Affiliations: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Material Handling and Industrial Engineering, Chair of Ergonomics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Christiane Kamusella, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Material Handling and Industrial Engineering, Chair of Ergonomics, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. E-mail:kamusella@tu-dresden.de
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: The best basis for health-conscious and competitive
solutions is provided by an informed and prescient ergonomic interpretation
of the product and system components of changing characteristics of user
populations. OBJECTIVE: Software-based ergonomic evaluation permits the
simulation and assessment of human-machine interactions. The goal is to
develop suitable ergonomic tools that can estimate work-related stress by
using virtual human and environment models. METHODS: Ergonomic findings and data from various sources were made
available for computer-based processing. RESULTS: Development of software solutions that interact with a
digital human model (``Visibility'', ``Body Forces'', ``Posture Analysis'',
and ``Manual Handling Evaluation''). CONCLUSIONS: Usage of ergonomic software still requires expert
knowledge and involves comprehensive initial training. However, particularly
in the context of iterative problem-solving processes, the software provides
significant advantages because it allows for a comparison of different
virtual solutions.
Keywords: Ergonomics tools, digital human model, product development process, Digital Prototyping, virtual ergonomics, Ergotyping
