The ability to use tools is a distinguishing feature of human beings. It represents a complex psychomotor activity which we are only now beginning to understand. Robust theoretical accounts are being developed which allow us to understand better how people use tools and which explain differences in human and animal tool-use from the perspective of cognitive science. Our understanding needs to be based on research into how people use tools, which draws on many disciplines: such as why tool use can fail (drawing particularly on ergonomics) and the neurological areas probably associated with tool use (drawing on neuropsychology). This book considers contemporary tool use in domains such as surgery, and considers future developments in human-computer interfaces, such as haptic virtual reality and tangible user interfaces. It presents a single, coherent account of human tool use as a complex psychomotor activity; it builds on this to explain how people use tools and how this activity can fail; and then goes on to describe the design and development of usable tools.
- ISBN10 0415277299
- ISBN13 9780415277297
- Publish Date 15 March 2005
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 28 August 2012
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Taylor & Francis Ltd
- Format Paperback
- Pages 300
- Language English