Francesca Tosi

The article discusses the development of the models and content of training in ergonomics, through the successive stages of evolution at Italian and European level. The different training models are discussed based on the proposed content and the relationship with university degree courses. The article discusses the development of the models and content of training in ergonomics, through the successive stages of evolution at Italian and European level. The different training models are discussed based on the proposed content and the relationship with university degree courses.

The essay is the afterword to the book "Design for better life". It addresses the issue of design for the elderly in the context of research aimed at the social inclusion of the most vulnerable sections of the population. In this, as in all its areas of development, design appears to be a strategic factor capable of synthesising, in possible design solutions, on the one hand, the plurality of needs arising from the many and varied conditions that characterise the elderly and, on the other, the opportunities offered by technological innovation and the evolution of social behaviour. The objectives of the most recent interventions in favour of the elderly are, in fact, social inclusion based on the correct use of communication and assistance technologies, the guarantee of accessibility and usability of urban spaces and public and collective services, and the safeguarding and enhancement of personal autonomy. ICT technologies and the opportunities offered by assistive technology aimed at environmental control and personal safety are examined in relation to their use by older people.

The usability of medical devices is a fundamental factor in ensuring patient safety and safeguarding well-being and quality of life, and also has important implications in terms of reducing the burden of care on families and optimising the services offered by healthcare facilities. In the regulatory field, point 1 of Legislative Decree 37 of 2010 (general safety requirements) establishes the close correlation between safety requirements and 'ergonomic characteristics of the device', including in the assessment of these requirements reference to the 'environment in which the device is intended to be used' and consideration of 'the level of technical knowledge, experience, education and training, and, where appropriate, the medical and physical conditions of the users for whom the device is intended'. The ergonomic approach to design, and in particular the methods of assessing and designing the usability of products specific to User-Centred Design, are particularly appropriate in this sector, where the 'product use phase' is the main risk factor for users, and where the ease of understanding of the methods of use and the reduction of risk factors must be assessed and designed taking into account the specific difficulties and limitations of end users. The methodological approach of ergonomics, in its dual meaning of Human Factors, or the study of human factors, and User-Centred Design, is linked to the design synthesis capabilities inherent in Design and, in particular, to the ability to translate the opportunities offered by technology and the complexity of needs and expectations arising from the plurality of actors involved into innovative design solutions. Design is, in fact, a fundamental strategic factor, even in a highly technical sector such as medical devices, in order to improve the quality of products and their usability, understood as the ability to respond to the ever-changing needs and expectations of their users. The goal of design is to generate innovation, understood both as incremental or radical improvement of a product and as the creation of new meanings and languages. The role of Ergonomics for Design can therefore be summarised in its ability to propose innovative design solutions based on a structured process of assessment and interpretation of the needs (i.e. requirements, expectations and desires) of the people who actually use the product in different conditions of use and with different objectives. The presentation will outline the results of the research project Designing Usability: Criteria and Innovative Solutions in the Medical Device Sector, launched on an experimental basis as part of the Master's Degree Course in Design at the University of Florence, in collaboration with SIFO (Italian Society of Hospital Pharmacists) and SIE (Italian Society of Ergonomics). The research and design experimentation experience, conducted on the theme of blood glucose meters and kits for diabetics, and on other types of devices, will be described through: the evaluation methods used; the results achieved through the experimental survey conducted with users; the criteria for setting up and developing the preliminary analysis phase, and the subsequent phases of defining and developing the design concepts.

The article presents the initial results of the EU-FP7 project "The Intermodal Bike". The research aimed to design a super-compact folding bicycle as a solution to further embed cycling within the urban transport system, both public and private. Folding bicycles currently available on the international market weigh between 12 and 15 kg and take up a minimum of approximately 100 litres of space when folded. To encourage the use of this means of transport and extend it to a larger number of users with different characteristics, the research project set itself the goal of increasing compactness and lightness as much as possible, creating a bicycle with a footprint of 30 litres when compacted and a weight of 6 kg max. max., ensuring stability and efficiency and improving usability, both when pedalling and in the folding and transport system once closed. To achieve this goal, ergonomics and usability tests were carried out on the vehicle, which made it possible to identify a posture that would guarantee efficiency and comfort when pedalling for the majority of users. This posture was defined within an acceptable range of joint angles (torso angle, shoulder angle, elbow angle, wrist angle, lower limbs, etc.). At the same time, tests were carried out on the usability of the vehicle in an urban context and on intermodal transport systems. Finally, the factor of lightness required specific studies on the optimisation of the vehicle's architecture, in particular the frame, and research into super-light materials. The work starts from the idea that the synergy between the use of bicycles and public transport (trains, trams, underground, urban and extra-urban buses) or private transport (taxis, cars) could lead to an increase in the share of both modes of transport in all urban and suburban journeys. The bicycle is a minimal, non-motorised or partially motorised vehicle, capable of handling small individual movements very efficiently in the context of short journeys, typical of widespread urban mobility. However, it loses its 'appeal' over long commuting distances for a number of reasons. The intermodal use of bicycles with public or private transport, which are more efficient over medium or long distances, could enhance the strengths of each mode. The intermodal folding bicycle could constitute a "third pillar" of incentives for cycling in urban mobility (one of the EU's priorities in all its publications on urban mobility), together with the other two more established instruments at the "policy level" (modal incentives and bans) and the "infrastructure level" (parking facilities, cycle paths). Together with bike sharing, intermodal bicycles, particularly folding ones, are among the integrated measures and strategies for addressing urban transport issues and challenges. European directives on air quality and noise require specific actions in urban areas. Improving the urban integration of bicycles, making them interact with other modes of transport, will not only have an impact on the environmental situation, but will also improve accessibility to urban centres, with the prospect of improving their liveability.

The paper presents the early results of the UE-FP7 project “The Intermodal Bike”. The research aim is to provide a super-compactable, super-lightweight folding bicycle as a realistic solution to graft the cycling mode onto the root of the public or private transportation systems. The folding bikes now on the international market reach weighs between 12-15 kg, with a variable footprint but occupying -when compacted- an average volume of about 100 liters. To encourage the use of this vehicle and to extend it to a larger number of users with different characteristics, the research project has set its goal in increasing as possible compactness and light weight, creating a bicycle with a volume when compacted of 20 liters (reduction factor =5), with a shape of 48 x 36 x 12 cm and a weight of 5 kg. max., ensuring stability and improving vehicle usability and efficiency, during the ride and in the phase of bike folding. To achieve this goal ergonomic and usability tests have been carried out. The tests allowed to find a posture that would ensure efficiency and comfort in the ride to as many users as possible. Parallel tests were made on the vehicle usability in the urban transport system and intermodal. The need for light weight has required special studies on the optimization of the vehicle's architecture and research on super-lightweight materials.