Applied Ergonomics最新文献

{"title":"Human motor responses to different assistance onset timings during powered elbow flexion","authors":"Daichi Kusumoto ,&nbsp;Wen Liang Yeoh ,&nbsp;Jeewon Choi ,&nbsp;Ping Yeap Loh ,&nbsp;Satoshi Muraki","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104721","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104721","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Exoskeletons often initiate assistance at unexpected moments, disrupting natural movement and reducing user acceptance. The timing of mechanical assistance is critical for enabling users to perform fast and accurate movements without conscious effort. This study examined how assistance onset timing affects movement accuracy, muscle activation, and subjective evaluation during simple tasks. Twenty healthy young participants performed visually guided elbow flexions (30°–120°) within 1.15 s, lifting a dumbbell equal to 25% of their maximum voluntary contraction with 40% mechanical assistance under seven onset conditions (±300 ms, ±200 ms, ±100 ms, and 0 ms relative to the start cue). The findings indicate that both early and delayed assistance provide unique advantages but are subject to a fundamental trade-off: early assistance improves movement accuracy, whereas delayed assistance better preserves the sense of agency. The most effective cooperation occurred within a ±100 ms window, balancing accuracy and agency—factors essential for improving device acceptance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 104721"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145978884","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":"Evaluation of sizing system structure and reliability in firefighting gloves","authors":"Kyurey Park ,&nbsp;Milo Tacheny ,&nbsp;Rui Li ,&nbsp;Mengying Zhang ,&nbsp;Guowen Song ,&nbsp;Linsey Griffin","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104722","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104722","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ill-fitting firefighter gloves negatively impact firefighters’ work efficiency, performance, and safety. Although the NFPA 1971 Standard defines recommended glove sizing parameters, it remains unclear whether these sizing frameworks are accurately implemented during manufacturing. Previous studies have developed sizing systems through statistical analysis or applied population-based approaches; however, there has been a lack of research that systematically evaluates the consistency and reliability of sizing systems in actual manufactured products. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the dimensional structure and manufacturability of firefighter glove sizing systems across five commercially available manufacturers. Using 3D scanning and key dimension analysis of index finger length and hand breadth, the research assessed the degree of linearity, size interval consistency, accommodation of the target population, and alignment with NFPA standards. Findings revealed pervasive inconsistencies, including reverse intervals, irregular size progression, gaps and substantial overlaps in size distributions. These issues indicate a fundamental disconnect between intended sizing logic and the physical dimensions of manufactured gloves, leading to unreliable fit and reduced population accommodation. The study underscores that designing more size options or applying advanced statistical models alone cannot resolve fit issues if sizing systems are developed in isolation from production realities and material constraints. An integrated approach—incorporating sizing development, design specifications, and manufacturing feasibility—is essential for achieving reliable and inclusive fit outcomes. The sizing evaluation framework presented provides a quantitative, reusable method for assessing and improving glove fit in future product development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 104722"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928129","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":"Can you hear me? An exploratory study on the technological barriers experienced by Brazilian teleworkers","authors":"Gisele de Macedo Steffen ,&nbsp;Daniel Pacheco Lacerda ,&nbsp;Douglas Corrêa Rodrigues ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Frank de Souza Gomes","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104717","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104717","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the way we work. The advance of communication and information technologies, partly stimulated by the crisis, has strengthened flexible working models. The shift from well-established office activities to remote working can present challenges for workers. This qualitative study therefore aims to investigate the technological barriers faced by tele workers. An exploratory analysis was carried out using content analysis. Knowledge workers from three different organizations were interviewed. The results indicated that the barriers faced by workers were usability and familiarity with ICTs, quality and access to ICTs, and digital interaction dynamics. These barriers operate through mechanisms that contribute to phenomena such as digital fatigue and technostress. It should be noted that barriers are influenced by the individual, social, and organizational contexts experienced by workers. In the face of digital transformations, organizations need to rethink their management models, taking technological impacts into account.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 104717"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145928136","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":"Systematic review of usability evaluations in medical devices: Methodological choices, heuristic application, and confounding factors","authors":"Ana Cristina Beitia Kraemer Moraes ,&nbsp;Shiren Fathi Yusef Bakri ,&nbsp;Caroline Karlinski Scherer ,&nbsp;Larissa Oliveira Daneluz Vaz ,&nbsp;Jaqueline Yonara da Silva Galhardo ,&nbsp;Everton Granemann Souza ,&nbsp;Chiara das Dores do Nascimento ,&nbsp;Rafael Guerra Lund","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104715","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104715","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Usability evaluation is a regulatory and safety requirement in medical device development, as defined by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) IEC 62366-1/2 and the United States Food and Drug Administration FDA guidance. These frameworks establish processes for identifying and mitigating risks associated with device use under normal conditions, but they do not guarantee methodological consistency or scientific reproducibility. Consequently, usability testing is often implemented as a procedural step rather than as an evidence-based validation strategy.