Comparing muscle activity and younger and older users’ perceptions of comfort when using sheet switches for electrical appliances

This study focuses on sheet switches, which are widely used as user interfaces for electrical appliances, and clarifies the comfort level required by users. Because the number of elderly users of electrical appliances is increasing in Japan, we focus on these users and compare their characteristics with those of younger users. Our goal is to design a user interface for electrical appliances that considers the physical, cognitive, and psychological characteristics of users. Thus, in this study, we particularly examine the psychological characteristics of comfort and the physical aspects of muscle activity to determine the parameters required to enable easy usage of electrical appliances by all users. Moreover, we explore the relationship between comfort and muscle activity.