The Digital Industrial Ergonomics and Shoulder Evaluation Laboratory (DIESEL) operates using state of the art biomechanics evaluation equipment. We have recently added multiple targeting positioning systems (robots) to our laboratory, which has enabled us to enhance our in vitro analysis capabilities.
- Vicon Motion Capture System
- Noraxon 16-Channel Electromyography Telemetric System
- OT Bioelecttronica High-Density Electromyography System
- Yaskawa Motoman 3-D Target Positioning Systems
- VX Technologies Dual-Head 3-D Digital Scanning System
- Hand Force Profilometry System
- Data Acquisition and Reduction Systems
The Vicon system consists of several key components: 8 individually placed infrared Vicon MX 2.0+ megapixel cameras, 2 synchronized digital video Basler cameras, an MX Net controller, Workstation, Polygon, Bodybuilder, PECS Control, and Plug-in Toolkit software, the MXControl component, the Vicon MX Biomechanics Accessories Kit, camera tripods and pan-tilt camera heads. All of these components work in concert to deliver unique capabilities for biomechanical motion analysis.
Noraxon 16-Channel Electromyography Telemetric System
The Noraxon Telemyo T2400 G2 system allows synchronous collection of up to 16 channels of muscle activity. Its telemetric functionality allows the subject to be ‘untethered’ from a collection machine. This allows flexibility of movement and unencumbered task or exertion performance. This system has the benefit of adjustable bandwidth sampling to allow for both surface and fine-wire electromyography (EMG), which is critical for a body region with as many deep muscles as exist in the shoulder.
OT Bioelecttronica High-Density Electromyography System
This system consists of an amplifier that can acquire surface and intramuscular EMG, electrocardiogram (ECG), and electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. The system allows for acquisition of high-density EMG via an array grid and can record monopolar and bipolar channels. It is able to simultaneously acquire signal from up to 400 detection sites.
Yaskawa Motoman 3-D Target Positioning Systems
The major advantages of these systems are their extremely high level of repeatability, and ability adjust quickly to facilitate rapid data collection. The larger system consists of a programmable robot arm (Yaskawa Motoman HP50) and controller (NX 100) that allows for a range of sufficient to accommodate the reach envelope of the human population, allowing for a large spectrum of highly specified analyses. The newer robot (Yaskawa Motoman MH5S II) and controller (DX200) is much smaller and can be based on a table or mounted to the wall. It will be used for primarily in-vitro tissue testing, and is compact, has six-axes and a 5kg payload with high axial speeds.
VX Technologies Dual-Head 3-D Digital Scanning System
This system allows the digitization, or transfer into the digital realm, of any physical object, regardless of surface or color complexity, including complex tool interfaces. The VX Technologies FW-3R System is extremely portable enabling easy transport to field locations, and it is not dependent on expensive retro-reflective tie points as many other competing systems are.
Hand Force Profilometry System
The hand force profilometry system collects 3-dimensional forces and moments at the hand. This information is used as input to the biomechanical model. The system is integrated with the 3-D target positioning system, as it was chosen specifically for this purpose. This system consists of two major components: a 6 DOF (AMTI-FS6) transducer and a 6 channel (AMTI MSA-6) signal conditioner/amplifier. The system can measure up to 56 Nm of moment and 2200 N of force. Additionally, the laboratory has two dedicated 500-pound load cells.
Data Acquisition and Reduction Systems
These four computer systems are used to obtain and store data produced by the primary collection equipment in the laboratory. One system is a portable dual core processor system designed to facilitate onsite industrial task data collection, which will allow capture of workplace geometry using the 3-D scanning system, thereby enhancing ergonomic analyses. The other two systems are standard desktop systems including monitors for collecting data in the laboratory. One system controls data flow from the motion capture, EMG, and hand force profilometry systems, and the other controls the 3-D target positioning system.