Performing ergonomics analyses through virtual interactive design: Validity and reliability assessment

Virtual interactive design methodology was initially proposed as an integrated environment for digital human model–based ergonomics analysis of human–machine interactions, which uses a motion capture system and virtual environment to realize task simulation. The validity and reliability of this analysis methodology has not been systematically studied. In this article, potential errors are first investigated based on the technology used in the system structure and work process; then, three experimental integration levels are proposed to use different resources for creating manikin postures. Validity and reliability to use this integrated environment for static ergonomics analysis are then assessed by comparing the ergonomics analysis outputs achieved based on the three integration levels. The results indicate that the reliability of this methodology is good; however, the validity of the integrated system is affected by the limitation of the virtual environment used in the testing. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A collaborative Design for Usability approach supported by Virtual Reality and a Multi-Agent System embedded in a PLM environment

This paper details a collaborative workstation design approach integrating knowledge based on engineering process, using a Multi-Agent System (MAS) on a Virtual Reality (VR) platform. The MAS supports R&D teams to extract and re-use engineering knowledge so as to improve their efficiency in developing new products. Our research targets the development of a knowledge engineering system integrated into a PLM-Product Life cycle Management-environment linked with virtual reality tools. A PLM is a strategic business approach with a consistent set of methodologies and software solutions. It is meant to promote collaborative creation, management, delivery and proper use of this life cycle definition and information product in multinational companies. This system is used by engineers to carry out projects in a collective way while conveying a defined process. The MAS allows capitalization, and to annotate knowledge according to the actions of the designers inside a PLM environment. Then, this knowledge is used by VR tools to analyze various aspects of the virtual prototype such as manufacturing, maintenance, reliability or ergonomics. Consequently, we use expert knowledge to pilot the design process of a virtual prototype inside a three-dimensional immersive virtual reality platform. In this context, our paper describes our knowledge management approach applied to improve ergonomics and collaborative design in industrial areas.     

一个面向维修工程的虚拟人素分析系统软件框架

在工业产品、武器装备的维修性设计中，用虚拟现实技术进行人素分析，可以有效地提高产品的可维修性。该文提出了一个虚拟人素分析软件框架，并在此基础上，基于虚拟人平台—Jack，设计实现了一个虚拟人素分析系统。该系统根据给定的虚拟人体模型和虚拟样机进行人素分析并产生人素分析报告。该软件实现了维修仿真过程建模，以及基于维修仿真过程的人素分析功能，给用户提供了一个高效的分析环境。软件系统的应用实例研究表明，该文提出的软件框架是合理有效的。     

基于AWE的自行车车架的CAE分析

运用ANSYS Workbench集成开发平台对自行车车架进行了静力学和动力学及屈曲分析,用以指导车架的形状优化设计。首先,对自行车车架在AWE环境下Design Modeler模块中进行了三维建模;借助于这个模型,在AWE的Design Simulations模块中进行网格划分和约束载荷的施加;在此基础上并行的对车架进行应力应变分析、模态分析、屈曲分析,大大缩短了设计周期;最后整合这些分析结果,完成对车架的形状优化设计。     

基于Virtools的《机械设计》课程虚拟仿真学习平台的研究

传统的《机械设计》课程教学依赖于平面图纸和简单模型,整体教学效果不够理想.基于Virtools的《机械设计》课程虚拟仿真学习平台利用Pro/E创建模型导入Virtools中进行交互设计,从而构建了机械零部件的虚拟装配环境,将虚拟仿真技术和机械设计教学结合起来具有高度的沉浸感和良好的交互性,从而加速和巩固学生学习知识的过程.     

山地车人机工程学与组装展示平台分析

通过对控制山地车骑乘姿势的因素分析以及人与车的系统人机工程分析,提出基于虚拟现实技术的山地车组装展示平台。     

Virtual environments and ergonomics: needs and opportunities

Although based on a still immature technology, virtual environments appear to have potential for applications in industry, commerce, medicine and education. The role of ergonomics will be in development of improved virtual environment interfaces and in enabling better utilization of the technology through specifying user needs and requirements and developing evaluation methodologies. By extension, ergonomists will also be involved in building virtual environments for use in areas of ergonomics activity such as workplace layout, interface design, procedures testing, education and training. This paper overviews virtual environment attributes and capabilities and proposes a framework for their specification, development and evaluation, before summarizing current ergonomics research issues. Current work on participant side effects is summarized. A strong case is made for the potential value of ergonomics for virtual environments and vice versa.     

