Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety最新文献

{"title":"Ergonomic Design of Future Production Systems","authors":"C. Schlick, J. Bützler","doi":"10.3233/oer-150224","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/oer-150224","url":null,"abstract":"Increasing global competition and the resulting cost pressures call for premium-quality products and highly effective manufacturing processes. Moreover, in the face of short product life cycles and customers’ demand for variety, markets demand flexible adaptation to changing conditions. In order to stay competitive, it is crucial for companies in high-wage countries to anticipate customer-specific needs, individualize their processes and react extremely flexibly. Therefore, innovative production systems are required that are able to adapt continuously to changing product structures and the corresponding production and assembly processes [1]. One approach to achieving a higher degree of adaptability is to design flexible automated production systems. The competitive advantage is thus improved, giving manufacturers the ability to allocate functions dynamically and to make human-machine interaction more effective. The Cluster of Excellence “Integrative Production Technology for High-Wage Countries” focuses on this approach and incorporates key technologies by combining expertise from the fields of production engineering, material sciences and human factors to provide science-based solutions. The aim is to develop the fundamentals of a sustainable production strategy as well as to build methods and models that help us understand, predict and control the behaviour of complex, socio-technical production systems [1]. However, especially in high-wage countries, the level of automation in complex, socio-technical production systems has already been taken so far that, according to some kind of “law of diminishing returns”, a further increase will not lead to a significant increase in productivity. As a result, the number of process errors is significantly reduced by automation but the severity of the potential consequences of a single error increases disproportionately. Therefore, human decisions and actions when planning, monitoring, and optimizing complex production processes will also be crucial in the future [2]. In fact, increasing technological complexity in future production systems will often require intensified human intervention, especially for ramp-up, supervisory control and reconfiguration. Hence, future production systems should focus on integrating the human operator and his or her extraordinary problem-solving abilities, creativity, and sensorimotor skills. This special issue on the ergonomic design of future production systems contains five selected contributions that were part of a special session during the 5th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE) held in July 2014 in Kraków, Poland. The special issue focuses on innovative methods for designing future production systems and gives the reader a concise overview of recent work in the field. Kuz, Bützler and Schlick have analysed the research question of how anthropomorphism in the motion behaviour of a gantry robot in self-optimizing assembly systems affec","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/oer-150224","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148449","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Rollerbar mouse as an ergonomic alternative to a standard computer mouse","authors":"K. Kluth, E. Keller","doi":"10.3233/OER-150219","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150219","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND: The positioning of the hand-arm-shoulder system while computer-aided data entry, text processing or mouse operations – due to the kinematical chain’s own weight – represents an important risk factor for musculoskeletal complaints such as RSI syndrome as well as PC-work-induced carpal tunnel syndrome. OBJECTIVE: A new system to control the mouse cursor by a rollerbar promised beneficial support and a more comfortable working with a standard keyboard. METHODS: Twenty-four subjects, classified by gender and age, participated in standardized working tests to proof the ergonomic quality of the rollerbar mouse. The hypothetically expected relief of the hand-arm-shoulder muscles was measured via electromyographic methods. Subjective assessments based on the work experiences were obtained in order to enhance the evaluating of the product’s ergonomic quality. RESULTS: The rollerbar system was rated more favorably than the standard mouse. There are some differences along age and gender lines with regard to the strength of preference, but the rollerbar was the unequivocally preferred input device. Unfortunately, the results of the electromyographic measurements do not support as strong an endorsement for either of the two products. The reason is that the level of physical strain during the working tests was simply not high enough. CONCLUSION: The rollerbar mouse could be confirmed as an ergonomically promising product.","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"33-48"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150219","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a database for capability-appropriate workplace design in the manufacturing industry","authors":"Dorothee Müglich, A. Sinn-Behrendt, Karlheinz G. Schaub, Ralph Bruder","doi":"10.3233/OER-150228","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150228","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND: Due to demographic change, less young workers are available and the overall number of workers will decrease. The length of absenteeism, especially due to musculoskeletal disorders, increases with higher age. OBJECTIVE: The range of performance between individuals grows wider although there are exceptions for different capabilities and elderly workers. Therefore, a capability-appropriate workplace design is necessary to meet physical workplace demands in the manufacturing industry and in order to preserve the workability of the workforce. METHODS: The human-centred design process