ABSTRACT
Motion Capture Technology ............................................. 39-4 39.5 Developing a Motion Capture/Virtual
Reality (VR) Laboratory .................................................... 39-5 39.6 Tracking Systems ................................................................ 39-5 39.7 Optical, Active and Passive ............................................... 39-5 39.8 Electromagnetic .................................................................. 39-6 39.9 Other Types of Tracking Systems..................................... 39-7 39.10 Data Gloves .......................................................................... 39-7 39.11 Head-Mounted Displays .................................................... 39-7 39.12 Power and Communications ............................................ 39-8 39.13 Cost Breakdown .................................................................. 39-8 39.14 Hardware Evaluation ......................................................... 39-9 39.15 Ongoing Costs ..................................................................... 39-9 39.16 Soft ware Drivers ................................................................. 39-9 39.17 Space Considerations ......................................................... 39-9 39.18 Prop Considerations ......................................................... 39-10 39.19 Hardware Vendors ............................................................ 39-10 39.20 Digital Human Modeling and Motion Capture
for Training Applications ................................................ 39-11 39.21 Refi ning the Use of Motion Capture and Digital
Human Modeling for Ergonomics in Manufacturing ... 39-12 References ...................................................................................... 39-14
Th e fi eld of ergonomics has gained considerable momentum in recent years, to the point where ergonomists are playing less of a reactive role and migrating into the design process. One of the key criteria for proactive ergonomics is effi ciency during the product development process. In order to stay competitive in the consumer market, manufacturers are driven to shorten the development time for a new product, thereby responding to trends more quickly, as well as reducing cost and increasing the total number of products introduced in a given time period (Feyen et al., 2000). Th is goal has been accomplished largely due to the use of computer-aided design tools. Th e same holds true in ergonomics, where computer-generated environments and digital humans allow analyses to be performed without ever requiring physical data or prototypes. Th is trend toward computer-aided ergonomics has been observed in the military as well as a number of manufacturing industries, including the automotive, clothing, and aviation sectors (Yee & Nebel, 1999; Rigel et al., 2003; Dai et al., 2003; Blome et al., 2003; Doi & Haslegrave, 2003). A variety of human modeling tools have been introduced for the purpose of ergonomic analyses, such as RAMSIS, SafeWork, and Jack (Reed et al., 2003), as well as Dhaiba and Santos (in development). Th ese soft ware programs allow users to create virtual environments and generate human models within those environments. Once this is done, the user can manipulate the human model to interact with the surroundings as is predicted would be the case in a true physical environment. A variety of virtual analyses can be performed to predict the success of a product or workstation layout. Most soft ware tools allow for clearance, posture, reach, line of sight, and strength predictions (Blome et al., 2003). Th us, testing that would normally be performed in the physical world is now done without ever building a part or using a true human being.
