Index

Alarms. See also Bells; Communication

bank, 18, 33–34, 163, 179

burglar, xx, xxv, 32–34, 38, 114, 173, 176, 178, 278n68, 279n70, 303n4

fire, xxv, 17–18, 32, 40, 156, 173–177, 246, 273n7, 314n31, 322n32

Annunciators, 19–20, 64–65, 67–68, 167–168, 173–174, 222, 230–231, 284n13. See also Communication

and feedback, 167–168

Herzog Telesme, 19

and hotels (see Hotels)

and one-way communication (see Communication)

Architecture, 10–12, 23, 30–31, 45–46, 141–145, 218, 228

and aesthetics, 29–31, 142–144

apartments, 10, 20, 27, 29, 40, 108, 194–195

and elevators (see Elevators)

and housewives (see Women)

and sedentarism, 52, 61–62, 128, 171, 193, 203, 253, 256 (see also Sedentarism; Reachability)

Automatic, 15–16, 103, 108–110, 193–195, 205–207, 239, 297n3

alarms (see Alarms)

city directories (see Information)

elevators (see Elevators)

interfaces, 253

photography (see Photography)

switches (see Switches)

and user agency, 120–121, 223, 242, 263

vending machines (see Vending machines)

Automobiles, 10, 146, 179–184, 186–187, 233, 234–236, 240, 259–260. See also Transportation

and communication, 181–183

dashboards, 181, 183, 187, 234

gear shifting, 185–187

and groping, 183–186

horns, 20, 179–181, 183–186, 236, 260, 315n45, 317n59

Banking, 33–34, 163, 179

Bells. See also Communication

doorbells, xx, 23, 27–28, 40, 46, 74, 88, 178, 260, 304n9, 306n54, 322n32

doorknockers, 23–25, 46, 66, 94

and hospitals, 50, 69, 273n9

and hotels (see Hotels)

and malfunctions, 30–31, 58, 60, 97, 230

patents, 30–31, 34, 43–45, 51, 176, 285n18, 289n61, 315n37, 322n32

pulls, 4, 17, 19, 22–25, 29–31, 42, 46, 118, 172, 176, 274n16

pushes, 24–26

and servants (see Servants)

and streetcars (see Transportation)

and trains (see Transportation)

Big Red Button. See Warfare

Bodies

and death penalty (see Death penalty)

ergonomics, 32, 49, 145, 159, 190, 192–193, 228, 236, 240

gender (see Gender)

human factors, 145, 236

illness, 8

metaphors, 12, 94–98, 128, 236, 252, 321n22

sexuality, 95, 97–98, 128, 213, 243, 254–256, 330n34

Cameras. See Photography

Children

and advertising, 111, 113

and education, 36–39, 231

and femininity, 37, 75–77, 86, 195, 231 (see also Gender; Women)

and injuries, 194–195

and labor, 193–194

and mischief, 43–47, 49, 86, 93, 146, 159, 180–181, 322n32

and spectacles, 75–77

and toys, 90–93, 146

Chronograph, xviii

Clothing buttons, xviii

Cold War. See Warfare

Communication

annunciators, 19–21, 55, 65–67, 167–168, 174–175, 222, 230, 284n13

bells (see Bells)

and feedback, 33, 67–68, 87, 167–171, 174, 230, 250

intercommunicating, 167–173, 262

miscommunication, 39–40, 55–61, 68–69, 118, 120, 224, 230

one-way, xxiii, xxv, 55, 63, 67–68, 168, 172–173, 230, 261, 287n44

and pages, 64–68, 73

speaking tubes, 19, 27, 174, 181, 190, 192, 276n39

and streetcars (see Transportation)

telephones, 168–174, 235–236, 261–262, 313n18, 314n22

and trains (see Transportation)

US Navy, 173–174, 314n31

Computers

graphical user interfaces, 241

Jobs, Steve, 251–252

mouse, 240–241

Concealment

and control, xvii, 9–10, 73–74

and emergency, 33–34

and labor, 166

and pranks, 92–93, 126

and spectacle, 88

and switches (see Switches)

and wiring (see Wiring)

Consumerism. See also Products

Amazon, xiv, 247–248

self-service (see Labor; Vending machines)

shopping, 114, 219

slot machines, 116–118

vending machines (see Vending machines)

Contact, 8

Control

binary, xvii, 112, 135–139, 240, 250, 252

remote (see Remote control)

switches (see Switches)

Crosswalks, 239

Death penalty, 103–106, 138–139, 296n75. See also Bodies; Warfare

Edison, Thomas, 105

Domestic engineering, 3, 53–54, 206, 228–229

Edison, Thomas, 83, 231

and banking, 33–34

and death penalty, 105, 252

and vending machines, 114–115

and warfare, 99, 101

Education, 34–39, 131–133, 223–226, 231

and children (see Children)

and public, 35–36, 223–226

and tinkerers, xxii, 34–35, 37–39, 146, 284n13

Efficiency. See Labor; Managers

Electricity

and aesthetics (see Switches)

and bodies (see Bodies)

and concealment (see Concealment)

death penalty (see Death penalty)

and injuries (see Bodies)

and mischief (see Children; Elevators; Vending machines)

