Welcome to:
HUMAN BODY and WEARABLE PRODUCT DESIGN
ANATOMICAL LEARNING CONTENT AUTHORS:
Founding Director and Professor
Sports Product Design, College of Design, University of Oregon
Morse Distinguished Professor Emeritus
Apparel Design, College of Design, University of Minnesota
WEB-SITE DESGINER:
ANATOMICAL ILLUSTRATOR:
PROJECT FUNDING:
University of Minnesota Retirees Association Grant
University of Oregon Sports Product Design Director’s Fund
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GET THE HUMAN BODY BOOK HERE:
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Introduction
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Human anatomy is essential knowledge for product designers​. Use the content on this site to learn about the body.
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Use the anatomy research-based designs on this site to inspire your work.​
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Anatomy readings can add to your knowledge—a few resources:​
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Grey's Anatomy​
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Atlas of Human Anatomy by Tillmann​
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Human Anatomy by McKinley & O’Loughlin​
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The Anatomy Coloring Book by Kapit & Elson​
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Clinically Oriented Anatomy by Moore, Dalley & Agur​
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Two books integrate anatomy and product design:
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Human Body: A wearable product designer's guide by LaBat & Ryan. Illustrations from the book are used for this web site.
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Functional Clothing Design by Watkins and Dunne
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Skeletal System
Bones, tendons & ligaments interact to support & protect the body.
Considerations for Designers:​
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206 bones form the adult skeleton.​
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Name the bones your product encompasses​​
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The skeleton is the support frame for shaping & sizing a product.​
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How is your product supported?​
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The skeleton is stable, yet moveable.​
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Will your product stabilize, allow or restrict movement?​​
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A ”joint”—where 2 or more bones make contact—allows body motion.​
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Will your product facilitate or impede joint motion?​
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Skeletal forms are the same person-to-person, with wide variations in size & how bones are linked or “stacked.”​
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What is the skeletal “size range” & postures of your intended user?​
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33 bones (vertebrae) of the spine provide mid-body structure & allow motion.​
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Will your product stabilize the torso—or allow torso twisting and bending?
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Muscular System
Muscle cells, tendons, and other connective tissues act to move skeletal structures.
Designer Considerations:​
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Muscles overlay & integrate with bones.​
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Name the muscles (tendons & ligaments) your product encompasses.​
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Muscles contribute to body form.​
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Will muscles underlying your product change shape & size?​
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Muscles move bones to change body position through: ​
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abduction to move a body part away from the body midline (think “abdicate from”).​
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adduction to move a body part toward the body midline (think “add to”).​
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Does your product allow Abduction? Adduction? To what extent?​
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Walking requires integrated muscle activity in the torso, legs, & arms.​
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How do muscles underlying your product work together?
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Nervous System
Central Nervous System (CNS) & Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) direct & coordinate other body systems: ​
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CNS: brain, brainstem, & spinal cord.​
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Body “central control”​
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Will your product interact with these essential body components?​
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PNS: Spinal nerves, spinal ganglia, plexuses, peripheral motor & sensory nerves, sensory receptors, & motor (autonomic) nerves.​
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Carries messages throughout the body​
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Name the major nerve networks your product encompasses.
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Designer Considerations:​
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Wearable products can protect parts of the nervous system.​
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Example: carpal tunnel splint preventing wrist nerve compression​
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Test your product for exemplary (not just sufficient) protection.​
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Wearable products can damage parts of the nervous system.​
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Example: heavy backpack compressing nerves of the shoulder​
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Test your product—avoid nerve impedance or damage.
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Integumentary
System
Layers of skin & other cells—hair & sweat glands—of the body surface​
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Skin is the largest organ of the body.​
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Skin structures provide protection, temperature regulation, & a sensory circuit​
Designer Considerations:​
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Skin protects the body: it’s water-proof, keeps the body from drying out, & is the surface where sweat evaporates to cool the body.​
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Will your product inhibit or facilitate sweat evaporative cooling?​
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Skin collects sensations from the body surface.​
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Will your product (materials &/or structure) irritate the skin surface?​
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Skin manufactures vitamin D—a process triggered by UVB rays in sunlight. Sunlight can also damage skin cells causing cancer.​
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Should your product shield the skin from sun damage?​
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Hair emerges from follicles of the skin. Depending on density, a covering of hair can shield the body from sun and/or insulate the body.​
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Can a product simulate or replace these functions?​​
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