Comfort of smartwatch wearing: A comparative study of different hand types

Huijuan Zhu, Meiyu Zhou, Baoxia Wu

Article ID: 2963
Vol 5, Issue 1, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54517/wt2963
Received: 26 September 2024; Accepted: 29 November 2024; Available online: 16 December 2024;
Issue release: 30 June 2024

VIEWS - 21 (Abstract)

Download PDF

Abstract

This study aims to explore the relationship between wrist size and the comfort and fit of smartwatch wearability. Measurements of hand dimensions, including wrist width, palm length, finger length, and finger width, were taken from 41 participants. Based on the analysis results, participants were grouped by wrist width, and individuals from different groups were asked to subjectively rate the comfort, strap fit, and ease of operation of the smartwatch. The results revealed that wrist width significantly impacts wearing comfort, while other hand features (such as finger width) play a crucial role in the operational experience. Users with wider wrists rated strap fit and wearing pressure more favorably, whereas those with narrower wrists demonstrated superior touchscreen operation performance. Additionally, the significant effects of design factors such as strap material, dial size, and smartwatch weight on wearing experience were also validated. These findings provide valuable insights for smartwatch design, highlighting the necessity of considering variations in hand dimensions to enhance the overall user experience.


Keywords

smartwatch; wearable devices; hand dimensions; ergonomics


References

1. Haghi M, Thurow K, Stoll R. Wearable devices in medical internet of things:scientific research and commercially available devices. Healthcare Informatics Research. 2017; 23(1): 4–15.

2. Reeder B, David A. Health at hand: A systematic review of smart watch uses for health and wellness. Journal of Biomedical Informatics. 2016; 63: 269–276.

3. King CE; Majid S. A Survey of Smartwatches in Remote Health Monitoring. Journal of Healthcare Informatics Research. 2018; 2: 1–24.

4. Dai R, Lu C, Yun L, et al. Comparing stress prediction models using smartwatch physiological signals and participant selfreports. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine. 2021; 208: 106207.

5. Boillat T, Siebert JN, Alduaij N, et al. GOFlow: Smartwatch app to deliver laboratory results in emergency departments–A feasibility study. International Journal of Medical Informatics. 2019; 134:104034.

6. Shao Y. Research on an Auxiliary Design Platform for Head-mounted Products Based on Three-dimensional Head Shapes and Acupuncture Point Distribution. South China University of Technology; 2020.

7. Li X, He R, Wang H. Method for Improvement and Verification of Headphones Based on Human Data. Design. 2021; 34(19): 8–10.

8. Hsiao KL, Chen CC. What drives smartwatch purchase intention? Perspectives from hardware, software, design, and value. Telematics and Informatics. 2018; 35(1): 103–113.

9. Dehghani M, Kim KJ, Dangelico RM. Will smartwatches last? Factors contributing to intention to keep using smart wearable technology. Telematics and Informatics. 2018; 35(2): 480–490.

10. Kong Y, Jang H, Freivalds AJHF, et al. Wrist and tendon dynamics as contributory risk factors in work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries. 2006; 16(1): 83–105.

11. Zhang D. Fitbit is More Comfortable to Wear, While Huawei is More Practical. Consumer Reports. 2015; 08: 52–53.

12. National Technical Committee on Ergonomics Standardization. Body Dimensions of Chinese Adults. National Administration for Market Regulation. GB/T 10000-2023. SAC/TC7. National Standardization Administration; 2023.

13. National Technical Committee on Ergonomics Standardization. Fundamental Body Measurement Items for Technical Design. National Administration for Market Regulation. GB/T 5703-2023. SAC/TC7. National Standardization Administration; 2023.

14. National Technical Committee on Ergonomics Standardization. Classification of Adult Hand Dimensions. National Administration for Market Regulation. GB/T 16252-2023. SAC/TC7. National Standardization Administration; 2023.

15. Ma L, Tsao L, Yu C, et al. A Quick Method to Extract Earphone-Related Ear Dimensions Using Two-Dimensional (2D) Image. International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics. 2017.

16. Buffa R, Marini E, Cabras S, et al. Patterns of Hand Variation-New Data on a Sardinian Sample. Collegium Antropologicum. 2007; 31(1): 315–319.

17. Barut C, Sevinc O, Sumbuloglu V. Evaluation of hand asymmetry in relation to hand preference. Collegium Antropologicum. 2011; 35(4): 1119–1124.

18. Idenya PM, Gichangi P, Ogeng’o J. Directional asymmetry in handedness and hand efficiency. Anatomy Journal of Africa. 2020; 9(2): 1848–1856.

19. Kumar T, Vishram S. A preliminary report on hand preference with hand length, hand breadth and shape indices and its role in sexual dimorphism. Medicine. 2015; 10–16.

20. Kim KJ. Round or Square? How Screen Shape Affects Utilitarian and Hedonic Motivations for Smartwatch Adoption. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. 2016; 19(12): 733–739.

21. Chen Q. Design of a Human Factor Comfort Assessment Device for Wrist-Worn Products Based on Wrist Measurement. Hunan University; 2022.

22. Li H, Xu B, Sun Z, et al. The role of comfort, personality, and intention in smartwatch usage during sleep. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 2024; 11(1): 1–11.

23. Choi J, Kim S. Is the smartwatch an IT product or a fashion product? A study on factors affecting the intention to use smartwatches. Computers in Human Behavior. 2016; 63: 777–786.

24. Dehghani M. Exploring the motivational factors on continuous usage intention of smartwatches among actual users. Behaviour & Information Technology. 2018; 37(2): 145–158.

25. Knight JF, Chris B. A tool to assess the comfort of wearable computers. Human Factors: The Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. 2005; 47(1): 77–91.

26. Spagnolli A, Guardigli E, Orso V, et al. Measuring User Acceptance of Wearable Symbiotic Devices: Validation Study Across Application Scenarios. International Workshop on Symbiotic Interaction. 2014; 87–98 .

27. Delva ML, Lajoie K, Khoshnam M, et al. Wrist-worn wearables based on force myography: on the significance of user anthropometry. BioMedical Engineering OnLine. 2020; 19(1): 1–18.

28. Yang X, Guo Y. Research on the Development Trends of Wearable Sports Devices. Fujian Sports Science and Technology. 2018; 37(03): 17–19.

29. Park KS, Lim CH. A structured methodology for comparative evaluation of user interface designs using usability criteria and measures. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics. 1999; 23(5–6): 379–389.

30. Rabaa’i A, Al-Lozi E, Al-Hammouri Q, et al. Continuance intention to use smartwatches:An empirical study. International Journal of Data and Network Science. 2022; 1643–1658.

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2024 Huijuan Zhu, Meiyu Zhou, Baoxia Wu

License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/