Affiliations: Department of Design and Technology, Loughborough
University, Leicestershire, UK | Department of Human Sciences, Loughborough University,
Leicestershire, UK | Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough
University, Leicestershire, UK
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Russell Marshall, Department of
Design and Technology, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK.
Tel.: +44 1509 222669; Fax: +44 1509 223 999; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: This paper describes research carried out at Loughborough University
in the UK into the areas of 'design for all' and accessible transport. The
research addresses two common needs for designers and ergonomists working
towards developing more inclusive products and environments, namely data on
users that is accessible, valid, and applicable and a means of utilising the
data to assess the accessibility of designs during the early stages of
development. HADRIAN is a computer-based inclusive design tool that has been
developed to support designers in their efforts to develop products that meet
the needs of a broader range of users. Currently HADRIAN is being expanded to
support transport design. This includes data on an individual's ability to
undertake a variety of transport-related tasks, such as vehicle ingress/egress,
coping with uneven surfaces, steps, street furniture and complex pedestrian
environments. The subsequent use of this data will be supported either through
a task analysis system that will allow a designer to evaluate a design for a
part of the transport infrastructure (ticket barrier, train carriage etc.), or
alternatively allow the designer or an end user to evaluate a whole journey.
The 'journey planner' feature of the HADRIAN tool will compare an individual's
physical, cognitive and emotional abilities with the demands placed upon that
individual by the mode(s) of transport available and the route options
selected. It is envisaged that these developments will prove extremely useful
to users, designers, planners and all those involved with transport use and
implementation.
Keywords: Inclusive design, design for all, transport, human modelling, SAMMIE, HADRIAN
