Applied Ergonomics最新文献

{"title":"Secular trends in facial anthropometry among Chilean workers: Implications for ergonomic respirator design and fit panel adaptation","authors":"Edgardo C. Silva ,&nbsp;Héctor Ignacio Castellucci ,&nbsp;Roberto Camberes ,&nbsp;Josefina Lira ,&nbsp;Jaime Marabolí ,&nbsp;Carlos Viviani ,&nbsp;Johan F.M. Molenbroek ,&nbsp;Toon Huysmans ,&nbsp;Ariel Rodríguez ,&nbsp;Luis Alberto Caroca ,&nbsp;Jaime Ibacache","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104594","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104594","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The ergonomic fit of respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is critical for ensuring both protection and long-term usability in occupational settings. However, most respirators are designed based on outdated or foreign anthropometric data that may not represent local populations. In Chile, as in many countries without updated national databases, this mismatch can compromise comfort, effectiveness, and user compliance. This study evaluated temporal changes in facial dimensions among Chilean workers and assessed the applicability of four widely used respirator fit test panels. Two representative datasets collected a decade apart were analyzed: Dataset A (n = 474; 2013) with manual measurements, and Dataset B (n = 2016; 2024) using 3D facial scanning. Eleven facial dimensions recommended by ISO standards were examined against the LANL half- and full-facepiece panels and the NIOSH/ISO bivariate and PCA panels. Results showed significant increases in facial size, particularly among men, and a general shift toward larger facial morphologies. The NIOSH/ISO bivariate panel provided the highest coverage, while the LANL full-facepiece panel showed the poorest fit, especially among recent male participants. Gender-based differences in fit were consistent across both datasets. These findings underscore the need for updated, population-specific anthropometric references and the ergonomic redesign of respirators and fit panels. Although centered on Chile, the study has global relevance for countries that import RPE without validating fit locally. The methodology offers a scalable approach for aligning protective equipment with evolving worker characteristics, supporting international efforts to improve comfort, safety, and usability through data-informed design. These declining match rates suggest that respirator fit panels may become increasingly outdated, potentially compromising worker safety if they are not updated to reflect current population characteristics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104594"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144589159","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Technical field-evaluation of exoskeleton-assisted overhead work among carpenters","authors":"Mikkel Brandt ,&nbsp;Sandra Schade Jacobsen ,&nbsp;Sebastian Skals ,&nbsp;Ika Nimb ,&nbsp;Jeppe Z.N. Ajslev ,&nbsp;Emil Sundstrup ,&nbsp;Lars L. Andersen ,&nbsp;Markus Due Jakobsen","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104582","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104582","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carpenters in construction commonly perform overhead work tasks such as installing ceiling panels, plastering, and formwork. While laboratory studies suggest exoskeletons may reduce strain during such work, their effectiveness in real-life conditions remains uncertain. This randomized cross-over field study investigates the effects of a passive shoulder exoskeleton on muscle activity and kinematics in 20 carpenters during overhead work tasks. Results showed reduced peak muscle activity (nEMG) in the shoulders and forearms (−3.1 to −9.4 %), but increased activity in the lower back (2.3–3.4 %) when using the exoskeleton. Kinematic analysis revealed minimal changes in range-of-motion (&lt;3.1°) and peak joint angles. Participants reported good usability and willingness to use the exoskeleton in the future. This study demonstrates positive effects on shoulder load in real working conditions but highlights the need to consider increased low-back load when implementing exoskeletons for overhead work.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104582"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580674","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Developing safe and sustainable work activities in the industries of the future in metal additive manufacturing. A literature review of methods and proposals","authors":"Marie Chizallet ,&nbsp;Anne-Cécile Lafeuillade ,&nbsp;Emilie Le Guen ,&nbsp;Marco Peña-Jimenez ,&nbsp;Sophie Prunier-Poulmaire ,&nbsp;Christophe Lemaire ,&nbsp;Denis Taing ,&nbsp;Sandra Robert ,&nbsp;Thierry Meyer ,&nbsp;Bruno Vallespir ,&nbsp;Louis Galey","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104591","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104591","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of work and prevention practices in the metal additive manufacturing industry faces new challenges in relation to sustainable work, with the integration of the production process, from design to manufacturing, into a collaborative organisation. This article explores the relationship between the development of health in the workplace, based on work activities, mitigation of exposure situations, and sustainable work. An analysis of 11 articles pertaining to the reduction of occupational exposure is presented, in light of the observation that the criteria of the ergotoxicological approach are conducive to the advancement of sustainable work. Recommendations for methods are made according to their relevance to the advancement of safe and sustainable work in the Industry of the Future, further to the discussions of a multidisciplinary working group (ergonomics, work psychology, industrial hygiene, process engineering, and organisation modelling). This work promotes reflection on the design of a transferable method for preventionists, ergonomists and companies. The originality of this article is that, by proposing related methods, it explicitly incorporates consideration of exposure to hazards into the concept of sustainable work.