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study systematically examines how usability evaluations are selected and conducted during medical device development, analyzing the application of heuristic, formative, and summative approaches, and identifying confounding factors that affect scientific consistency and external validation.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A comprehensive search was performed across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS, and Google Scholar (April 2024–January 2025). Of 2600 records, 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. Qualitative synthesis followed Bardin's content analysis, and evidence quality was appraised using the GRADE and ROBINS-I frameworks to assess bias and methodological strength.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Most studies demonstrated strong methodological rigor and moderate risk of bias, yielding moderate-to-high confidence evidence. Simulation-based evaluations effectively identified usability issues under controlled conditions, but their limited ecological validity restricted generalization to clinical contexts. Recurrent inconsistencies in sampling, participant training, and instrument standardization were major confounders limiting comparability and reproducibility.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Usability evaluations of medical devices remain methodologically rigorous yet scientifically fragmented. The persistent gap between regulatory compliance and scientific validation underscores the need for standardized hybrid protocols integrating simulation and real-world clinical testing. Embedding Human Factors Engineering principles as a continuous, evidence-based process is essential to strengthen safety, performance, and user-centered innovation in medical technologies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 104715"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145886532","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":"Neuro-cognitive benefits of high agent transparency on operators’ cognitive and affective emergent states in human-agent teaming","authors":"Yang Cai,&nbsp;Pei-Luen Patrick Rau","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2026.104738","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2026.104738","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although transparency enhances Human-Agent Teaming (HAT), its underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. This within-subject study investigates how agent transparency shapes operators' cognitive and affective emergent states—situation awareness (SA), trust, workload, perceived task complexity, and perceived task control—and associated neural activity during unmanned system monitoring. Thirty participants completed unmanned vehicle monitoring tasks under varying transparency levels while functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recorded hemodynamic responses. The results showed that high transparency improves SA, fosters trust, reduces workload and perceived task complexity, and strengthens perceived task control. The fNIRS data further indicated that high transparency reduced cognitive load in Broca's area and the frontal eye field, while increasing it in the frontal pole area and premotor and primary motor cortices. These findings advance theoretical understanding of transparency's role in HAT and offer practical guidance for designing transparent systems that support operators' cognition and align subjective and objective SA. The insights gained contribute to the design of transparent systems that improve operator support and collaboration in high-risk operational domains such as forestry and disaster response.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"134 ","pages":"Article 104738"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146020778","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":"Implementation of a participatory ergonomic program to reduce musculoskeletal pains among micro-enterprise workers: social network as data transformative pathway","authors":"Naghi Gholizadeh-cholmoradi ,&nbsp;Hajiomid Kalteh ,&nbsp;Siavash Etemadinezhad ,&nbsp;Seyed-Nouraddin Mousavinasab","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104714","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104714","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the effectiveness of a participatory ergonomics program to reduce musculoskeletal pain among car repair technicians in small workshops (&lt;5 employees) in Iran. Thirty-six participants assessed ergonomic risks and interventions before and after implementation using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and ergonomic checkpoints. WhatsApp was used to facilitate communication and feedback due to geographical dispersion. Five key ergonomic interventions were implemented across 36 micro-enterprises, with 31 participants (86 %) completing all stages of the program. In total, 44 ergonomic improvements were carried out across four major risk domains: manual material handling, workstation design, hand tools, and lighting. Six months after implementation, the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain decreased significantly—by 73 % in the neck, 80 % in the shoulders, 86 % in the elbows, 50 % in the wrists/hands, and 47 % in the knees (p &lt; 0.05). These findings demonstrate that participatory, low-cost interventions supported by social networking tools can effectively improve ergonomic risk factors in micro-enterprises.