UNIVERSAL DESIGN METHOD CONSIDERING PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PHYSICAL LOAD BASED ON DIGITAL HUMAN MODEL: A CASE STUDY OF HEIGHT-ADJUSTABLE STANDING TABLE

Abstract

In recent years, the concept of universal design (UD) has been drawing much attention, and various companies are currently working on the design of products, homes, and spaces that incorporate this concept. However, a general design method has not been established, and the work is usually conducted based purely on the experience of the individual designer. This takes its toll in terms of time and cost. In this study, design variables are classified according to both the physical characteristics of the target users, which are expressed as range values, and the product information, such as dimensions. Moreover, the load on the user’s body is quantitatively calculated through digital human modeling. From this, an interval calculation is made from which to derive a set of design solutions that fulfill the performance brief. Thus, this paper proposes a UD method that considers physical load, and the effectiveness is shown by applying the proposed method to a specific design project looking at a height-adjustable standing desk.