National Electric Light Association, 104, 209, 223–224

readiness-to-serve, 207

shocks (see Touch)

switches (see Switches)

Tesla, Nikola, 193

toys (see Children)

and waste (see Switches)

wiring (see Wiring; Bells; Switches)

Elevators

advertising, 111–114

automatic, 108–114

and binary control (see Control)

and children, 112–113, 194–195

and injuries, 194–195

and mischief, 194–195, 199

Otis Elevator Company, 108, 110, 111, 113–114, 133, 189

Embedded, 13, 30, 50–52, 176–177, 183–184, 228. See also Concealment; Furniture

Ergonomics. See Bodies; Labor

Errors. See Usability; Switches; Communication

Factories, 5–6, 10, 168, 193–194, 197–198, 200

Fingers

and digital, xvii

and distance, 11–12, 93–96

and effort (see Labor)

and feminine, 82–83

fingerprinting, xvi

fingertips, 152, 228

and force, xiv, 16, 66–68, 76, 187, 230, 250–251, 257

and germs, 8

and injuries, 198

and reaction time (see Labor)

and touch (see Touch)

and user agency, 120, 224–226

Fool-proof, xvii, 200–201. See also Children

Furniture, 13, 38, 142, 149, 228, 284n9

Gaming, 19, 253

Microsoft Kinect, 253

Oculus, 253

Gender

femininity (see Women)

and housewives (see Women)

Lauer, Matt, 254–256 (see also Managers)

masculinity, 79–81, 83, 93, 256

Gilbreth, Frank and Lillian, 197–198

Hospitals, 50, 69, 273n9

Hotels

and annunciators (see Bells)

and bells (see Bells)

and service, 217, 248

and switches, 272n40

and usability, 40, 55–57, 118, 172

Housewives. See Women

Industrial Revolution, 231, 259–262. See also Labor

Information

city directories, 220–222

libraries, 220

museums, 220–222

Jobs, Steve, 251–252. See also Switches

Keys

gas (see Switches)

keyboard, 83, 164, 187

piano, 267n15

telegraph, xviii, 75–77, 80–82, 230

typewriter, xix, 15, 265n4

Labor

and children (see Children)

efficiency, 6, 193–194, 202–203, 234

and housewives (see Women)

and laziness, 35, 58–59, 124–125, 148, 237, 242

and managers (see Managers)

manual, xv–xvi, xxiii, 3–7, 61–62, 69, 103, 130–133, 202–203, 301n58

nonwork, xxv, 61–62, 122–123, 202, 239

and pages (see Communication)

and power relations, 42, 98, 230–232, 249, 254

reaction time, 16, 196–198

scientific engineering, 61, 206, 228

self-service, 118, 121, 206, 234, 239

and servants (see Servants)

and skill, 4–5, 99, 108, 111, 130–133, 194, 201–202, 262–263

and strength, 16, 22–23, 75–77, 186, 193–194, 201–203, 215–216 (see also Touch; Bodies)

Lauer, Matt, 254–256. See also Managers

Libraries. See Information

Lighting. See also Switches

and darkness, 138–139, 149–152, 309n64, 310n71

flashlights, 152–153

gas (see Switches)

and groping, xxiv, 135–136, 183–187, 309n64

scarf pins, 88–90, 152–153

and waste, 147–148

Luxury, 50, 56–59, 108, 128, 183

Magic

concealment (see Concealment)

genies, xxv, 207–210, 233, 249

spectacles (see World’s Fairs)

Managers. See also Labor

and communication, 51–52, 61–69, 122, 130–131, 163–166, 198, 202–204

and desks, 6, 51–52, 62–68, 164, 203–204, 254–256

and laziness (see Labor)

nonwork (see Labor)

Manual labor. See Labor

Manufacturers

Cutler-Hammer Company, 13, 140, 154–155, 185 (see also Switches)

General Electric Company, 13, 144, 157, 255

Hart-Hegeman Manufacturing Company, 13, 272n40 (see also Switches)

Otis Elevator Company (see Elevators)

Media representations, 233, 243–244

Medicine. See Bodies; Hospitals

Men. See Gender

Mere touch. See Touch; Women

Milgram, Stanley, 237–238

Museums. See Information

Musical instruments, xix, 15, 267n15

Photography

and advertising, 107, 121–124, 126–130

amateurs, 121–125

Eastman Kodak camera, 121–130

selfies (see Social media)

Pranks. See Children

Prisons, 105, 173, 196, 199–200

Products

Apple Siri, 252

Google Glass, 252

Kodak camera (see Photography)