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104714"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145812431","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":"Exploring biomechanical and metabolic determinants of lifting movement strategy","authors":"William Zhao ,&nbsp;Devon H. Frayne ,&nbsp;Tyson A.C. Beach ,&nbsp;Paolo B. Dominelli ,&nbsp;Steven L. Fischer","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104701","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104701","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We explored if lifters would adopt a spine sparing strategy when lifting heavier loads infrequently, and a metabolically cost-efficient strategy when lifting lighter loads more frequently. Twenty-six participants performed four 7-min bouts of lifting in high-load low-frequency and low-load high-frequency conditions. Participants chose self-selected lifting strategies for bouts 1 and 4 in each condition but were required to complete lifts using a stoop and squat for bouts 2 and 3 to sample a biomechanical and metabolic costs landscape. Whole-body kinematics, ground reaction forces, and oxygen consumption were collected to quantify peak sagittal low back moments, <span><math><mrow><mover><mi>V</mi><mo>˙</mo></mover></mrow></math></span> O₂ consumption, and lifting strategy. No significant differences were found in biomechanical and metabolic cost exposure variables between the first and last self-selected lifting bouts after an exploration period of a cost landscape. However, participants did adopt different movement strategies between conditions, biased toward a more metabolically cost-efficient stoop-like lift in the low-load high-frequency condition. This evidence indicates that metabolic cost likely plays a task specific role in shaping lifting strategy, an important finding for researchers developing digital human models aiming to predict how people might lift at work.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104701"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145694887","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":"An alternative 6-inch octave keyboard reduces forearm muscle activation level and improves finger postures in expert pianists with smaller hand spans","authors":"Craig Turner ,&nbsp;Justine Pelletier ,&nbsp;Robin Mailly ,&nbsp;Luis Angel Rivera ,&nbsp;Fabien Dal Maso ,&nbsp;Mickaël Begon ,&nbsp;Felipe Verdugo","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104709","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104709","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A small hand span is a risk factor of musculoskeletal injuries in pianists. Alternatively sized keyboards are recommended to help smaller hand pianists reduce risk of injury. However, in comparison to a 6.5″ octave conventional keyboard, it is unclear if a 6.0” octave keyboard (DS6.0) reduces forearm muscle activations and no research has investigated if keyboard size impacts finger joint kinematics. The objective was to determine the effect of keyboard size and hand size on pianists’ right forearm muscle activation and finger joint posture when playing large handspan chords. Smaller hand pianists exhibited 11.2–13.8 % greater finger/wrist extensor activation and more abducted/less flexed finger postures compared to larger hand pianists. Smaller hand pianists playing on a DS6.0 reduced finger/wrist extensor activation by 2.5–3.2 %. Fifth finger posture was more flexed and less abducted. Results suggest that playing on a DS6.0 might reduce the exposure to risk of injury in pianists with smaller hands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104709"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145745734","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":"Effects of an electric drive wheel on hand forces, muscle activity, spinal load, perceived exertion and usability during hospital bed transport by nursing staff","authors":"Niels Hinricher ,&nbsp;Alina Bola ,&nbsp;Chris Schröer ,&nbsp;Hendrik Ludewig ,&nbsp;Claus Backhaus","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104712","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104712","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated a novel motorized drive wheel designed to replace one of the four outer castors of a hospital bed. Existing beds can be retrofitted using a plug-and-play approach, offering considerable potential to reduce the physical burden on healthcare workers during bed transport. Thirteen nurses moved a standardized hospital bed—with and without the drive wheel—through a realistic course including ramps, curves, and elevators. Objective biomechanical parameters (hand forces, spinal compression, muscle activity) and subjective assessments (Borg scale, System Usability Scale) were recorded. The drive wheel significantly reduced physical load, lowering hand forces by 22 % and spinal compression by 20 %. Shoulder, neck, and lower-back muscle activity also decreased significantly. Perceived exertion was reduced by 69 %, and usability was rated as “excellent.” The motorized drive wheel evaluated in this study substantially reduced physical load in everyday clinical care, although recommended ergonomic limits were not met in all situations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104712"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145747003","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":"Independent versus collaborative double-checking for errors on a simulated rail control task","authors":"Ryan D. McMullan ,&nbsp;Nanda Aryal ,&nbsp;Ling Li ,&nbsp;Mark Wiggins ,&nbsp;Joanna Clive ,&nbsp;Johanna I. Westbrook","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Double-checking is a safety practice performed by workers across high-risk industries.</div><div>We aimed to examine the effectiveness of two types of double-checking (independent versus collaborative) for the detection of errors. We also examined the effect of two classes of checking tasks (matching versus critical analysis and assimilation) and interruptions on error detection. A total of 198 participants completed a 32-min rail control simulation. The primary objective for participants was to identify misrouted trains. Participants worked in pairs and performed tasks that involved matching versus critical analysis and assimilation, with interruptions occurring during the tasks. Independent double-checking was associated with greater response accuracy for identifying misrouted trains compared with collaborative double-checking. Response accuracy was also greater when participants engaged in matching compared to critical analysis and assimilation. Interruptions were not associated with task performance. Our findings suggest that independent double-checking may be superior to collaborative double-checking for the detection of errors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"133 ","pages":"Article 104716"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145795646","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}