Low back pain among mineworkers in relation to driving,cold environment and ergonomics

Objectives: We aimed to study the association between low back pain (LBP) and exposure to low temperature, wet clothes, heavy lifting and jobs that involve whole body vibration (WBV) in a population of miners. Methods: Health and personal data were collected in a population study by a questionnaire. A total of 3530 workers from four mines participated in the study. Results: 51% of the workers reported LBP within the last 12 months. The adjusted odds ratio for LBP was above unity for working with wet clothes (1.82), working in cold conditions (1.52), lifting heavy (1.54), having worked as a driver previously (1.79) and driving Toro400 (2.61) or train (1.69). Conclusion: Wet clothing, cold working conditions, heavy lifting, previous work as a driver and driving certain vehicles were associated with LBP, but vehicles with WBV levels above action value were not. For better prevention of LBP, improved cabin conditions and clothing should be emphasised.     

User-oriented product development applied to functional clothing design

A method for user-oriented product development is presented. After a theoretical introduction the method is applied to the development of functional clothing. The characteristic of the method is its starting-point with the user in the use-situation. Important product demands are derived from use-analyses. Three case-studies are described where this method has been applied. They concern working clothes, clothes for the elderly and military clothing. The quality of this methos as an instrument for product development in the clothing area is evaluated by comparing, on the one hand, this method with those usually used in the clothing industry, and on the other hand the new products with those formerly used. The method for user-oriented product development has proved to be complementary to conventional methods. It should be applied to products whose functional properties are of great importance. The method can be generalised to all users and to products with close connection to human beings.     

Clothing and thermal environments. Field studies on industrial work in cool conditions

Thermal environmental factors, heart rate, skin temperatures and thermal sensation votes were recorded in 19 workers in different types of cool environment industries. 45 workers from the same workplaces completed questionnaires. Transient thermal conditions were prevalent. After exercise chill, progressive cooling of the body during the working day, and cooling of hands and feet were general problems. Local cooling of certain body areas was found to be a trade-specific problem. Commonly used work clothing was insufficient for thermal comfort. Proposals for a more suitable choice of work clothing are given.     

Clothing-invariant gait identification using part-based clothing categorization and adaptive weight control

Variations in clothing alter an individual's appearance, making the problem of gait identification much more difficult. If the type of clothing differs between the gallery and a probe, certain parts of the silhouettes are likely to change and the ability to discriminate subjects decreases with respect to these parts. A part-based approach, therefore, has the potential of selecting the appropriate parts. This paper proposes a method for part-based gait identification in the light of substantial clothing variations. We divide the human body into eight sections, including four overlapping ones, since the larger parts have a higher discrimination capability, while the smaller parts are more likely to be unaffected by clothing variations. Furthermore, as there are certain clothes that are common to different parts, we present a categorization for items of clothing that groups similar clothes. Next, we exploit the discrimination capability as a matching weight for each part and control the weights adaptively based on the distribution of distances between the probe and all the galleries. The results of the experiments using our large-scale gait dataset with clothing variations show that the proposed method achieves far better performance than other approaches.     

Design of functional work clothing for meat-cutters

The aim of this study was to design new functional work clothing for meat-cutters, paying particular attention to the metabolic requirements of the work and the thermal and general working conditions in slaughterhouses. On the basis of the results of the pilot study (review of the literature, questionnaires and interviews, work analysis, physiological measurements) different types of work clothing were designed for prolonged used during normal work in meat cutting. Physical material tests and measurements of thermal insulation values (l(cl)), and the follow-up of clothing maintenance were carried out. Further modifications and evaluations of work clothing were based on the opinions of meat-cutters and on the physiological trials in slaughterhouses. The final assembly of work clothing consists of three pieces (cotton/polyester): an apron, trousers with extra insulation in the lower back, and a work coat with extra insulation in the neck and shoulders, and at the wrists. The sleeves are protected against moisture by special textile material. The thermal insulation of this new set of work clothing together with long sleeved and legged underwear is 1.3 clo and it proved to be sufficient for thermal comfort in moderate work in an air temperature of 10 degrees C.     

