Overview
Keywords: Real-time feedback; motion capture; upper body; virtual environment; MSD prevention
Timeline: January 2014 - Present
Researchers: Nicolas Vignais (Principal Investigator and student researcher, McMaster University), Peter Keir (McMaster University)
Funder: CRE-MSD
Project type: Seed grant
Sector/Workplace type: All
Theme:
Theme
3
Risk
assessment
and
hazard
identification
Background/rationale
Using a real-time ergonomic feedback has the potential to decrease the risk of development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
Research question/objectives/methods
The aim of this project is to investigate the impact of using an ergonomic feedback in real-time on the worker’s ability to prevent the appearance of MSDs at the upper body level. As the real-time ergonomic feedback (RTEF) may have a broad influence in human factors, it will be tested on three ergonomic contexts:
- Reactive ergonomics: RTEF will be used instantaneously by the worker in a real work situation.
- Proactive ergonomics: as the use of virtual environments becomes more commonplace in ergonomics, RTEF will be employed to complete a task in a virtual environment.
- Training: RTEF may be employed to train workers to learn acceptable postures and movements for their job tasks
10 male participants will be asked to perform tasks representative of industrial manufacturing job tasks. The participants will be outfitted with motion capture to collect kinematic data. The model created will be assessed ergonomically using the Automotive Assembly Worksheet to classify the participant’s actions into levels of risk. Visual or auditory feedback will be provided based on the severity of the task’s risk level.
Key findings
In progress.
Implications for the prevention of MSDs
The main impact of this project on ergonomics research may be the design of a portable system able to capture and render upper-body motions in real-time. This system could be employed during ergonomic courses and training of industrial workers. It could also be applied to proactive ergonomic analyses in a virtual environment as well as offline ergonomic investigations.
Knowledge dissemination
In progress.