Human Factors

History of Human Factors

Andrey Kan

Leonardo DiVinci
Around 1487 he began research in area of
anthropometrics.
Around the same time, he also began to study the flight
of birds. He grasped that humans are too heavy and not
strong enough to fly using wings simply attached to the
arms.
The Vitruvian Man, one of his most famous drawings,
can be described as one of the earliest sources
presenting guidelines for anthropometry.
Today, anthropometry plays a considerable role in the
fields of computer design, design for access and
maintainability, simplicity of instructions, and
ergonomics issues.

Callback
In the early 1900s, industrial engineers Frank and Lillian
Gilbreth were trying to reduce human error in medicine.
They developed the concept of using call backs when
communicating in the operating room.
This same verbal protocol is used in aviation today.

Wright brothers
Orville and Wilbur Wright were the first to fly a powered
aircraft and also pioneered many human factors
considerations. While others were trying to develop
aircraft with a high degree of aerodynamic stability, the
Wrights intentionally designed unstable aircraft with
cerebralized control modeled after the flight of birds.
They later developed practical in-flight control of
engine power, plus an angle of attack sensor and stick
pusher that reduced pilot workload.
The Wrights patented their practical airplane and flight
control concepts, many of which are still in use today.

World War I
With the onset of World War I, more sophisticated
equipment was being developed and the inability of
personnel to use such systems led to an increased
interest in human capability.
The war also brought on the need for aeromedical
research and the need for testing and measurement
methods.

Thank you!