基于衣物共现信息与多任务学习的衣物识别*

多任务学习(MTL)未考虑先验概率对学习的影响.针对这一问题,文中提出基于衣物共现信息与多任务学习的衣物识别方法(CA-MLT),通过在MTL模型中加入先验约束项整合衣物共现信息,并对传统的扩展梯度算法进行相应的修改,从而提高衣物类别分类器的性能.实验表明,CA-MLT的平均性能优于单一任务学习、神经网络及传统的多任务学习等方法,训练结果便于可视化,可用于特征选择.     

Studying the relationship between low back pain and working postures among those who stand and those who sit most of the working day

A relationship between low back pain (LBP) and prolonged standing or prolonged sitting at work has not been clearly shown, despite its biological plausibility. Because sitting and standing postures vary as to duration and freedom to alternate postures, and standing postures vary as to mobility, associations between specific working postures and LBP were explored using multiple logistic regression. Associations between work factors and self-reported LBP during the previous 12 months that interfered with usual activities were examined among 4493 standing workers and 3237 sitting workers interviewed in the 1998 Quebec Health and Social Survey; 24.5% reported significant LBP. Since the same conditions can correspond to different physiological demands for sitting compared with standing workers, analyses were performed separately for the two groups. Standing without freedom to sit was associated with LBP. Different occupational physical and psychosocial factors were associated with LBP in sitting compared with standing populations.     

The smooth (tractor) operator: insights of knowledge engineering

The design of and training for complex systems requires in-depth understanding of task demands imposed on users. In this project, we used the knowledge engineering approach (Bowles et al., 2004) to assess the task of mowing in a citrus grove. Knowledge engineering is divided into four phases: (1) Establish goals. We defined specific goals based on the stakeholders involved. The main goal was to identify operator demands to support improvement of the system. (2) Create a working model of the system. We reviewed product literature, analyzed the system, and conducted expert interviews. (3) Extract knowledge. We interviewed tractor operators to understand their knowledge base. (4) Structure knowledge. We analyzed and organized operator knowledge to inform project goals. We categorized the information and developed diagrams to display the knowledge effectively. This project illustrates the benefits of knowledge engineering as a qualitative research method to inform technology design and training.     

Effect of posture positions on the evaporative resistance and thermal insulation of clothing

Evaporative resistance and thermal insulation of clothing are important parameters in the design and engineering of thermal environments and functional clothing. Past work on the measurement of evaporative resistance of clothing was, however, limited to the standing posture with or without body motion. Information on the evaporative resistance of clothing when the wearer is in a sedentary or supine posture and how it is related to that when the wearer is in a standing posture is lacking. This paper presents original data on the effect of postures on the evaporative resistance of clothing, thermal insulation and permeability index, based on the measurements under three postures, viz. standing, sedentary and supine, using the sweating fabric manikin-Walter. Regression models are also established to relate the evaporative resistance and thermal insulation of clothing under sedentary and supine postures to those under the standing posture. The study further shows that the apparent evaporated resistances of standing and sedentary postures measured in the non-isothermal condition are much lower than those in the isothermal condition. The apparent evaporative resistances measured using the mass loss method are generally lower than those measured using the heat loss method due to moisture absorption or condensation within clothing. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The thermal insulation and evaporative resistance values of clothing ensembles under different postures are essential data for the ergonomics design of thermal environments (e.g. indoors or a vehicle's interior environment) and functional clothing. They are also necessary for the prediction of thermal comfort or duration of exposure in different environmental conditions.     

The helicopter - some ergonomic factors

Helicopter pilots are some of the hardest working human operators, because of the machine's inherant instability and control problems. This article covers some aspects where ergonomists might help to improve the overall system. After considering basic differences between helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, the author examines controls, where there are prospects of using miniature hand levers; cockpit vision and displays with particular reference to night and instrument flying; seating and vibration where the effects of protective clothing and harnesses are considered; and cabin noise from the engine, transmission and intercom systems. Finally, he assesses pilot activity using cine film techniques for different types of flight.     