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104591"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144580675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are the shapes and sizes of pen barrel the factors to influence handwriting kinetics?","authors":"Li-Chieh Kuo ,&nbsp;Chung-Hung Tsai ,&nbsp;Chieh-Hsiang Hsu ,&nbsp;Cheng-Feng Lin ,&nbsp;Hsiu-Yun Hsu ,&nbsp;Chin-Wei Liu ,&nbsp;Yu-Chen Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104595","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104595","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Handwriting plays a vital role in children's learning. Choosing the correct writing tools, particularly in terms of pen shape and size, remains challenging. The influence of pen design on handwriting performance, particularly hand kinetics, is not fully understood. This study investigated how different pen shapes and sizes affect handwriting kinetics and performance in children and adults. Using a custom Force Acquisition Pen (FAP) system, the average force (AF), coefficient of variation of force (CVF), and force ratio (FR) were measured in 12 children (9.19 ± 0.97 years) and 18 adults (26.29 ± 3.21 years). Participants completed tracing tasks rather than free copying using circular and triangular pens with altered grip diameters (13, 17, and 21 mm), simulating the effect of different pen barrel thicknesses to standardize stroke paths and ensure consistency across trials. The findings revealed that, at smaller grip diameters (13 mm and 17 mm), triangular pens elicited lower FR values than circular pens in children. Adults showed more stable force control with a lower CVF across grip sizes. These results offer valuable guidance in selecting appropriate writing tools for children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104595"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144563716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of notification modality in smartwatches: A context of sedentary behavior interventions","authors":"Syafa Thania Prawibowo,&nbsp;Fitri Trapsilawati,&nbsp;Ardiyanto Ardiyanto","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104593","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104593","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sedentary behavior associated with prolonged computer use poses significant health risks. Smartwatch-based stand-up reminders offer a promising intervention, yet the effectiveness of different notification modalities remains unclear. This controlled laboratory study used a within-subject design to compare four notification modalities: visual-only, visual-auditory, visual-tactile, and visual-auditory-tactile, evaluated using metrics including response times, response rates, compliance times, compliance rates, and user preferences. Twenty participants performed computer-based data processing tasks at a sit-stand workstation while receiving stand-up reminder notifications at random intervals every 7–10 min, prompting them to stand. We hypothesized that multimodal notifications would outperform the visual-only modality in terms of user responsiveness and user preferences. The results supported this hypothesis: both bimodal modalities (visual-auditory and visual-tactile) significantly reduced response times and increased response rates as well as user preferences compared to the visual-only condition (p &lt; 0.001), while performing as effectively as the trimodal condition. Furthermore, response rates were positively correlated with two dimensions of user preferences, confirmation (ρ = 0.497, p &lt; 0.001) and continuance intention (ρ = 0.422, p &lt; 0.001), indicating that user trust and willingness to continue using the system were associated to the system performance. These findings suggest that smartwatch developers and manufacturers should avoid using visual-only notifications as the default and instead promote the use of at least bimodal reminders to enhance user responses and preferences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104593"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144549812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sick of being driven? – Prevalence and modulating factors of carsickness in the European population in context of automated driving","authors":"Myriam Metzulat ,&nbsp;Barbara Metz ,&nbsp;Aaron Edelmann ,&nbsp;Alexandra Neukum ,&nbsp;Wilfried Kunde","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104590","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104590","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As in automated driving the driver becomes a passenger, carsickness might reduce comfort for susceptible individuals. Insights in the prevalence of carsickness and its modulating factors are considered useful for the development of automated vehicles to mitigate or prevent its occurrence. An online survey was conducted with <em>N</em> = 3999 participants in Spain, Sweden, Poland, and Germany. 30 % of participants reported to have already experienced carsickness as adult. The frequency of carsickness was modulated not only by demographic factors (country, gender, age), but also by frequency of being a passenger, type of non-driving related task, road type, and the seating position in car. Furthermore, the efficiency of applied countermeasures, temporal aspects of carsickness development, as well as the relation of carsickness with the acceptability of automated driving and the effect on subjective fitness to drive was investigated. The results are discussed with focus on automated driving.