An ergonomic user interface design for a new extremity MRI focusing on the patient chair

Abstract

Ergonomic design guidelines for the new development of an extremity MRI have been developed to minimize patient’s postural discomfort on different scanning types with a specific focus given to the patient chair and leg supporter. The research started with a known zero gravity position as an optimal body posture and did a market survey on various industrial chairs. Based on the anthropometric characteristics of the populations being considered, the comfortable ranges of the dimensions and angles were defined for four scanning types: knee, ankle, elbow and wrist scannings. In order to validate these guidelines, a simple mockup was made and tested for a group of participants. The test was to find out 3-dimensional comfortable postures of 14 participants with respect to the scanning type and scanning duration, which subsequently yielded design dimensions and adjustable ranges of angles for MRI bore and exterior, chair and leg supporter.