The objective is to develop a system to automatically select the corresponding assessment scales and calculate the score of the risk based on the joint angle information obtained from the imaged process (OpenPose) via image-based motion capture technology. Current occupational assessments, for example, REBA, RULA, and OWAS were used to evaluate the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. However, the assessment result would not be reported immediately. Introducing real-time occupational assessments in different working environments will be helpful for occupational injury prevention. In this study, the decision tree was developed to select the most appropriate assessment method according to the joint angles derived by OpenPose image process. Fifteen operation videos were tested and these videos can be classified into six types including maintenance, handling, assembly, cleaning, office work, and driving. The selected ergonomic assessment method by our developed decision tree in each condition are consistent with the recommendation of the Labour Research Institute. Moreover, the high-risk posture could be identified immediately and provide to the inspector for further evaluation on this posture rather than the whole operation period. This approach provides a quick inspection of the operation movements to prevent musculoskeletal injuries and enhances the application of the scale assessment method in different industrial environments.
The purpose of this study was to employ inertial measurement units (IMU) with an eye-tracking device to investigate different swing strategies between two levels of batters. The participants were 20 healthy males aged 20 to 30 years old, with ten professional and ten amateur batters. Eye gaze position, head, shoulder, trunk, and pelvis angular velocity, and ground reaction forces were recorded. The results showed that professional batters rotated segments more rhythmically and efficiently than the amateur group. Firstly, the professional group spent less time in the preparation stages. Secondly, the maximum angular velocity timing of each segment of the professional group was centralized in the swing cycle. Thirdly, the amateur group had significantly earlier gaze timing of the maximum angular velocity than the professional group. Moreover, the maximum angular velocity timing of the gaze was the earliest parameter among the five segments, and significantly earlier (at least 16.32% of cycle time) than the maximum angular velocity of the head, shoulder, trunk, and pelvis within the amateur group. The visual-motor coordination strategies were different between the two groups, which could successfully be determined by wearable instruments of IMU.
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