Ergonomics is the science behind the interaction between people and their working environment. It can be applied to almost every aspect of our lives. For instance, let’s think about the way that we eat. Whether we eat with our hands or use some form of utensil, we almost always eat it out of something. Let’s think about the act of eating soup. It wouldn’t be practical, efficient or safe to dip your face directly into the soup pan. There would be a significant chance of burns from the hot pan and scalds from the soup inside. The possible spread of pathogens would increase as the soup cooled. For a family, portion control would be difficult, with only one person being able to eat at a time, and family members might pull muscles from getting into awkward positions trying to access the soup.
This is where ergonomics comes in. Rather than trying to fit the people to the task of eating the soup, how about we make the task of eating the soup a much more enjoyable, safer and efficient experience for our hungry family? Let’s give each of them a bowl. Eating soup is now a much more ergonomic process.
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