Better By Design?

On average, two baby buggies are bought for every baby born in the United Kingdom - because the first one often does not suit the new parents' needs for storage, carriage and ease of use.

RSI, or Repetitive Strain Injury, became an important topic among computer operators in the Eighties. But a similar condition was recognised in 1702 among scribes copying manuscripts.

Flowerpots can be more hazardous than wheelbarrows. In 1996, 159 people were admitted to hospital following flowerpot-related accidents; but only 77 following accidents involving wheelbarrows, according to a government survey.

Most mobile phones have far more technological capability than they are used for: four out of five people only use them to dial numbers by hand.

The term ergonomics was coined in 1857, when it appeared in a Polish newspaper. Nowadays it is also called "human factors design".