Continuous measurements of spine movements in normal working situations over periods of 8 hours or more

A new method is described which permits the continuous recording of spine movements under normal working conditions. Sensors are carried on the skin under the clothing without causing hindrance or discomfort. The signals are recorded on a portable, multi-channel miniature tape recorder which is commercially available for 24-hour recording of patients. The advantage of continuous recording is that a large number of parameters can be calculated by means of signal analysis. Results obtained for different jobs in a pilot study are presented.     

基于联合损失胶囊网络的换衣行人重识别

目前的行人重识别（Re-ID）研究主要集中在短时间情形,即一个人的衣着不太可能发生改变的情况。然而现实中更常见的是长时间的情况,这时一个人有很大的机会更换衣服,Re-ID模型应该考虑这种情况。为此,研究了一种基于联合损失胶囊网络的换衣行人重识别方法。所提方法基于换衣行人重识别胶囊网络ReIDCaps,使用与传统的标量神经元相比包含更多信息的矢量胶囊,用其长度表示行人身份信息,用其方向表示行人衣着信息;采用软嵌入注意力（SEA）防止模型过拟合;使用特征稀疏表示（FSR）机制提取具有判别性的特征;增加标签平滑正则化交叉熵损失与Circle Loss的联合损失以提高模型的泛化能力和鲁棒性。在三个换衣行人重识别数据集Celeb-reID、Celeb-reID-light和NKUP上进行实验,实验结果表明所提方法与目前已有的Re-ID方法相比具有一定优势。     

环保服装设计的加减法——创新与再生的博弈

"环保",这一渗透到各行各业的全球化名词如今已不再是人们用来标榜自身的简单口号。当人们越来越多意识到环境危机为自身带来的威胁已成不可逆转的趋势影响着这个世界,环保便成为时下最深入人心的生活方式。而与人们接触最为紧密的衣生活无可厚非成为环保最先关注的领域。文章主要以服装设计为载体,以加减法为喻体,结合国内外环保服装设计等实例,对环保服装设计中最为常见的高科技创新方法与资源再生方法进行解读和分析,以探讨环保服装设计在中国的未来发展趋势。     

浅析服装设计中服装材料的运用、发展及趋势

服装材料是构成服装的基本要素,服装的竞争同时也是服装材料的竞争。本文通过对服装材料历史的概述,总结分析出当代服装材料发展的三大趋势:服装材料的组合与再创造、新加工方式与新原料结合的环保服装材料、高科技材料的开发与使用。     

Self-reported health and well-being amongst night security guards: a comparison with the working population

The present study sought to relate the well-being of night workers to that of the working population in general. One hundred and ninety-seven male permanent night security guards were interviewed with regard to the occurrence of various symptoms during the previous 12-month period. The results were compared with the results from similar interviews with a representative national sample of males (n = 1769) in the Swedish workforce. An age standardized morbidity ratio was computed with control for various background variables. The results showed that the security guards had a 2-3 times higher occurrence of sleep disturbances and fatigue than the national sample. Among the variables not differing from the national sample were gastrointestinal problems, headache, nervous problems, depression, nausea, diarrhoea, and haemorrhoids. It was concluded that sleep/wake disturbances are considerably more usual in permanent night security guards than in the working population as a whole.     

从符号的角度来透视人们的着装行为

在个体着装行为的背后,服装首先是作为一种符号进入人们的识别系统的。不同的服装传达的意义不同,服装的这种符号意义是在"服装符号"被解读的过程中,也就是在交流的过程中得以实现的。本文是从符号的角度来看人们的着装行为,用符号的理论来解释着装行为,探讨了服装符号的能指与所指;服装中展现出的符号,这也是人们着装行为的依据;最后阐述了服装符号的运用。     

Factors Influencing Perceived Benefits and User Satisfaction in Knowledge Management Systems

This study offers a model for predicting users’ perceived benefits and user satisfaction in organizational knowledge management systems. Four constructs are theorized to influence the dependent variables: system quality, knowledge quality, user IS competence, and organizational attitude to knowledge management. The model was empirically tested among 100 respondents working in the knowledge-intensive software industry. The results suggest that knowledge management systems hold certain characteristics to be considered when evaluating technical and socio-psychological factors of users’ perceptions and attitudes toward the systems.     

