Development of Remote Control Unit of Domestic Water Heater by Kansei Engineering

This study shows Kansei engineering is applied to a development of a remote control unit of a domestic water heater. Because the control system of a water heater has grown more complicated, the quality of the remote control system becomes increasingly important as means of the utility and the user interface. The remote controller is also required quality of design because it is fixedly installed in a part of interior design. Then, this study has tried to improve the conventional remote controller unit in both usability and design aspects. Two alternatives, which are the conventional physical button device and the touch device shaped by fixed button without display function interfaces, were considered as a potential product of the remote control unit. Kansei engineering is used in several steps iteratively adopted the process of conception, visualization and verification.