专业英语翻译英语(工业设计)-外文翻译.docVIP

上海海事大学本科生专业英语翻译 PAGE PAGE 8 Product design, semantics and emotional response Abstract This paper explores theoretical issues in ergonomics related to semantics and the emotional content of design. The aim is to find answers to the following questions: how to design products triggering ‘happiness’ in one’s mind; which product attributes help in the communication of positive emotions; and finally, how to evoke such emotions through a product. In other words, this is an investigation of the meaning that could be designed into a product in order to communicate with the user at an emotional level. 1. Introduction Contemporary life is synonymous with accelerating social and technological change. Similarly, product design is being rapidly transformed through materials technology, production technology, information-processing technology and other processes. The changes in technology are occurring at a speed and scale beyond any expectation. The digital revolution is progressively turning the objects with which we interact into smaller and more intelligent black boxes, making it difficult for us to understand the mechanism or the working method (Bolz 2000). Design therefore occurs in a different framework than before, with reference to social change, the conservation of resources and energy, emerging environmental problems, and customer-oriented trends (Ohira 1995, Jones 1997). Accordingly, whether driven by advertisement and marketing strategies, or by trends, fashion, and social events, users’ expectations from consumer products have been also changing. Functionality, attractiveness, ease-in-use, affordability, recyclability, and safety are all attributes that are expected to already exist in a product. Users are expecting more from everyday products. Recent design trends show an inclination towards objects that inspire users, enhance their lives, help in triggering emotions or even in evoking dreams (Jensen 1999, Alessi 2000). Jensen predicts that the Drea