Product Form Design and Evaluation Method Based on Improved Form Aesthetic Formula

Form aesthetic principles represent an aesthetic consciousness developed through long-term human labor practices, which are crucial for the design and evaluation of product form. The equilibrium aesthetic principle is a vital component of the form aesthetic principles, significantly influencing other form aesthetic principles. This study introduces a method for product form design and evaluation using an improved equilibrium measurement formula that incorporates the number of form elements and is structured in three phases: design (phase 1), evaluation (phase 2), and analysis (phase 3). In phase 1, the primary functional units (form elements) of the target product are identified, and its potential spatial arrangements are analyzed. Clay models, 2D wireframes, and 3D models are constructed based on spatial layout schemes, yielding several alternatives. In phase 2, the original equilibrium measurement formula (E_I), the improved equilibrium measurement formula (E_II), and expert perceptual questionnaires (E_III) are applied to evaluate the alternatives, obtaining their respective rankings. In phase 3, a Pearson correlation analysis is conducted on the three evaluation results, followed by a discussion of the research findings. The results show a significant correlation between E_II and E_III, with a correlation coefficient of 0.986, enabling the selection of the optimal design solution based on their rankings. The findings indicate that incorporating the number of form elements as a new parameter in the measurement formula enhances the accuracy and effectiveness of form aesthetic measurement. This paper uses the bladeless fan as an example to demonstrate the proposed method, offering product designers a novel approach to enhance form aesthetic measurement.