Usability and ergonomics in medical equipment

Paper in proceeding, 2007

In the area of healthcare, the use of technical equipment is increasing every year. The extensive use of technology puts large demands on the operators’ capabilities to handle the equipment in a proper way. If the interaction between the human and the machine fails, it can lead to consequences for the patients. To avoid these problems, it is important to design medical equipment with high usability and ergonomic features. This can be performed by using a use centred product development process, involving human factors engineering methods, and ergonomic equirements, goals and guidelines. Especially the involvement of actual users in the design process is crucial