was used to provide a design solution that meets the needs of the workplace designers. The design solutions are evaluated three times. RESULTS: The high number of capabilities with a wide range of individual performance can be best captured and represented in a database. Therefore, a database is developed in which relevant physical manufacturing capabilities are collected and processed for workplace designers. Based on this information, design solutions for a prospective capability-appropriate workplace design can be derived relative to the age structure of the manufacturing plant. CONCLUSIONS: This gives the workplace designer propositions on how to plan their workplaces so as to avoid excessive stress and musculoskeletal disorders in the employees.","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"109-118"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150228","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148725","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ergonomic evaluation of the maximum water pressure for indoor fire-fighting via electromyographic and subjective methods","authors":"Sandra Groos, K. Kluth","doi":"10.3233/OER-150218","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150218","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND: So far, there exists no internationally uniform regulation about the pressure limits of water used for putting out fires in multi-story buildings and large properties. OBJECTIVE: In this ergonomic study, the optimum and maximum pressure for the fire water supply was tested with respect to physically feasible and safe indoor fire-fighting. METHODS: In order to prove whether the nozzles work most efficient and a fire can be extinguished safely and precisely, 12 professional fire-fighters carried out simulated fire-fighting procedures under nearly realistic conditions. Throughout the entire test, the electromyographic activity (EA) from 7 muscles of the right hand-arm-shoulder system and one muscle of the left arm was recorded. Additionally, a special questionnaire had to be filled in to evaluate the subjective experiences when handling the nozzles. RESULTS: The EA – standardized through MVCs (Maximum Voluntary Contractions) – exceeded the limit for short-term static work for 3 muscles, especially when the pressure was 0.8 MPa and higher. The subjective ratings confirmed the measured physiological responses. CONCLUSIONS: The operating pressure for the fire water supply should not exceed 0.6 MPa (as compromise 0.7 MPa), in order to ensure safe and precise fire-fighting, and that the nozzles work most efficient.","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"19-31"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150218","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Considerations for the dimensions of a test finger according to anthropometric data","authors":"H. Gebhardt, C. Mühlemeyer, K. Lang, A. Klussmann, Beate Schlutter, A. Vomberg","doi":"10.3233/OER-150223","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150223","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND: Standardized test fingers are used for testing products against mechanical and electrical hazards. The dimensions of the most common test finger, mentioned in several standards, have remained unchanged for many decades. In the meantime, the corresponding anthropometric dimensions of the human being as well as the safety standard and safety awareness have changed. OBJECTIVE: Starting from the dimensions of the most common test finger for adult persons, length and diameter of the test finger were analysed, whether they are still in accordance with the anthropometric considerations and whether they represent a sufficient safety-level. METHODS: Current distributions of relevant body dimensions from literature and own measurements were considered and compared with the dimensions of the common test finger. RESULTS: The analysis of anthropometric data reflects that in the past decades people are on average getting larger and wider. This refers to the German and European population, but also to large other parts of the world’s population. CONCLUSIONS: The current diameter of the common test finger still offers a high level of protection. However, the changes of the last decades, both in what concerns the anthropometric measurements as well as the safety standard and safety awareness, seems to require an adaptation of the length of the test finger to ensure the same level of safety protection as the chosen diameter.","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"61-69"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150223","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148261","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ergotyping tools for ergonomic research on human-machine interfaces in Digital Prototyping","authors":"Christiane Kamusella, Edgar Scherstjanoi, M. Schmauder","doi":"10.3233/OER-150227","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150227","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND: The best basis for health-conscious and competitive solutions is provided by an informed and prescient ergonomic interpretation of the product and system components of changing characteristics of user populations. OBJECTIVE: Software-based ergonomic evaluation permits the simulation and assessment of human-machine interactions. The goal is to develop suitable ergonomic tools that can estimate work-related stress by using virtual human and environment models. METHODS: Ergonomic findings and data from various sources were made available for computer-based processing. RESULTS: Development of software solutions that interact with a digital human model (“Visibility”, “Body Forces”, “Posture Analysis”, and “Manual Handling Evaluation”). CONCLUSIONS: Usage of ergonomic software still requires expert knowledge and involves comprehensive initial training. However, particularly in the context of iterative problem-solving processes, the software provides significant advantages because it allows for a comparison of different virtual