Design for Aesthetics and Ergonomics

Question 1

List the principles in aesthetics.

Answer 1

• It is subjective in the sense that it cannot be measured.
• It is objective in the sense that it has mathematical order.
• It is affected by conditioning.
• It is affected by symbolism.
• It is challenging as it requires the right combination of individual elements of beauty.

Question 2

List the objective features of beauty.

Answer 2

• Curves
• Blending,
• Flowing lines
• Borders
• Slenderness
• Embellishments
• Contrast

Question 3

List the principles of car styling.

Answer 3

• Consistent basic layout.
• Consistent styles.
• Individual designs within particular styles.

Question 4

What is the swage line?

Answer 4

The ridge along the side of a car near (or on) the door handles. Sometimes called the character line as it can give the car its own sense of character.

Question 5

What is the shoulder line of a car?

Answer 5

The line at which a car begins to narrow in the upper part. It is sometimes the same as the swage line.

Question 6

Give some examples of symbolism in car design.

Answer 6

Jaguar - cat body

Nissan Micra - happy face

Renault Clio - Hourglass side profile

Ferrari 458 - Shark mouth/body

Question 7

List the 8 strength features of an SUV.

Answer 7

• Corrugated panels (reinforcement)
• Thick sections
• Small windows (more protection)
• Narrower above shoulder line (makes doors seem deeper)
• High floor base
• Deep engine compartment (big barrier)
• Thick black rim around base (reinforcement)
• Big colours (white makes it look wider)

Question 8

List the 10 interior design styles.

Answer 8

Modern - clean and crisp lines with simple colour palette.
Contemporary - similar to modern but may have more curves.
Minimalist - Very simple shapes, colours are neutral and airy.
Industrial - inspiration from warehouse/urban lofts, exposed brick, duct-work and wood.
Mid-Century Modern- style of the mid-1900s (hint of minimalism).
Scandinavian - simple, often all white colour palettes.
Traditional - classic details, sumptuous furnishings and abundance of accessories.
Bohemian - eclectic style with ultra-glam chandeliers over worn rugs.
Rustic - natural inspiration using raw and unfinished elements.
Shabby-chic - vintage-inspired style, more feminine than Bohemian, soft and delicate.

Question 9

List the 8 factors involved in colour selection of cars.

Answer 9

• Aesthetics
• Association
• Clean-ability
• Definition
• Safety
• Heat absorption
• Cost
• Resale

Question 10

What are the 3 primary colours?

Answer 10

Yellow, Red and Blue.

Cannot be created by mixing other colours.

Question 11

What are hue colours?

Answer 11

There are 12 hue colours that are made up of secondary and tertiary colours.

Secondary colours are made when mixing two primary colours (green, purple, orange).

Tertiary colours are made when you mix a primary and its nearest secondary colours.

Question 12

What are pigment colours?

Answer 12

Colours produced by adding pigment.

Question 13

What are structural colours?

Answer 13

Colours produced by light reflection. They are less subject to fading and are purer. They are often iridescent.

Question 14

How do you tint, tone and shade colours?

Answer 14

Tint - add white.

Tone - add grey.

Shade - add black.

Question 15

List the types of recommended colour combinations (wrt the colour wheel).

Answer 15

• Complementary (opposite)
• Analogous (3 in a row)
• Triadic (equilateral triangle)
• Split Complementary (isosceles triangle)
• Tetradic (rectangular)

Question 16

What is metallic paint?

Answer 16

Metal particles are added into the paint and reflect more incident light than the paint particles, giving the paint a more attractive and revealing shine.

Question 17

What is glossy paint?

Answer 17

A lacquer is applied to create a shine.

Question 18

What is iridescent paint?

Answer 18

The colour changes with angle due to thin film interference with very thin reflective translucent layers.

Question 19

What is lustre and texture?

Answer 19

Lustre - a measure of intensity/quality of colour.

Texture - can affect colour such as suede.

Question 20

What is the equation for normal distribution?

Answer 20

z = (x-L)/Sigma

z is the number of standard deviation away from the mean.

Question 21

What are the ergonomic factors in car design?

Answer 21

• Driver visibility
• Mirrors
• Steering ratio
• Pedal design
• Seat design
• Wheel changing
• Dashboard

Question 22

What are the main goals of car displays?

Answer 22

• Alert the operator in a clear way
• Minimise distraction
• Maximise speed of communication

Question 23

What are the conventions of colour and flashing in car displays?

Answer 23

• Slow flash for warning
• Fast flash for danger
• Yellow for warning
• Green for safe
• Fast beep for danger

Question 24

What are the design features aimed at improving man-machine interface in car dashboards?

Answer 24

• Iconic images (common symbols)
• Optimal proximity (radio controls)
• Orientation (indicator)
• Size (easy to read)
• Grouping (logical groups of controls)
• Emergency buttons (clear switch-off buttons)

Question 25

Give two examples of new car safety technology.

Answer 25

• Central braking lights.

- Animated light indicators.

Question 26

List the frequencies that can cause problems to humans.

Answer 26

0.1-20Hz - Instability
0.1-0.6Hz - Motion sickness
4-10Hz - Trunk resonates
30Hz - Head and neck resonate
60-100Hz - Eyes vibrate
10-18Hz - Urination
13-20Hz - Speech disturbed

Question 27

List the ways that colour can add emphasis.

Answer 27

• Affects size perception; a dark coloured object looks smaller that a bright coloured object.
• Emphasises shape; bright colours emphasise shape more than dark colours.
• Colour associations; glossy flat white is often associated with a clean and high-tech image.