A framework for interactive work design based on motion tracking, simulation, and analysis

Abstract

Because of the flexibility and adaptability of humans, manual handling work is still important in industry, especially in assembly and maintenance work. Well-designed work operation can improve work efficiency and quality; enhance safety, and lower cost. Most traditional methods for work system analysis need physical mock-ups and are time-consuming. Digital mock-up (DMU) and digital human modeling (DHM) techniques have been developed to assist ergonomic design and evaluation for a specific worker population (e.g., 95 percentile); however, the operation adaptability and adjustability for a specific individual are not considered enough. In this study, a new framework based on motiontracking technique and digital human simulation technique is proposed for motion-time analysis of manual operations. A motion-tracking system is used to track a worker's operation while he/she is conducting a manual handling task. The motion data are transferred to a simulation computer for real-time digital human simulation. The data are also used for motion type recognition and analysis either online or offline for objective work efficiency evaluation and subjective work task evaluation. Methods for automatic motion recognition and analysis are presented. Constraints and limitations of the proposed method are discussed. C 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A singular value approach for humanoid motion analysis and simulation

“…On the one hand, one may think that evolution has led to render the human locomotor apparatus really efficient and turn him able to follow the most efficient paths in Cartesian world: the straight line. Remark that statistical methods popularized in industrial cycle-time measurement such as MTM implicitly include this fact since the cycle-time in usual workplaces is only related to distance of reach [13], [14], [15]. On the other hand, we know that kinematic chains are not isotropic motion generators in Cartesian space.…”

Automated Coordinate Measuring Machine Inspection Planning Knowledge Capture and Formalization

“…Specifically, in the field of engineering many papers have reported the use of MoCap technology to study and solve various problems in manufacturing and other areas. Ma et al [50] proposed a framework for tracking, recognizing and analyzing a worker's activity while performing manual handling tasks such as lifting a component. MoCap data are used to emulate human's actions in digital environment enabling the evaluation of a task's efficiency.…”

Integrating Digital Human Modeling Into Virtual Environment for Ergonomic Oriented Design

“…The objective of the VRHIT experiment platform is to enable interactions between human and the simulated manufacturing environment and to realize interactive industrial work design taking consideration of human factors and ergonomics. This platform has been used in [24], [25], and [26], for verifying a control panel design, assembly work design in heavy industry, and work efficiency evaluation, respectively. In this paper, it is mainly used to capture the static posture of a simulated drilling operation (see Figure 3(a)).…”