A Human-Centered Design Procedure for Conceptualization Using Virtual Reality Prototyping Applied in an Inflight Lavatory

A Human-Centered Design Procedure for Conceptualization Using Virtual Reality Prototyping Applied in an Inflight Lavatory

Li, M. (TU Delft Applied Ergonomics and Design; Xi’an Jiaotong University)
Aschenbrenner, D. (TU Delft Mechatronic Design)
van Tol, D.H. (Student TU Delft)
van Eijk, D.J. (TU Delft Applied Ergonomics and Design)
Vink, P. (TU Delft Materials and Manufacturing)

Black, Nancy L. (editor)
Neumann, W. Patrick (editor)
Noy, Ian (editor)

2022

For designing large-scale products like an airplane, engaging end-users in the concept phase is difficult. However, early user evaluation is important to choose the path which fits the user’s needs best. In particular, comfort-related assessments are difficult to conduct with digital models that are shown on a desktop PC application. Digital Human Modelling (DHM) plays a role in postural comfort analysis, while the subjective comfort feedback still largely relied on consulting with end-users. This paper applies a human-centered design process and analyses the advantages and disadvantages of using VR prototypes for involving users during concept design. This study focused on using VR prototypes for concept selection and verification based on comfort assessment with potential end-users. The design process started with an online questionnaire for identifying the quality of the design elements (Step 1 online study). Then, alternative concepts were implemented in VR, and users evaluated these concepts via a VR headset (Step 2 Selection study). Finally, the research team redesigned the final concept and assessed it with potential users via a VR headset (Step 3 Experience study). Every design element contributed positively to the long-haul flight comfort, especially tap-basin height, storage, and facilities. The male and female participants had different preferences on posture, lighting, storage, and facilities. The final prototype showed a significantly higher comfort rate than the original prototypes. The first-person immersion in VR headsets helps to identify the nuances between concepts, thus supports better decision-making via collecting richer and more reliable user feedback to make faster and more satisfying improvements.

Concept design
First-person immersion
Human-centered Design
Virtual prototyping
Virtual reality

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:50c5b6b7-cb44-4a7a-b365-1f1dbe8c917f

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74614-8_48

Springer

2023-07-01

9783030746131

Proceedings of the 21st Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, IEA 2021: Methods and Approaches

21st Congress of the International Ergonomics Association, IEA 2021, 2021-06-13 → 2021-06-18, Virtual, Online

Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 2367-3370, 223 LNNS

Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository 'You share, we take care!' - Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.

Institutional Repository

conference paper

© 2022 M. Li, D. Aschenbrenner, D.H. van Tol, D.J. van Eijk, P. Vink