ABSTRACT
The use and/or misuse of a medical device is thus seen to have an important impact on the overall reliability of the device. The methodology that addresses such user issues is Ergonomics or Human Factors. Although humans are capable of many highly technical, complex or intricate activities, they also have limitations to these activities. The final and most important activity in Human Factors Engineering is determining how these areas interact within the particular device. To design for interaction, the designer must consider the three elements that comprise human factors: the human element, the hardware element, and the software element. The human element addresses several user characteristics, including memory and knowledge presentation, thinking and reasoning, visual perception, dialogue construction, individual skill level, and individual sophistication. If the human-machine interface makes undue demands on either short- or long-term memory, the performance of the individual in the system will be degraded.