Microsoft Kinect, 19, 253

Oculus, 19, 253

Royal Easy Chairs, 127–129

Staples Easy Button, xiii, 244–245

Prophecies, 114–115, 190, 192–193, 202, 205, 233–234, 252–254

dystopian, xxiv, 98–100, 131, 217, 237, 239

utopian, 190, 192–193, 217, 239, 251

Psychology, 19, 88, 237–238

Milgram, Stanley, 237–238

Pushiness, 25–26, 178

Race, 41–42, 201

Reachability, 43–44, 74–75, 154, 183–186, 190, 228, 253

Religion, 76, 83, 93–94, 260

Remote control, 78–80, 83–86, 94–103, 154–158, 189, 228–229, 271n31

television, 233, 236–237

Rieussec, Nicolas, xviii

Scientific engineering. See Labor

Sedentarism. See also Architecture; Reachability

automobiles (see Transportation)

desks (see Managers; Furniture)

and housewives (see Women)

and reachability (see Reachability)

Royal Easy Chairs, 127–129 (see also Furniture)

Self-service. See Labor; Vending machines

Servants, xxii, 27, 54, 205–207, 211–213, 229–230, 289n58

and bells (see Bells)

and switches (see Switches)

Shocks. See Touch

Sitting. See Sedentarism; Reachability

Social media

Facebook, xiii

Reddit, 245–247, 249

selfies, xiv

Streetcars. See Transportation

Switches, 12–16, 73–75, 271n5, 272n40, 306n5, 328n4. See also Electricity

aesthetics, 12–14, 142–144, 159, 251, 260

flush, 137, 142–144, 156, 200, 227, 251, 306n34

foreign, 158–159

gas, 135–137, 149, 303n6, 304n10

Jobs, Steve, 252 (see also Computers)

knife, 12

light (see Lighting)

and locks, 146–147, 200, 231, 322n32

and malfunctions, 31, 139–140, 230, 248

midget, 143

patents, 144

presselle, 50–51

and quality, 12–13, 139–140

and servants, 147

snap, 12, 105, 227, 252

toggle, 23, 54, 105, 158–159, 163

tumbler, 158–159, 163

Taylorism, 197–198

Telegraph, xviii–xix, 15, 19, 26, 76–86, 261–262, 276n36. See also Communication; World’s Fairs

and gender (see World’s Fairs; Women)

and world’s fairs (see World’s Fairs)

Telephones. See Communication

Television. See Remote control

Tesla, Nikola, 193

Touch

and distance, 11–12, 73, 83–85, 94–95, 102–103, 217

and electricity, 7–10, 15–16, 91–93, 132–133, 147–148, 260

foot, 13, 34, 50–51, 53, 74, 90, 179

and germs, 8

and God, 76, 83, 93–94

haptics, 250–251

mere, 3–4, 25, 53, 105, 152–155, 202, 228, 268n2, 310n76

and pressure, 67–68

and science, 195–196

screens, 250–251 (see also Computers; Gaming)

and shocks, 7–8, 73–75, 86–88, 91–93, 126–127, 237–238, 329n20

and strength, 16, 23, 39, 76, 186, 201–203, 215–216 (see also Bodies; Labor)

Toys. See Children

Trains. See Transportation

Transportation

automobiles (see Automobiles)

streetcars, 20, 60–61, 180, 260

trains, 222, 224

Triggers, 4, 16, 99, 256

Trump, Donald. See Warfare; Gender

Typewriters, xv, xix, 15, 261. See also Keys

Usability, 55–61, 172–173, 230–231, 249–254. See also Switches; Communication

Vending machines, xiv, 114–119, 126, 220

Edison, Thomas, 114–115

mischief, 116–117

self-service (see Labor)

Warfare, 16, 98–101, 103, 237–239, 295n67, 295n71. See also Control

armchair generals, 32, 228 (see also Managers)

Big Red Button, xiii, 246, 255–256

Cold War, xix, 25, 98–99, 232–233, 237–238

Dr. Strangelove, 237 (see also Media representations)

and morality, 101–103, 238

Trump, Donald, 255–256 (see also Gender; Bodies)

US Navy (see Communication)

Wiring

bells, 26, 29–31, 34, 40

lighting, 9, 73, 141–142, 166, 209, 226–227, 232, 241, 305n26

Women

housewives, 51–55, 69–70, 142–143, 200–201, 234–235, 260–261

and mere touch (see Touch; Labor)

and sedentarism (see Sedentarism; Reachability)

servants (see Servants)

sexuality, 95, 97–98, 128

and spectacles (see World’s Fairs)

and World’s Fairs, 81–83

Work. See Labor

World’s Fairs. See also Telegraph

and consumers, 115–117

and remote control, 78–79, 84–86 (see also Remote control)

and spectacles, 78–79, 82–86

and US presidents, 78–85