of small recreational powerboats
This article proposes a methodology for the design of motor recreational boats which are a crucial part of the Brazilian nautical industry. Despite the high demand for these boats, design methodologies for small leisure vessels are not well explored in the literature, leading to not mapped aspects as design information treatment, requirements engineering, and trade-off conflicts. The proposed methodology aims to systematize the obtaining of design specifications, generation and evaluation of solution concepts, employing de- sign support tools. The methodology was evaluated by applying it on a small recreational motorboat, and the results were positively evaluated by nautical industry and academic specialists, leading to acceptation of the methodology and some suggestions for improvement.
Este artigo discute sobre o corpo e o aprendizado de modelagem de roupas. Neste contexto, o corpo se constitui a partir de diversos atravessamentos, tanto simbólicos como técnicos. A partir de uma revisão bibliográfica atualizada, os conceitos sobre corpo e educação são investigados e aproximados às práticas de modelagem. A discussão se adensa a partir de um relato de experiência em sala de aula, que registra uma alternativa didática para o aprendizado da modelagem por meio de uma experiência corporal envolvendo a técnica de crepagem. Conclui-se que é possível proporcionar outras maneiras de aprendizagem, por meio do da percepção ativa do corpo e não apenas pela transmissão de conteúdos.
O artigo aborda o desenvolvimento de soluções em tecnologia assistiva com prototipagem rápida, visando criar e avaliar produtos assistivos impressos em 3D para pessoas com limitações motoras nas mãos. A pesquisa foi dividida em três fases: inspiração, ideação e implementação. Foram projetados dispositivos como estabilizadores de talheres e suportes multifuncionais, ajustados com o software “Fusion 360” e impressos em PLA. Testes em instituições de reabilitação mostraram melhorias na funcionalidade e autonomia dos pacientes. O estudo destaca a eficácia da impressão 3D e sugere mais investigações sobre novos materiais e técnicas.
A digital wallet experience evaluation using a Self-concept based method
The Self-concept method has the innovative feature of measuring the distance between the ideal and actual expectations, instead of considering the absolute grade received by an artifact. In this research, we used a method based on the Self-concept to evaluate the user experience of a digital wallet. Therefore, three prototypes of the same digital wallet application were evaluated using both the System Usability Scale (SUS) and the Self-concept-based methodology. Based on that, it was possible to define feelings/perceptions that qualify the experience with digital wallets and even evaluate successive versions of prototypes. The concept was considered less distant from the idealization of the test participants, and was generated insights based on users' experiences.
Expediente HFD, v. 13, n. 25, jun. 2024
INCORPORATING SYSTEM DYNAMICS INTO WORK ERGONOMIC ANALYSIS
Ergonomic analyses require a broader understanding of the interplay between various factors to ensure more efficient diagnostics. This study aimed to develop a Work Ergonomic Analysis (WEA) and, from there, to construct a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) to examine the working conditions in the footwear industry. The methodology was based on the stages of WEA and subsequently integrated the CLD. Five loops (closed cycles of cause and effect) were identified, with two being particularly significant: the Influence of Workload on Physical Overload and the Influence of Movements on Physical Recovery. It was concluded that integrating the CLD enhanced the analytical capacity and provided more informational support for optimizing the identified conditions.
Giselle Schmidt Alves Díaz Merino Merino
Usability and Accessibility in Assistive Technology for Visually Impaired
This study presents a systematic review focused on identification and analysis of the use of usability and accessibility guidelines in Assistive Technologies (AT) for visually impaired. The research analyzes nine papers and the perspectives of four renowned authors in the field of usability and the development of interactive systems. The study also highlights five insights found in the papers, considered fundamental in the development of AT. The conclusion points to the importance of using these guidelines, as currently, the limited integration of specialized knowledge in this area leads to a restriction in the effective development of applications.
Uma interface em realidade aumentada usando internet das coisas (IoT) para o monitoramento de docas
This article aims to present a digital interface in Augmented Reality in an IoT (Internet of Things) system and its usability analysis based on user tests. To carry out this research, the Double Diamond method was applied to understand the requirements of personas and promote innovation in the construction of the interface for the industrial sector. The results confirm that the developed interface: (1) has easy user adaptation to manipulate virtual elements inserted in the physical world; (2) it promotes more agility and efficiency in the management, training and mentoring process. In this way, it is considered appropriate for implementation in a factory.
Aesthetic-functional passive Kwawu: Remix of an open-source transradial upper limb prosthesis manufactured by 3D printing
Open-source upper limb prostheses manufactured through 3D printing are predominantly active models, limited in both functionality and aesthetics. The objective of this study was to describe the development process of a functional-aesthetic passive upper limb prosthesis remix. The study involved adapting open-source components, parameterized based on anthropometric measurements from a mannequin. The remix of components enabled a device with swift interchangeability between aesthetic and functional terminals. Terminal interchangeability converged functionality and aesthetics in an upper limb prosthesis, thereby bridging the gap in the realm of passive open-source prostheses.
Copyright (c) 2023 Human Factors in Design https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Systematic design of a shower chair: utilization of methods with a participatory approach
The abandonment of assistive devices is mostly associated with the disregard for the individual’s needs and the traditionally unsystematic design process. This work presents the systematic and participatory development of the conceptual design of a shower chair. By combining clinical practice instruments and engineering methods, twelve users were interviewed to assist decision-making. The generated solution presented innovation, correspondence with the demands, and good evaluation by health professionals. The approach allowed greater fluidity in the communication between domains, highlighting the heterogeneity within interactions and favoring more objective and egalitarian exchanges.
