AESTHETIC DESIGN OF MACHINE SYSTEMS USING EVALUATION MAPS

摘要

The benefits of including aesthetic factors in the design of mechanical systems have been receiving increasing attention and study. Designs that successfully incorporate aesthetic considerations are more likely to create positive impressions in users, while offering increased usability and improved ergonomics. However, mechanical system design methods that successfully integrate the simultaneous evaluation of aesthetic factors with other parameters are not yet widely used. This paper presents a total design method that specifically includes aesthetic factors in the design process. The proposed method consists of three parts: (1) the analysis of the aesthetic factors; (2) the analysis of other factors (e.g. cost, function, mechanical characteristics, and so on); and (3) the evaluation of the overall system, using evaluation maps that include all system information. The use of evaluation maps allows other mechanical system factors to be treated concurrently with those of aesthetic importance. This method is applied to the design of a service robot that will offer a cup of beverage to a person.