A multi-disciplinary strategy for computer-aided clothing thermal engineering design

The designers and manufactures in apparel industry have urgent needs in designing clothing with superior thermal functions with user-friendly and cost-effective design tools. This paper presents a multi-disciplinary strategy for computer-aided clothing thermal engineering design. It provides a systematical approach to integrate multi-disciplinary knowledge and transfer it into engineering-oriented design tools, thus the designers and manufacturers can easily carry out 1D, 2D and even 3D clothing thermal engineering designs according to the practical design requirements with a short design cycle and low design cost. The research work of this strategy begins from the investigation of the role of the thermal functions of clothing in the thermal comfort of human body. Then the framework is proposed to integrate the multi-disciplinary knowledge and illustrate the process to achieve the thermal engineering design of clothing. The important issues in the realization of computational simulation are addressed, including multi-scale model integration, data availability of characteristic parameters and hierarchical computational scheme. To issue easy-to-use design tools, the thermal functional design of clothing is quantified with important influence parameters, and the user-friendly wizard is designed for the CAD system development. Finally, the design applications of this strategy are discussed in terms of 1D, 2D and 3D thermal engineering designs with versatile CAD systems.     

Gender differences in exerted forces and physiological load during pushing and pulling of wheeled cages by postal workers

The aim was to determine gender differences regarding exerted forces and physiological load during push/pull tasks simulating the daily working practice of postal workers. Eight female and four male workers handled four-wheeled cages under eight conditions corresponding to the cage weight (130, 250, 400, 550 kg) and the direction of force exertion (pushing, pulling). For each of the five dependent variables, average force, initial force, ending force, oxygen uptake and heart rate, two analyses of variance with repeated measurements were performed, i.e. with and without correction for the worker's body weight, body height and maximum capacity regarding the dependent variable. Exerted forces and physiological load were high for the cages weighing 400 and 550 kg. Gender differences were significant for all dependent variables (p = 0.030-0.000). When the personal factors were included in the model, male workers exerted significantly higher average forces and ending forces than their females, while differences regarding initial forces and physiological load were not significant. However, none of the personal factors were significantly related to any of the dependent variables. It is concluded that gender differences in exerted forces were not caused by differences in anthropometry and maximum capacity, but due to application of different work methods by women in order to balance work demands and work ability.     

How to Wear Beautifully? Clothing Pair Recommendation

In this paper, we present a practical system to automatically suggest the most pairing clothing items, given the reference clothing (upper-body or low-body). This has been a challenge, due to clothes having a variety of categories. Clothing is one of the most informative cues for human appearance. In our daily life, people need to wear properly and beautifully to show their confidence, politeness and social status in various occasions. However, it is not easy to decide what to wear and how to coordinate their own clothes. To address this problem, we propose a recommendation approach that includes clothing region detection, clothing pair recommendation and distance fusion. Clothing region detection based on Faster R-CNN is used to detect clothing region. Clothing pair recommendation consists of a quadruple network architecture, where one dual network of the architecture adopts Siamese convolution neural network architecture. Training examples are pairs of upper-body and low-body clothing items that are either compatible or incompatible. The other dual network is used to learn clothing style features of the input image. This framework is designed to learn a feature transformation from the images of clothing items into two latent spaces, which we call them compatible space and style space respectively. After training the two dual networks, we use a distance fusion method to fuse the features extracted from the compatible and style dual networks. To acquire an optimized model and verify our proposed method, we expand an existing large clothing dataset WoG (Weather-to-Garment), and the resulted dataset is called “How to Wear Beautifully” (H2WB). Experiments on the H2WB dataset demonstrate that our approach is effective with clothing region detection and clothing pair recommendation as well as distance fusion.