#Individual

How many people really are “average”? Is it possible to design a system to fit the average person, and if not, what’s the alternative? A recent article published on thestar.com examines this question, excerpting the work of L. Todd Rose from his recent book The End of Average. Rose’s narrative is somewhat massaged, but the central thesis about averages and their relationship (or lack thereof) to the individual user is well-developed and quite pertinent. We will explore these ideas through excerpts from the article, beginning with the one below:

The Neopup PAW-20 is one of a few innovative projects that were shown off to much fanfare at the tail end of the last millenium, but that never received significant traction with the arms market. However, over fifteen years after the PAW-20 was invented, South African ammunition and weapons manufacturer Denel PMP has received its first orders for the innovative weapon, which is now called “Inkunzi” and allows individuals to fire powerful multipurpose 20mm cannon shells at point targets. From defenceweb.co.za: