In this paper, the effectiveness and accuracy of using the direct estimation method were investigated in determining a worker's lifting capacity or the maximum acceptable weight of lifting (MAWOL) of symmetrical fifting tasks in the workplace were investigated. Six lifting tasks involving two vertical fifting start-end points (0-80cm, 47-102cm) and three lifting frequencies (1, 2, and 4 lifts/minute) were studied. Ten young, male subjects performed the six lifting tasks to predict the MAWOL using the psychophysical method and the direct estimation method. The main results indicated that there were no significant differences between the MAWOLs determined by the two methods except for the lifting frequency of 4 lifts/minute. Analysis of variance was performed on the task rating data to check the consistency of the task rating across subjects, which revealed no significant difference.

The objectives of the study were twofole: (1) to investigate effects of rhythmic contraction and sustained contraction methods on recovery rate of isometric endurance capacity and (2) to compare aptterns of muscle recruitment of both arms observed during each contraction period. In the experiment, each of two subjects performed five successive rhythmic or sustained isometric contractions at 50% MVC with both arms to the point of fatigue, which was the failure to maintain the required tension. In making the contractions, the subjects stood erect with upper arms held at an angle of approximately 90 .deg. to the forearm. The interval between the successive contractions was kept constant at 3, 7, 20, or 40 minutes. Regardless of the contraction methods, the recovery rate was least at the shortest interval and was highest at the longest interval. However, a statistical analysis showed that the recovery rates for the rhythmic contractions were significantly lower than those for the sustained contractions throughout 4 different intervals. Furthermore, as the frequency of the rhythmic contractions per min, increased 4 to 6 times, the recovery rate of isometric endurance capacity decreased. From an EMG anglysis, recruitment pattern of the muscules of both arms was found to be common between two different contraction methods. The biceps muxcles of the upper arms played a major role in exerting 50% MVC, while the brachioradialis muscles of the forearms acted as synergists. As the contraction proceeded, the role of the biceps muscles as a prime mover lessened due to the fatigue. Then, the brachioradialis muscles exerted more strength to sustain 50% MVC. The implications of these finding were discussed.

For information processing tasks, it is an important cognitive skill to manipulate and store information, which is known as information intake. One of the tasks which greatly involve this skill would be a spreadsheet calculation task. In this study, a spreadsheet calculation task is analyzed by the cognitive task analysis based on the cognitive factors having been usef for a model of human information processing. By the results of the cognitive task analysis, the spreadsheet calculation tasks to be used in the experiments are designed and the testbattery of cognitive abilities assessment (CCAB ; complex cognitive asssessment battery) are selected. Then, the features of cognitive demands and a human performance model of the spreadsheet calculation task are suggested by means of correlation analysis, principal component factor analysis, and regression analysis of the results of the experiments on task performances and the assessment of cognitive abilities. Also, the application of the results of the study to job placement and further research issues are described.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the elastic effect of deformation and restriction in wearing a support type panty stocking (PS). The study investigated deformation rate in all surface area, deformation rate in local area, length deformation rate, changes in slip and feeling of restriction under the standard laboratory condition. Two healthy adult females in twenties wore four types of PS. The result were as follows : The deformation rate in all surface area was 117 .approx. 132% in wearing support type PS, 157% in wearing mono type PS, due to the intensities of restriction. The deformation rate in local area was in order, course > oblique > wale direction. The largest deformation rate was observed in hip girth. Between the deformation rates in all surface and local areas was a high correlation acknowledged, especially the course direction showed a high correlation. Support type PSs showed more deformation and changes of slip than wool and mono type PS. Especially, changes of slip at the knee appeared greatly. The responses of restriction evaluated from a paired comparison method were in order, JS 2 > KS 4 > KS 9 > KS 5 > KS 1 > KM 3.