A method for integrating ergonomics analysis into maintainability design in a virtual environment

Designers must consider human factors/ergonomics when making decisions from the perspective of maintainability. As an important aspect of maintainability, maintenance space should be made adequate at the design stage to achieve a convenient maintenance process. A maintenance space evaluation method that considers ergonomics is proposed in this study. By comparing free swept volumes and constrained swept volumes in a virtual environment, maintenance space could be evaluated quantitatively and objectively. The results of the evaluation are obtained by combining the principles of ergonomics and maintainability. These results can help designers improve product design such that it fits ergonomics and maintainability requirements. A case study is introduced at the end of this paper to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method in efficiently evaluating the maintenance space based on the layout design of the product components in the design stage.Relevant to industryFor a large number of disasters caused by human errors in current industry, the result of this study contributes a guide to fully consider human factors in maintainability design through virtual environment and is beneficial to designers and engineers of industrial application fields.     

柔索牵引式力觉交互机器人控制策略

为了让航天员在没有太空真实环境的地面上模拟太空环境进行虚拟作业训练,设计了一种与虚拟现实（VR）技术相结合的柔索牵引式力觉交互机器人．首先,根据微重力环境中物体的运动特性设计机器人的构型,建立移动平台、驱动单元、人推物体运动过程的动力学模型并进行运动学分析．然后,针对系统冗余驱动及力控制任务,提出一种复合控制策略,即以柔索长度变化为速度控制内环,力的外环控制为力／速混合控制．最后,分别进行单柔索加载和人机系统力觉交互仿真分析,分析结果表明该控制策略可以使柔索驱动单元降低10%的恒力跟随误差并能稳定地跟随余弦力的变化,验证了该控制策略对多余力抑制的有效性．     

Virtual environments applications and applied ergonomics

The usability of virtual environments has attracted considerable efforts from ergonomists. Work has included studies of the side or after effects of participation in a virtual environment (VE) as well as the appropriateness of the Virtual Reality hardware and software interfaces and the understanding of factors which determine participant performance. Equally important for applied ergonomics is to understand how best to specify, build, implement and evaluate virtual environment solutions to everyday industrial, commercial, educational and medical problems. The potential value of ergonomics applied to virtual environments, and vice versa, are discussed. Two particular instances of VE development relevant to applied ergonomics are described - structured development and evaluation of industrial training and participatory redesign of workplaces. This paper is one of a number of contributions to a special issue on ergonomics in the study and use of virtual environments.     

浅析虚拟现实技术在座椅设计人机工效分析中的应用

针对当前座椅设计时进行人机分析时存在的周期长、投入大的不足,将虚拟现实技术应用到座椅设计当中。井以JACK软件为例。对虚拟现实技术在座椅设计人机工效分析中的应用进行实例验证。结果表明：虚拟现实技术能够有效地加快座椅设计的开发进程,提高了人机分析的效率,满足了座椅设计人机研究的需求,具有较高的先进性与实用性。     

Ergonomics study and analysis of workstations in Tunisian mechanical manufacturing

The workers’ performance in the mechanical manufacturing sector is the main factor for the improvement of productivity and quality. At present, it seems that the available information on the ergonomics and the working environment of the mechanical manufacturing actors is scarce. This study deals with the relationship between the working method and the workstation in injection mold manufacturing. An original methodology, based on the survey of operators using participatory ergonomic tools, is proposed in order to evaluate the ergonomic performance of 3 workstations: milling, turning, and drilling. The surveys concerned 3 operators. Obtained results showed that ergonomics play a key role in improving mechanical manufacturing. The results obtained from the analysis showed that ergonomics has a key role in the quality of the various tasks performed by operators. Using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) investigation tools, the examination of the workstations revealed 4 machining operations and 12 operator postures that have a direct influence on the performance of all machining stations. In addition, data from the analysis conducted on injection mold manufacturing revealed that neither the workstations were ergonomic nor the operators complied with the ergonomic rules. Based on the results obtained, a new standardized score is proposed for the RULA and REBA calculations. This score was applied and validated through another study conducted in a leaf spring manufacturing plant. The results of these studies were concretized by proposing the digital factory where CATIA software was used for the virtual design of the ergonomic workstations and their environments.     

