Ergonomics最新文献

Car-lock sounds are designed to inform the lock status of vehicles. However, drivers often experience a lack of confidence regarding whether the car is locked, and car thefts persistently occur, frequently attributed to unlocked doors. Without identification of critical factors for evaluating effects of car-lock sounds on drivers, a strategy to car-lock sound design with increased locking efficiency remains implicit. This study proposes a method to identify critical factors influencing drivers' perceived certainty of car-lock status and behaviours during car-locking. An experiment was conducted to simulate the locking process and verbal protocol analysis was employed to comprehend participants' cognitive processes and behaviours. The results show that mechanical sound yielded high certainty and few hesitations, while tonal and crisp sound elicited low certainty and frequent hesitations. Seven critical factors on participants' behaviours and cognitive processes were identified, which provides a data-driven approach for future research in car-lock sounds evaluation and design.

Submarine control rooms are characterised by dedicated individual roles for information types (e.g. Sonar operator processes sound energy), with individuals verbally reporting the information that they receive to other team members to help resolve uncertainty in the operational environment (low information integration). We compared this work design with one that ensured critical information was more readily available to all team members (high information integration). We used the Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) method to analyse task, information, and social networks for novice teams operating within a simulated submarine control room under low versus high information integration. Integration impacted team member centrality (importance relative to other operators) and the nature of information shared. Team members with greater centrality reported higher workload. Higher integration across consoles altered how team members interacted and their relative status, the information shared, and how workload was distributed. However, overall network structures remained intact.

Modern aircraft cockpit system is highly information-intensive. Pilots often need to receive a large amount of information and make correct judgments and decisions in a short time. However, cognitive load can affect their ability to perceive, judge and make decisions accurately. Furthermore, the excessive cognitive load will induce incorrect operations and even lead to flight accidents. Accordingly, the research on cognitive load is crucial to reduce errors and even accidents caused by human factors. By using physiological acquisition systems such as eye movement, ECG, and respiration, multi-source physiological signals of flight cadets performing different flight tasks during the flight simulation experiment are obtained. Based on the characteristic indexes extracted from multi-source physiological data, the CGAN-DBN model is established by combining the conditional generative adversarial networks (CGAN) model with the deep belief network (DBN) model to identify the flight cadets' cognitive load. The research results show that the flight cadets' cognitive load identification based on the CGAN-DBN model established has high accuracy. And it can effectively identify the cognitive load of flight cadets. The research paper has important practical significance to reduce the flight accidents caused by the high cognitive load of pilots.

Occupational falls are often initiated by trips. Mechanical perturbations applied onto the tripped foot are different for different types of tripping obstacles. The present study aimed to determine how different types of tripping obstacles affect balance recovery after trips. Sixty-four healthy adults participated in an experimental study. They were instructed to perform several walking trials, during which two trips were randomly induced, one by a pole-like obstacle and the other by a board-like obstacle. Balance recovery after trips was measured and compared between the two obstacles. Results showed that the board-like obstacle led to longer step-off time, shorter recovery step duration, and smaller minimum hip height, suggesting that the risk of trip-initiated falls could be higher with the board-like obstacle vs. the pole-like obstacle. This finding presents the need for future research to consider the influence of obstacle type when exploring mechanisms for trips and falls.

As the UK's Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF) celebrates its 75th anniversary, it is worth reflecting on our discipline's contribution, current state, and critical future endeavours. We present the perspectives of 18 EHF professionals who were asked to respond to five questions regarding the impact of EHF, contemporary challenges, and future directions. Co-authors were in agreement that EHF's impact has been only limited to date and that critical issues require resolution, such as increasing the number of suitably qualified practitioners, resolving the research-practice gap, and increasing awareness of EHF and its benefits. Frequently discussed future directions include advanced emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the development of new EHF methods, and enhancing the quality and reach of education and training. The majority felt there will be a need for EHF in 75 years; however, many noted that our methods will need to adapt to meet new needs.Practitioner statement: This article provides the perspectives of 18 Ergonomics and Human Factors (EHF) professionals on the impact of EHF, contemporary challenges and critical future directions, and changes that are necessary to ensure EHF remains relevant in future. As such, it provides important guidance on future EHF research and practice.

Extensive evaluations exist concerning the linkage between objective task demands and subsequent effects on user performance. However, the human user also experiences a range of emotions related to external task demands. Problematically, little is known about the associations between emotional valence, and arousal associated with the task demand-performance axis. In this paper, we advance a theoretical model concerning such interactive influences using three dimensions: (1) emotional valence, (2) arousal, and (3) task demand. The model evaluates the impact of these dimensions on user performance. It also identifies critical emotional user states, particularly those resulting in negative performance effects, as well as non-critical emotional states that can positively impact performance. Finally, we discuss the implications for affect-adaptive systems that can mitigate the impact of critical emotional states while leveraging the benefits of non-critical ones.

Human performance in the rail freight yard has been identified as a source of risk for rail freight operations. This is both within the yard itself, and also with train preparation issues leading to incidents on the network. The rail freight yard is an area that has received limited research attention. Over 30 hours of observations were conducted at five major freight yards in Great Britain, along with 30 interviews of rail freight ground staff. Task models, human performance factors and potential solutions that were further explored in a workshop with freight personnel. This analysis led to an understanding of freight yard activities, the impact of freight yard design and environment, and the role external pressures on freight yard performance including upstream planning. The implications are discussed for both current freight operations, and for future technology and process change within the rail freight sector.

A high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) has been reported among nurses as a result of the injuries caused by patient transfer and handling. This review examines the impact of motorised and non-motorised lifting devices on reducing physical stress during wheelchair transfers among nurses. Systematic electronic database searches were performed, and the review was prepared according to the PRISMA guidelines. The results of 20 studies on biomechanical stresses related to WMSDs were synthesised qualitatively, and 13 were analysed quantitatively using meta-analysis. Motorised lifting devices significantly decreased biomechanical stress among nurses [SMD -0.68; 95% CI -1.02 to -0.34], whereas non-motorised counterparts showed no significant change [SMD - 0.23; 95% CI -0.59 to 0.13]. This study underscores the effectiveness of motorised lifting devices in mitigating WMSD risk during wheelchair transfers. The findings provide practical guidance for hospital administrators, policymakers, and experts seeking suitable devices to prevent WMSDs in nursing professionals.

Practitioner Summary: This study investigated the impact of motorised and non-motorised lifting devices on nurses during wheelchair transfers. Findings revealed that motorised devices significantly reduce biomechanical stress, while non-motorised devices showed limited effectiveness. The research emphasises the superior role of motorised devices in preventing WMSDs during wheelchair transfers among nurses.

This study systematically investigated the influence of a passive arm-support exoskeleton (ASE) on static postural balance in load-holding tasks under different weight conditions and load locations, and the relationship between such influence and the exoskeleton's supportive force profile. Using a 3 (exoskeleton interventions) ×3 (weight conditions) ×3 (load locations) within-subjects design, the research found that wearing ASE with supportive force significantly reduced postural sway by 17.84% and 15.19% across all conditions compared to without wearing the exoskeleton and with deactivated support, respectively. These improvements were consistent with subjective assessments. The stability benefits varied with the weight and load location, reflecting the exoskeleton's supportive force profile. Overall, the study suggests that the supportive force from the ASE can enhance static postural balance, with effectiveness dependent on weight conditions and load locations. This highlights the potential of passive ASEs for improving stability and reducing fall risks in work environments.