ABSTRACT
In.the.field.of.ergonomic.analysis,.a.number.of.computer-based.design.tools. and.methodologies.are.being.developed.to.provide.tools.that.assist.designers. in.improving.product.and.workspace.design.(Duffy,.2007a)..Designers.create. virtual.versions.of.their.products.and.the.environments.in.which.the.products.will.be.used..Digital.human.models.(DHMs),.or.avatars,.can.be.placed. in.the.environment,.and.various.ergonomic.data.can.be.acquired.based.on. the.DHM..These.data.allow.the.designer.to.analyze.the.quality.of.designs. with. virtual. prototypes,. avoiding. the. cost. of. constructing. physical. prototypes.and.the.involvement.of.actual.human.participants..However,.many.of. the.digital.human.models.included.in.these.software.tools.have.significant. limitations,.particularly.in.the.simulation.of.posture.and.motion.