solutions.","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"97-107"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150227","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148680","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the ergonomic quality of screwdrivers via electromyographic and subjective methods","authors":"Mario Penzkofer, A. Henke, K. Kluth","doi":"10.3233/OER-150220","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150220","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"3-18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150220","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physical strength of a German population sample: Differences in age, gender and hand preference","authors":"P. Serafin, Christoph Muehlemeyer, I. Levchuk, K. Lang, H. Gebhardt, A. Klussmann","doi":"10.3233/OER-150222","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150222","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND: For the ergonomic design of products and workplaces, knowledge about e.g. the physical strength or hand preference of the target population is helpful. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to gather data about isometric hand force and hand preference of a large sample of the population in Germany. METHODS: The isometric maximum force was determined in one-handed pulling (with support for the other hand), gripping and handling a screwdriver (supination) for both hands. Other factors such as age, gender, hand preference and occupation were documented in a standardized questionnaire. RESULTS:1,207 (428 female, 779 male) subjects between 5 and 91 years participated in this study. On average, females reach 2/3 of the strength level of males. The results do not show any significant influence of age on the maximum isometric force in the age groups between 20 and 59 years, but high intra age group differences occur. CONCLUSIONS: On average, for all subjects the preferred hand is stronger. The difference between the dominant and the subdominant hand ranges between 1% and 11% on average depending on the type of force exertion, hand preference and gender. Nevertheless, a very large variation of the side differences and strength levels within the types of handedness exists.","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"49-59"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150222","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148214","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anthropomorphic design of robotic arm trajectories in assembly cells","authors":"Sinem Kuz, J. Bützler, C. Schlick","doi":"10.3233/OER-150225","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150225","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND: Anthropomorphism is attribution of human form or behavior to non-human agents. Its application in a robot increases occupational safety and user acceptance and reduces the mental effort needed to anticipate robot behavior. OBJECTIVE: The research question focuses on how the anthropomorphic trajectory and velocity profile of a virtual gantry robot affects the predictability of its behavior in a placement task. METHODS: To investigate the research question, we developed a virtual environment consisting of a robotized assembly cell. The robot was given human movements, acquired through the use of an infrared based motion capture system. The experiment compared anthropomorphic and constant velocity profiles. The trajectories were based on human movements of the hand-arm system. The task of the participants was to predict the target position of the placing movement as accurately and quickly as possible. RESULTS: Results show that the anthropomorphic velocity profile leads to a significantly shorter prediction time (α = 0.05). Moreover, the error rate and the mental effort were significantly less for the anthropomorphic velocity profile. Based on these findings, a speed-accuracy trade-off can be excluded. CONCLUSIONS: Participants were able to estimate and predict the target position of the presented movement significantly faster and more accurately when the robot was controlled by the human-like velocity profile.","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"73-82"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150225","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148558","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Human Centered Assistance Applications for the working environment of the future","authors":"Jonas Schmidtler, Verena C. Knott, C. Hölzel, K. Bengler","doi":"10.3233/OER-150226","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3233/OER-150226","url":null,"abstract":"BACKGROUND: Social, technological, and legal changes imply new solutions to support the human worker in the industrial environment of the future. OBJECTIVE: Optimizing working conditions by adapting collaborative assistance systems in terms of human acceptance and well-being. The Institute of Ergonomics at the Technische Universitat Munchen (TUM) follows this approach with three novel technical solutions: Exoskeletons (Lifting Aid), collaborative robots (Cobot), and orthosis (Assembly Glove). METHODS: Fundamental scientific knowledge in cognition, anthropometrics, biomechanics, and physiology provide the basis for user-oriented designs and investigations via respiratory analysis, motion tracking, force measuring, and simulation. CONCLUSIONS: The human, with its abilities, flexibility, and knowledge, will still be the key success factor in future working environments. Hence holistic approaches that support the human in a complementary way to raise overall performance have to be evolved to handle upcoming challenges like demographic change, a diverse workforce, and high stress jobs.","PeriodicalId":91780,"journal":{"name":"Occupational ergonomics : the journal of the International Society for Occupational Ergonomics and Safety","volume":"12 1","pages":"83-95"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2015-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.3233/OER-150226","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"70148614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}