Development of a digital human model generation method for ergonomic design in virtual environment

A group of digital human models (DHMs) representing the target population under consideration is used to design products and workplaces in virtual environment. The present study proposes a two-step method which generates a group of DHMs in various sizes to properly accommodate the designated level of the human size variability of the target population. In the first step, a designated number of pairs of stature and weight within a specified accommodation range are generated from the bivariate normal distribution of stature and weight of the target population. In the second step, for each pair of stature and weight, the sizes of the DHM body segments are determined using hierarchical regression models and corresponding prediction distributions of individual values. The proposed generation method was applied to the 1988 US Army anthropometric survey data and then implemented to a web-based system for passenger car interior design. This web-based generation system is capable of generating a group of DHMs as nationality, gender, accommodation percentage, and the number of DHMs required is specified.

Relevance to industry

A digital human simulation system has been used as an effective tool for ergonomic design and evaluation of products and workplaces in virtual environment. The human model generation method proposed in the present study is of use to efficiently generate a group of human models representing the target population.     

Development of a volumetric projection technique for the digital evaluation of field of view

Current regulations for field of view requirements in road vehicles are defined by 2D areas projected on the ground plane. This paper discusses the development of a new software-based volumetric field of view projection tool and its implementation within an existing digital human modelling system. In addition, the exploitation of this new tool is highlighted through its use in a UK Department for Transport funded research project exploring the current concerns with driver vision. Focusing specifically on rearwards visibility in small and medium passenger vehicles, the volumetric approach is shown to provide a number of distinct advantages. The ability to explore multiple projections of both direct vision (through windows) and indirect vision (through mirrors) provides a greater understanding of the field of view environment afforded to the driver whilst still maintaining compatibility with the 2D projections of the regulatory standards.

Practitioner Summary: Field of view requirements for drivers of road vehicles are defined by simplified 2D areas projected onto the ground plane. However, driver vision is a complex 3D problem. This paper presents the development of a new software-based 3D volumetric projection technique and its implementation in the evaluation of driver vision in small- and medium-sized passenger vehicles.     

An assessment of the realism of digital human manikins used for simulation in ergonomics

In this study, the accuracy of the joint centres of the manikins generated by RAMSIS and Human Builder (HB), two digital human modelling (DHM) systems widely used in industry for virtual ergonomics simulation, was investigated. Eighteen variously sized females and males were generated from external anthropometric dimensions and six joint centres (knee, hip and four spine joints) were compared with their anatomic locations obtained from the three-dimensional reconstructed bones from a low-dose X-ray system. Both RAMSIS and HB could correctly reproduce external anthropometric dimensions, while the estimation of internal joint centres location presented an average error of 27.6 mm for HB and 38.3 mm for RAMSIS. Differences between both manikins showed that a more realistic kinematic linkage led to better accuracy in joint location. This study opens the way to further research on the relationship between the external body geometry and internal skeleton in order to improve the realism of the internal skeleton of DHMs, especially for a biomechanical analysis requiring information of joint load and muscle force estimation.

Practitioner summary: This study assessed two digital human modelling (DHM) systems widely used in industry for virtual ergonomics. Results support the need of a more realistic human modelling, especially for a biomechanical analysis and a standardisation of DHMs.     

Surveying the dimensions and characteristics of Korean ears for the ergonomic design of ear-related products

Six hundred male and female Korean subjects aged 17–89 were selected for this study. Four different points of the outer ear—the lengths of the pinna, the ear connection point, the earhole and the lobule thickness—were measured and analyzed along with demographic data, including age, stature and weight. The results showed that age, sex and different ethnic populations were determinants of ear dimensions as exemplified by the length of the pinna which increases as age increases (r=0.689). The primary objective of this study was to provide product designers with the anthropometric dimensions of Korean ears and recommend appropriate solutions for the ergonomic design of ear-related products. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the change in body parts due to aging be considered in the application of anthropometric data when designing such products.

Relevance to Industry

Limited research has been done on the dimensions of ears although an extensive amount of research has been conducted on other parts of the human body. The findings of this study, therefore, can be used as a basis for researching and producing ergonomically designed ear-related products.     

Support of digital art for the design and development of logo

Logo is the mark indicates the characteristic of things, also plays a role in expression of meaning and transfer of information. This paper made a brief analysis and discussion on how to use digital art to enhance the artistic expression of logo based on logo examples.     

Packaging models for the storage and distribution of complex digital objectsin archival information systems: a review of MPEG-21 DID principles

In recent years, the number of organizations making digital information available has increased dramatically. This evolution has encouraged the development of various approaches to represent complex digital objects. Approaches that are of specific relevance to the digital library and archiving community include the Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS), the Content Packaging XML Binding of the Instructional Management System (IMS) project, and the Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM). The MPEG-21 Digital Item Declaration MPEG-21 DID) is yet another packaging approach that, so far, has received little attention in the digital library community. The primary goal of this article is to offer a method to compare these packaging approaches in the context of the needs of the digital library community and the rising digital preservation programs. The contribution of this paper is the definition of an integrated reference framework, based on both the ISO OAIS Reference Model and a set of additional significant properties that affect the quality, usability, encoding, and behavior of complex digital objects. This article also gives a brief insight into MPEG-21 DID and examines its potential relevance by showing the results obtained from applying the proposed reference framework. Published online: 8 April 2005     

A unified approach for the evaluation of quay crane scheduling models and algorithms

Scheduling of quay cranes at container terminals is a field of growing interest in research and practice. In the literature, we find diverse models for quay crane scheduling that consider the service of container vessels at different levels of detail. Currently, however, there exists no basis to compare the quality of planning that is achieved from these models. There is also no platform available that allows comparing different solution procedures and investigating conditions where they perform well or poorly. This paper presents a unified approach for evaluating the performance of different model classes and solution procedures. The approach is demonstrated by investigating the suitability of three models within a comprehensive computational study.     

An evaluation of the time-varying extended logistic, simple logistic, and Gompertz models for forecasting short product lifecycles

Many successful technology forecasting models have been developed but few researchers have explored a model that can best predict short product lifecycles. This research studies the forecast accuracy of long and short product lifecycle datasets using simple logistic, Gompertz, and the time-varying extended logistic models. The performance of the models was evaluated using the mean absolute deviation and the root mean square error. Time series datasets for 22 electronic products were used to evaluate and compare the performance of the three models. The results show that the time-varying extended logistic model fits short product lifecycle datasets 70% better than the simple logistic and the Gompertz models. The findings also show that the time-varying extended logistic model is better suited to predict market capacity with limited historical data as is typically the case for short lifecycle products.