Organizational structure analysis of an Orthotics, Prosthetics and Auxiliary Means Unit in the SUS:a case study
Rehabilitation in the Brazilian public health care system (SUS) involves the continuous contact of several sectors to assist the patient. Improvements in the structure of a SUS orthosis unit are analyzed and recommended. The Macroergonomic Analysis of Structure (MAS) is used, through observation and semi-structured interview. The analysis indicated high formalization in the service and the opportunity to improve the means of integration. These improvements do not change the organizational structure and can contribute to the forecasting of AT demand, patient flow management and communication between UOPM and municipal health units, reducing time wastage and patient waiting.
Use of virtual learning environments in distance learning courses by people with disabilities: an integrative review
This study investigated the relationship between the attrition rate of people with disabilities in distance learning courses and the usability of Moodle®. Studies in Portuguese, English and Spanish were selected from the databases Scopus, Scielo and Science Direct. Of the eight articles found, five met the selection criteria. The results indicated greater accessibility barriers for people with visual impairments compared to people with hearing impairments, and improved usability using high-quality videos and captioned tables. The study highlights the need for more research into the usability of Moodle® for people with disabilities, especially in Brazil.
Use of low-cost materials to improve the grip of 3D-printed hand prostheses
3D-printed prostheses are affordable and contribute to rehabilitation, but they have limitations. The grip is crucial to improving functionality. In this study, different materials were tested for adherence, applying them in different positions, and observing sliding with weights in a cylindrical grip. The Latex material obtained the best performance, applied to the digital, phalanx, and palm. Increasing adherence contributes to the experience, satisfaction, and acceptance of users of these prostheses. This drives Assistive Technology and related fields forward.
Integration of University Networks to improve Assistive Technology Production
University networks strengthen scientific and interdisciplinary development. The objective of this study is to discuss the integration between UFPR and UDESC for the improvement of Assistive Technology. From the method of temporal historical review, between 2016 and 2023, the theses and dissertations developed by the LABERG/UFPR and Li2TA/UDESC laboratories are surveyed. Twenty-eight researches were found and categorized, based on ISO 9999:2016. The results of the review indicated that the laboratories could develop new research regarding the User-Centered Design method, through the experience of projects of artifacts, tools and devices developed at universities.
The animation for communicational accessibility for deaf children
The objective of this work is to present the creation of a videobook with LIBRAS animation, focused on Inclusive Education. The study developed educational material for learning LIBRAS, as well as promoting healthy eating habits. The construction of the videobook involved the following steps: defining the theme, plot, and script; creating characters and storyboards; modeling the scenery and characters; animation; recording LIBRAS; designing the page layout and assembling the videobook. In a future stage, it is expected to validate the material with users to assess its effectiveness and contribution to Inclusive Education.
Development of unilateral crochet device fabricated through additive manufacturing
Assistive Technologies (AT) must be specified beyond their functionality goal and consider the factors in which they will be applied, specifically cost and access. The objective was to develop a unilateral crochet device through additive manufacturing. Considering the demands of a hospitalized patient, necessary measurement and positioning were identified, a prototype model was designed through CAD and later manufactured through a 3D printer. The device was successfully tested by two Occupational Therapy students with previous knowledge on bimanual crochet. The AT should go through patient testing in the future.
Adoption and use of Assistive Technology in Specialized Educational Assistance – AEE
The adoption and use of Assistive Technology – AT in Specialized Educational Assistance are essential to favor the inclusion of students with disabilities, since they provide access, permanence and participation, by allowing or expanding functionality in school context. A case study was carried out in two stages: retrospective, documental, referring to the analysis of institutional documents; and prospective, exploratory, related to interviews. It aimed to evaluate whether AT was present in the planning and in the care reports and how it was used in the AEE. It was evidenced that AT is present in the daily life of the AEE, but they are not described in the institutional documents.
3D Tactile Anatomy: inclusive educational material for teaching and learning human anatomy
This study presents the development of the Anatomia Tátil 3D project based on the principles of Universal Design (UD). The objective is to create three-dimensional representations of human organs for teaching students. Using Blender software, images from the Atlas 3D Anatomy app are used as references for modeling and subsequent 3D printing. The developed pieces have textures representing organ tissues and include legends in Braille and traditional alphabet. The study complies with the principles of UD, ensuring equality, adaptability, safety, and ease of use for all students, promoting an inclusive and enriching educational experience.
Maker Movement: Creative Workshops for Pedagogical Resources and Assistive Technology development
Maker Movement is based on groups focused on science and technology, with the purpose of offering support to the development of projects. It aims to present the Creative Workshops of Pedagogical Resources, based on the maker culture, aimed at the production of Assistive Technology - AT for the special education public. Resulted in: 32 workshops with 328 trained professionals and 2,593 accessible pedagogical resources produced. They contributed to the sharing of practices and knowledge and to the instrumentalization of the participants in the elaboration and development of AT, according to the specificities of the students for whom they are intended, promoting access, permanence, participation and learning in the educational context.
Digital games as an assistive technology resource in the literacy of students with autism spectrum disorder
With the use of assistive technology in education, the possibility of students with the disorder having better learning conditions is increased. The objective of this study is to identify in which aspects digital games favor the literacy process of students with autism spectrum disorder. The study was based on qualitative, descriptive and bibliographical research. Six digital games focused on children's literacy were evaluated by six basic education teachers. It was observed, with the result of data collection, that the selected games are suitable for children with autism spectrum disorder and contribute to the literacy process.