Getting to grips with packaging: using ethnography and computer simulation to understand hand–pack interaction

The general population of many developed countries is aging. Despite many medical advances, aging brings with it a host of issues, not least of all the loss of strength and dexterity. Hence, everyday functions that were easily performed at a younger age can become difficult or even impossible. One major area of concern is the ability of elderly consumers to access food or medicines from packaged goods such as jars, bottles and child-resistant closures. Many consumers avoid food in jars or have problems with medical compliance. Recently, the authors developed a new approach to packaging design termed the ‘three-stranded approach’. Here, they outline numerical, experimental and analytical techniques for matching pack function to human ability. Within this work it became apparent that developing a more detailed understanding of how packaging is manipulated and gripped would be of use to packaging designers and engineers and hence enable the manufacture of easier-to-open packaging. This paper outlines some preliminary studies on the development of a computational model of a human hand as a tool for packaging design, and a supporting study on the various grips used by consumers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.