机器人虚拟仿真及远程控制系统的研究及实现

机器人虚拟仿真及其与远程控制相结合,表现出独特的优势,应用前景广阔。应用OpenGL和WinSock技术,设计并实现了机器人虚拟仿真及其远程控制系统。建立基于C#与OpenGL的虚拟仿真平台,实现了机器人虚拟现实的运动仿真;建立基于WinSock的远程控制系统,提出基于反射原理的解释器模式,实现了机器人远程面板或程序控制;提出基于速度向量场的改进无碰轨迹规划算法,有效对静态与动态障碍物安全避障。系统测试结果表明该机器人虚拟仿真及远程控制系统有较好的准确性和稳定性。     

基于RT-TCP/IP的虚拟试验通信平台研究

网络是虚拟试验系统环境的重要组成部分.以某军工虚拟试验系统为背景,基于RT-TCP/IP和虚拟共享内存机制实现了虚拟试验通信平台.分析了RTX实时操作子系统和RT-TCP/IP的实时性能,论证了使用RT-TCP/IP协议构建虚拟试验局域网的可行性;设计并实现了实时以太网虚拟共享内存中间件(RTEVSM).在RTX环境下对RTEVSM中间件的数据传输延迟、抖动性等性能指标进行了测试,与在Windows-NT环境下性能指标进行对比,验证了系统在RTX环境下具有较强的实时性和传输可靠性.应用结果表明,本方案对实时性要求高的分布虚拟试验系统搭建具有一定的实用价值.     

DIVE—A platform for multi-user virtual environments

The Distributed Interactive Virtual Environment (DIVE) is an experimental software platform for the development of multi-user virtual reality applications. DIVE uses active replication and reliable multicast protocols to distribute data between participants. The distribution model enables a large number of users and applications to participate and interact in the same virtual environment. The DIVE platform offers a wide range of interaction support and user-related abstractions to ease the task of application and user interface construction.     

基于LabVIEW的虚拟仪器设计及远程测控

介绍了虚拟仪器及其软件开发平台LabVIEW,阐述了在LabVIEW开发平台下一种基于声卡的虚拟仪器的设计,然后介绍了有关DataSocket的远程测控技术。     

维修仿真中虚拟人动作数据库的研究与实现

通过在维修仿真中引入虚拟人技术,可以提高场景的逼真性、真实感,还有利于充分考虑人机工效学因素,这就要求实现对虚拟维修人员的动作控制与仿真。该文提出了一种基于过程分段和分层设计思想的虚拟人动作库,该动作库主要由动作层和动素层组成;基于位置／变迁Petri网设计并实现了动素层,基于面向对象的技术设计并实现了动作层,涵盖了绝大多数虚拟人执行维修操作的动作,基本满足了维修仿真的需求。最后,基于人体建模与仿真平台Jack,设计实现了一个电子舱的维修仿真实例,仿真和实验结果表明了所提方法简便易行,能够满足维修仿真的要求。     

基于Moodle网络教学中交互性学习活动的设计研究

随着Moodle网络教学平台在国内的推广和普及,Moodlep平台在教学中的作用日益凸显。针对目前Moodle网络课程重视教学内容的呈现与讲解,轻学习环境与学习活动的设计等普遍存在的问题。深入研究Moodle平台的各功能模块,在Moodle中设计有效的学习活动,交互性的学习活动组织,以期更好地使用Moodle平台。     

基于静态检测工具的源代码安全缺陷检测研究*

针对已有的使用单个静态检测工具进行源代码安全缺陷检测存在的漏报率和误报率很高的问题,提出了一种基于多种静态检测工具的检测方法。该方法通过对多种工具的检测结果进行统计分析,有效地降低了漏报率和误报率。设计和实现了一个可扩展的源代码静态分析工具平台,并通过实验表明,相对于单个工具的检测结果而言,该平台明显降低了漏报率和误报率。