Ergonomics最新文献

Design Thinking (DT) has emerged as a pivotal approach harnessed by professionals across domains beyond traditional design practices. To reap its benefits, designers rely on sketching, but non-designers hesitate to do so. This paper investigates an alternative tool to engage non-designers effectively in the design process. A comparative study was conducted, juxtaposing the use of pen & paper against tangible figurative toys, assessing the creative outcomes through Torrance's framework for creative thinking. 36 participants were tasked with producing two web interface designs using one or both tools, according to four different conditions. While pen & paper yielded a greater quantity of ideas, they fell short in generating a broader spectrum of idea categories or more original concepts. Using a tangible tool resulted in more elaborate proposals. Figurative tangibles appear to exhibit a greater affordance for divergent thinking compared to pen & paper, despite imposing a higher cognitive effort on participants.

Prospective Ergonomics requires building a vision of the future, which can be achieved empirically (e.g. analysing unmet needs) and/or creatively (e.g. creating future needs). We develop an alternative way of imagining the future, through a model-driven approach. Based on several developmental models, we provide a global picture of possible future(s) emphasising higher-ordered motivations and values (e.g. meaningfulness, accomplishment). To implement them, we then present a model of human accomplishment reinterpreting the concept of ikigai in light of selected psychological theories (e.g. self-determination, eudaemonic well-being, mindfulness). Finally, we apply it to an Industry 5.0 case study named ikigai robotics: we designed an equipment for railway maintenance following a double design process - a functional design loop and a motivational design loop. The process proved inspirational and the results both original and promising, opening avenues for Prospective Ergonomics to develop a new approach for designing the future.

The concept of trend is often mentioned in the literature on prospective ergonomics, yet few methods exist to capture and use them to anticipate the use of future things. In this paper, we present an exploratory study examining how the instrumental approach to mediated activity, a tradition of research in Activity-centred ergonomics, can serve as a basis to identify trends in the evolution of future system use. Nine ergonomists with experience in innovative technology design took part in a series of interviews aiming to examine past and present uses of a familiar piece of technology - the phone - and to extrapolate descriptions of its future use. Results allowed us to construct trend boards - tools allowing designers to discuss trends in the evolution of user activities, to assist the early stages of a design process. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for the practice of prospective ergonomics.

This study presents a multicriteria decision-making model that integrates the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) with the VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) methodologies. The model aims to develop an influence framework for user interface design (UID) and validate the relationships among its components. The focus is on identifying key dimensions and criteria of UID in mobile learning and assessing their relative importance. The study evaluates 17 subcriteria after applying DEMATEL and VIKOR, as rated by 24 experts. A key finding is the visualisation of causal relationships, revealing that the colour scheme is notably influenced by font type, underscoring the colour scheme as the most critical factor in mobile learning interface design. Additionally, the study emphasises the importance of adopting continuous design approaches to improve interactive experiences and streamline mobile processes.

Touch-screen mobile devices (TSMDs) are digitally enhanced means of communication and information. This study aims to assess and identify the risks of musculoskeletal disorders. Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorder Questionnaire (CMDQ) was used with 340 university students (70% males and 30% females). Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), which uses Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), was applied to determine the potential musculoskeletal discomfort and its effects. The highest frequency of musculoskeletal discomfort symptoms was reported in the neck (73.53%) and lower back (67.94%), followed by the upper back (56.47%) and the right shoulder (46.18%). There was a positive correlation between the neck and musculoskeletal discomfort in; the right shoulder, upper back, right hand of base of thumb, and part of the wrist. It is essential to raise awareness among university students about the signs and risks of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms to help them prevent potential health issues in using TSMDs.

Age is associated with increased tissue stiffness and a higher risk of low back pain, particularly in older, sedentary workers who spend long periods sitting. This study explored how trunk stiffness changes with age and its relationship with posture during prolonged sitting in a sample of 37 women aged 20-65 years. Age was assessed as both Chronological Age and Fitness Age, with trunk stiffness measured using a passive trunk flexion apparatus. Participants sat at a computer workstation for 60 minutes, and spine posture was recorded every 10 minutes. The study found that trunk stiffness significantly increased with age, especially when considering Fitness Age (r = 0.517, p = 0.003). Additionally, trunk stiffness was negatively correlated with spine motion during sitting (r = -0.435, p = 0.023). These findings suggest that workers with poorer health move less while sitting and could be more susceptible to the deleterious effects of sedentary work.

Focusing on the design of a public space, we propose a methodological contribution to integrate possible future users to studies in prospective ergonomics. Our objective is to establish a rigorous protocol for comparing two methods of projecting potential usage. First, a projection interview based on a virtual environment movie and second, a Guided Imaginary Projection interview. We sought to determine to what extent these two methods provide participants with the ability to live a 'quasi-experience' of the space. This 'quasi-experience' is measured by a questionnaire inspired by the concepts of presence and absorption and by the analysis of the embodiment level of the discourse produced during the interviews, from embodied to general discourse. The results show that while the two methods produce similar results in terms of the level of projection experience, the virtual environment movie projection produces significantly more general discourse.

This position paper gives an overview of the field of Prospective Ergonomics (PE) for the design of future products, services, processes, and systems. It presents its definition, links with innovation, characteristics, origin, history, goal, supports, and methods to help people imagine the future. In recent years, PE has been rediscovered, actualised and repositioned to give it greater scope and visibility, and stimulate research, training and professional practice in ergonomics for the design of future things. PE is an ergonomic intervention mode, on a par with Corrective ergonomics and Design ergonomics, upstream of design projects, where the ergonomist is proactive in anticipating or constructing future user needs and in creating future artefacts. PE is supported by four main fields of study: Ergonomics, Prospective, Future-Oriented Cognition, and Creativity, which ensures it is guided by three key principles: human-centred, future-oriented, and focused on creativity for innovation. PE expands the scope of ergonomics by going beyond the design of interactions with artefacts and including the creation of these artefacts in the first place. This has major impacts on research, training, and professional practice in ergonomics because we need new knowledge to work efficiently on the future, training should be enhanced in prospective, innovation, and new product development, and the professional practice is enriched by a new set of activities. In the conclusion we propose future research directions to pursue the development of PE.

Wax Thread Extraction Process (WTEP) is a key step in Dhokra manufacturing. The traditional method involves awkward postures, muscle strain and a tedious workflow. This study focused on improving the WTEP to minimize ergonomic risks and boost production efficiency. This study focused on improving the traditional method of WTEP to reduce ergonomics risk and increase production. In the first phase, the ergonomics study of traditional WTEP of Dhokra handicrafts was evaluated. Based on the findings, a new proposed wax thread extruder machine (WTEM) was considered with anthropometric body dimensions. In the second phase, new WTEM prototype was developed and tested against an anthropometric grid board. Finally, in the third phase, comparative study of the WTEM was conducted to determine the productivity and effectiveness of the new machine. The new WTEM, featuring a scissor jack mechanism and an integrated heating chamber, minimises physical effort, enhances efficiency, and the design aligns with Indian anthropometric principles to reduce postural strain. This design reduces MSDs and boosts productivity with long working hours.