A scoping review on emerging technologies and automation of musculoskeletal ergonomic assessments.

Abstract

Ergonomic suitability is critical in tasks involving musculoskeletal movement. Many industries have examined best practices and assessed workers' ergonomic conditions during physical tasks. Prolonged awkward postures are a known cause of discomfort and restricted mobility in areas such as the arms, spine, and neck. Technologies like computer vision and human activity recognition can help identify and prioritize ergonomic improvements. This paper presents findings from a two-decade scoping review on the role of automation and study design in ergonomic assessments of physical workplace tasks. Articles were sourced from Scopus, PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Engineering Village, and Google Scholar. Eighty-four studies were analyzed to evaluate the use of technologies in data collection, experimentation, analysis, and validation. We examined how participant variables (e.g. sample size, body part of interest) and validation accuracy impact study outcomes across domains. Integrating advanced technologies into ergonomic evaluations can enhance worker safety and productivity by supporting real-time, evidence-based decision-making.