ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the use of simulation to support ergonomic design. Two principal types of simulation are described; in one, the computer simulates everything, and in the other people interact with the computer. Both kinds of simulation are important in ergonomics. The first objective of this chapter is to introduce the reader to simulation as a design and problem-solving technique applicable to crews of people and individual human operators. To make simulation useful to ergonomic engineers, they must know how computer simulations are developed, modeled, verified, and validated. The second objective of this chapter is to impart some of that knowledge to the reader through examples. Most simulations also require statistically designed experiments to understand the results and make use of them in design. The chapter presents some examples of such experiments. The intent is to show the reader how to perform experiments sometimes needed in order to use simulation effectively as design support and for other ergonomic applications. Such activities imply the use of analysis of variance that is briefly introduced here in the text. The final objective is to illustrate how these two kinds of simulation can be used together strategically and how their use can help in design and problem solving.
