Ergonomics最新文献

Workers in manufacturing settings experience highly variable musculoskeletal loading, which current risk assessment methods often fail to fully capture. This study evaluated a Fatigue Failure-Based framework for estimating continuous lumbar loading from variable occupational loads. Worker movements and postures were recorded using Inertial Motion Capture technologies, and L5/S1 joint loading history was estimated through inverse dynamics. Stress cycles were analysed using Rainflow analysis, adjusted with Goodman's method, and summed using Palmgren-Miner rule to estimate cumulative damage. The framework was tested in live industrial settings with eight automotive workers across 108 trials. Logistic regression models demonstrated significant correlations between cumulative damage estimates and self-reported low-back pain (OR = 2.16, 95% CI: 1.30, 3.57). This framework provides a novel method for analysing highly variable loading to estimate cumulative exposure in ergonomics, offering a starting point for future research and potential applications in assessing low back injury risks in similar occupational settings.

Police officers wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce their risk of injury while on duty. Despite the unique policing activity of riding a horse, little is known about the PPE used by mounted officers. The aim of this research was to assess the use, comfort, and functionality of mounted police PPE. Twenty officers from three UK Mounted Sections were recruited. Semi-structured interviews and range of movement assessments were conducted. Interview data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three main themes were generated: Functional requirements, Issues, and Areas for improvement. Much of the PPE worn by mounted officers is not designed for the risks associated with horse riding. There was a sense that officers 'make do' with their current PPE provision, but increased protection from falls and mounted specific public order protection were identified as particular areas for improvement.

A safe, healthy and competent workforce in the wind power industry is essential for meeting climate goals and energy needs. Wind technicians conduct critical tasks on wind turbines often in remote, hazardous environments in onshore and offshore locations. However, industry incident data indicate safety concerns in relation to operations and maintenance work. Despite behavioural issues significantly contributing to these wind incidents, the limited human factors research in the wind sector typically focuses on design and physiology. A scoping review was carried out to examine the psychological and organisational factors that impact on wind technician safety, health, and performance. In total, 13 research articles examining human factors in wind were identified, as well as 8 items from the grey literature. A preliminary framework was developed encompassing individual, crew/team, organisational factors, and task and environmental factors. This framework can be used to direct future research and assist practitioners to design effective interventions.

Virtual and mixed reality (VR/MR) are increasingly used in occupational and educational settings, where clear visual content presentation and accurate user reactions are crucial. On conventional monitors, positive polarity (dark content on light background) has been found to enable more accurate and faster text reading and stimulus recognition than negative polarity (light on dark). However, studies on this polarity effect in VR/MR have been limited by the available display technology, such as lower resolutions and transparent optical see-through MR glasses that favour negative polarity. We therefore used a high-resolution video see-through VR/MR headset with a resolution of 39 pixels per degree to test the polarity effect with tasks and stimuli identical to conventional polarity research. We found that, similar to conventional monitors, positive polarity is superior in VR and MR for tasks requiring fast reactions and reading, and that users prefer positive polarity when reading text in MR.

Musculoskeletal injuries are commonly incurred by firefighters. Most injuries are attributable to overexertion, fall, slip, and trip mechanisms. These injuries may be caused by many factors, including the independent and collective effects of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and fatigue induced by performing occupational-tasks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of PPE and fire-suppression tasks on static and functional balance among firefighters. 32 healthy male career structural firefighters (Age: 31.8 ± 9.5 yr) participated in this study. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences in static balance measures pre versus post-work in PPE p ≤ 0.009, and functional balance outcomes pre-work in station uniform versus pre-work in PPE p < 0.001. PPE negatively affected firefighters' functional balance, whereas occupational tasks negatively affected static balance outcomes. These findings highlight the importance of utilising countermeasures to combat occupational fatigue-induced decrements in neuromuscular function to reduce injury risk among structural firefighters.

Although some research has incorporated human cognition into the design of intelligent agents, few studies examine how agents' understanding of intentions and emotions affects collaboration. This study employed a scenario-based questionnaire with 109 participants, using a structural equation model to analyse how intelligent agents' intention and emotion understanding ability (literal vs. perspective-taking) influence trust and use intention. Results showed that intelligent agents with a higher understanding ability increased user perceptions of their intelligence and empathy, which led to greater trust and use intention. Unlike the 'uncanny valley' effect, perspective-taking did not increase negative attitudes towards the intelligent agents. The agent's enhanced understanding ability increased users' use intention via two routes: by improving perceptions of intelligence and hence increasing use intention, and by enhancing perceptions of empathy and hence improving trust and further boosting use intention. These findings provided practical guidance for designing intelligent agents with improved cognitive capabilities.

Firefighting tasks are strenuous and injury-prone. This study developed a biomechanical dataset from 20 professional firefighters performing equipment carry, hose drag, body drag and stair climb, with and without gear, using motion capture and musculoskeletal simulations. Biomechanical loading and activity asymmetry were analysed. Gear effects were found to be task-dependent: trunk muscle activity increased across activities, hip joint reaction forces consistently rose and ankle torque increased only during body drag. In stair climb, ankle torque decreased with gear, while knee and hip torques increased, indicating greater reliance on proximal joints. Leg muscle activity rose bilaterally in all tasks except hose drag. Side-specific patterns also emerged: across all activities, the left knee consistently exhibited higher torques, while ankle and knee reaction forces were greater on the right. During dragging tasks, more power was generated from the left upper body. This dataset and analysis provide insights for ergonomics, training and injury prevention.

The accessibility of reliable travel information is a growing challenge in public transport as vehicles become increasingly automated and staff presence decreases. Transparent displays, integrated directly into windows, offer a novel way to present information in passengers' natural line of sight. This study reports on a real-world field evaluation (N = 69) of such a system in a regional train, focusing on three dimensions: utility of displayed content, usability in terms of ergonomics and readability and passenger experience including comfort and technology acceptance. Results show that bright backgrounds and snow reduced legibility, while dusk and night-time improved Reading Performance. Despite these challenges, participants valued the novelty and relevance of the content and Overall Passenger Comfort was not negatively affected. Visual Reading Comfort improved with higher contrast conditions. Recommendations include automated contrast adjustment and optimised display placement. The study provides real-world evidence to guide ergonomic design and user experience standards.

Practitioner summary: This study reveals that individuals' affinity for smart tools is linked to specific brain structures. These findings support the theory of Human-Technology Symbiosis and highlight how technology use is associated with brain anatomy, with implications for technology design and user training.

This study examined how three non-optimal driving states - mind-wandering, distraction, and fatigue - differentially affect driving behaviour and psychophysiological responses from an arousal-resource regulation perspective. Thirty-licenced drivers completed repeated simulated driving tasks, during which behavioural performance and physiological indicators were recorded. Distinct state-specific profiles emerged. Distraction was associated with elevated heart rate and pupil diameter, accompanied by frequent and unstable control adjustments, reflecting a high-arousal, high-load control mode. Fatigue was characterised by reduced heart rate and eyelid opening, prolonged response times, and diminished operational activity, indicating hypoarousal and inhibited control. Mind-wandering showed an intermediate pattern, with moderate physiological activation but unstable behavioural rhythms, suggesting reduced task engagement rather than extreme arousal modulation. These findings indicate that attentional disruptions impair driving stability through distinct arousal- and resource-related mechanisms. The integration of behavioural and physiological measures supports a multimodal approach to driver state assessment.