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104590"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144523537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adaptations to fatigue during a repetitive multiplanar lifting task","authors":"Emma J. Ratke ,&nbsp;Dennis J. Larson ,&nbsp;Michael W.R. Holmes ,&nbsp;Shawn M. Beaudette","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104587","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104587","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Warehouse workers are often required to perform physically demanding repetitive lifting tasks leading to fatigue. Previous research has primarily focused on constrained lifting tasks when investigating fatigue. The purpose of the current study was to investigate fatigue-based movement adaptations during a multiplanar, ecologically relevant lifting task. Participants (n = 28) lifted, transferred, and lowered a mass continuously for 60 min. Full body kinematics and muscle activity of the lumbar erector spinae, rectus abdominis, external oblique, and anterior deltoids were collected continuously. Results suggest that the load moment arm decreased across the trial (4% decrease), and participants tended to complete movements faster (4% decrease). Further, participants exhibited less variability in thorax-pelvis flexion deviation phase when fatigued (9% decrease). Finally, rectus abdominis activity increased (4%MVIC increase), while anterior deltoid activity decreased over time (2% decrease). These behavioural, coordination-based, and muscular adaptations to fatigue all have potential implications for injury risk in repetitive lifting tasks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104587"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144510972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating an intuitive tactical navigation solution to enable situational awareness for people with visual disabilities","authors":"Giovanna Camacho ,&nbsp;Matthew L. Bolton ,&nbsp;Amanda Watson ,&nbsp;Ian Pitt","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104576","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104576","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research designed a wearable vibrotactile display for providing intuitive orientation and communication cues to aid in navigation for the visually disabled. The device’s signals were designed to communicate the three levels of situation awareness (SA; perceive, comprehend, and project) intuitively, as if one was being guided by a partner’s hand. We evaluated the effectiveness of this device in a human subject experiment with fully blind participants. Participants were tested in an open 15 ft x 15 ft space with no objects for reference. Performance with the vibrotactile display was compared against participants’ normal methods of navigation based on performance measures (navigation, accuracy, and time). Subjective measures of mental workload, situation awareness, and usability were collected; as were surveys designed to understand how participants’ categorized tactor signals into SA levels. Results showed that the tactile design enhanced accuracy, but increased navigation time. This design was comparable to participants’ standard methods for mental workload, SA, and usability. The paper discusses the significance of these results for navigation aids for the visually disabled. It also explores the implications for navigation support in other visually challenging environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104576"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144489351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel ergonomics indicator-based approach for evaluating a supplier organization's sustainable process performance","authors":"Asim Amjad ,&nbsp;Mujtaba Hassan Agha ,&nbsp;Shahid Ikramullah Butt ,&nbsp;Andrew Thatcher ,&nbsp;Irem Sarbat","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104583","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104583","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ergonomics principles can be crucial in supplier audits by providing an effective framework and continuum ratings, moving beyond check-sheet based dichotomous rating. In contemporary supply chain management practices focal firms –which govern supply chains– are held accountable for product sourcing and transportation deficiencies. This study proposes a novel method for assessing the supplier organization's sustainability performance by integrating twenty-five ergonomics indicators (EIs) across economic, ecological, and social dimensions. Data from 38 Pakistani supplier organizations exporting products to Western firms were analyzed to develop an interval-scale-based evaluation scheme, and aggregated to form an organization's composite sustainable performance score. The results showed that the economic dimension was more frequently measured by the organizations compared to the ecological and social dimensions. Moreover, mapping these EIs onto Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) demonstrates their relevance to SDGs broadly. A performance scorecard was also designed to assess suppliers' sustainability practices within the ergonomics paradigm, enabling organization-to-organization comparisons through visual representation. This approach supports focal firms in incorporating sustainable and resilient process performance into their supplier evaluations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104583"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144501834","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of adaptive systems based on Driver's workload","authors":"Jia Deng,&nbsp;Maryam Zahabi","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104585","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104585","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examined workload classification models and their application in adaptive in-vehicle systems. A meta-analysis of 31 studies assessed how predictor types (e.g., physiological data), experimental settings (simulator vs. on-road), and device types (wearable vs. remote) influence model accuracy. Results indicated that incorporating physiological data improved model accuracy, although ensuring generalizability remains a challenge. Random Forest models demonstrated the highest average accuracy for binary classification, while Neural Networks showed promise for multi-class models. Adaptive systems leveraging multi-input models were found effective in dynamically adjusting to workload, enhancing safety and user experience. However, challenges such as system over-reliance and limited system implementation persist. Additionally, this study analyzed the existing adaptive systems in the automotive market and proposed design guidelines and a framework for workload-based adaptive systems. Future research should focus on developing robust, context-aware systems tailored to occupational and real-world driving demands, ensuring reliability and widespread applicability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104585"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144489352","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}