Usability Evaluation of Different Door Handles

Abstract

Ergonomic design of manual instruments aims the product usability. Frequently in different projects the variables analyzed involve force and gender influence. This study intended to evaluate maximum hand torque force and the associated effort perception of a simulated manual activity, namely, the simulation of a door opening with different kinds of door handles. 180 subjects have participated in the experiment (90 males and 90 females). Torque forces were collected with a force gauge and a static torque transducer. Data analysis was based in descriptive statistics and mean comparison analysis. The results indicated that male subjects performed mean torque forces significantly higher (P <= 0.05) that female subjects. At effort perception level the results showed that on two types of door handles males presented a higher value and that in the other three types of door handles women presented a higher value of mean effort necessary to produce the maximum force torque. These results must be considered in the door handle design since, besides aesthetics, the shape must also privilege usability for all users facilitating in this way its daily tasks.