Depending upon the eye and head movement, the visual field is often classified into three categories ; stationary field, eye field and head and eye field. To investigate the effect of background condition on the size of the visual field, an experiment was conducted, in which the subject was instructed to search a target with distinct orientations. In each trial, a single target was presented on the perimeter modified to cover the range of 330 .deg. around the fixation point, with the visual angle subtended 1.4 .deg. vertically and horizontally. Nontarget density, meridian, size contrast and subject showed a significant effect on the visual field at .alpha. =0.01, where density was inversely proportional to the size of the visual field, and size contrast linearly proportional to the size of the visual field. The size of the visual field on horizontal axis was larger than that on vertical axis, and that on right and upper meridian was also larger than on left and lower meridian. The shape was found to be horizontally oriented oval and statistically asymmetric with respect to horizontal and vertical axes. In addition, the regression equations to predict the visual field on the given background condition were suggested. These results were expected to be used as a design guideline when arranging displays and controls on panels such as automobile display panels, cockpits, etc.

Few studies on the biomechanical analysis of hand postures and tool handling tasks exist because of the lack of appropriate measurement techniques for hand force. A measurement system for the finger forces and joint angles for the analysis of manual tool handling tasks was developed in this study. The measurement system consists of a force sensing glove made from twelve Force Sensitive Resistors and an angle-measuring glove (Cyberglove$^{TM}$, Virtual technologies) with eighteem joint angle sensors. A biomechanical model of the hand using the data from the measurement system was also developed. Systems of computerized procedures were implemented inte- grating the hand posture measurement system, biomechanical analysis system, and the task analysis system for manual tool handling tasks. The measurement system was useful in providing the hand force data needed for an existing task analysis system used in CTD risk evaluation. It is expected that the hand posture measurement developed in this study will provide an efficient and cost-effective solution to task analysis of manual tool handling tasks.s.

Virtual reality can be applied well to product design and evaluation. A virtual design evaluation system for an automobile cabin was implemented on a desk-top virtual environment system. It has two frontal seats, a dashboard, a steering wheel, and various displays/controllers. Users can interact with these components as they do that with real ones. To verify the effectiveness of the virtual design evaluation system, 17 subjects participated in the evaluation procedure. The evaluation result showed that the stereoscopic vision enhanced the subjective reality of the virtual automobile cabin. Graphic details, design, and time lag were also related to the subjective feel for reality.

The purpose of this study was two-fold : (1) to investigate the difference between the lifting capacities based on three different ergonomic approaches; a) the biomechanical, b) the physiological, and c) the phsychophysicalo approach, and the 1991 revised NIOSH Equation, and (2) to develop a comprehensive model for deter- mining maximum weight of lift.

The widespread use of VDU has improved the efficiency of information transmission between man and machine, but has caused new occupational health and ergonomics problems. In this study, we tried to construct a fuzzy hyman performance model of VDU workers in Korea. Fuzzy inferences of human perfor- mance are obtained from the fuzzy inference rule with the job difficulty, CFF, SACL, Type A. and the degree of concentration in VDU work. Eight healthy female undergraduate students at Kyungnam university for subjects aged 20 to 23 years were examined in this experiment. They calculated continuous addition, subtraction, and multiplication of 1 or 2 digit numbers that were produced randomly on the CRT. Subjects peoformed two types of a numeric operation, which easy and difficult work produced 400 and 600 problems within a 40 minute work session, respectively. Subjects were tested over two workdays according to the type of work(easy and difficult) consisting of four 40 minutes work sessions in the morning. Each work lasted for five minutes with a ten minutes rest break. 117 fuzzy inference rules were obtained from the experimental data. The value of consequent part was obtained by a descent method. The difference between real human error and estimated value of fuzzy inference was $1.8075{\pm}1.8591%(M{\pm}SD)$. The difference in easy and diffcult works were $2.69{\pm}2.13%$ and $0.92{\pm}0.93%$, respectively.

The objective of the study is to investigate the influence of aesthetic attributes on user interface design. Theories of aesthetics are first studied from which aesthetic attributes are defined as information sources. Representation of a product is viewed as a combination of aesthetic attributes, based on a hypothesis that each attribute has a certain influence on the performance in terms of user interface. An experiment was conducted to support the hypothesis. Various combinations of aesthetic attributes of a microwave oven were generated from the orthogonal array of a conjoint analysis. Subjects perfomed on a computer two types of tasks, each of which simulated a combination of attributes. Reaction time was evaluated as a performance measure for the conjoint analysis to find out how much influence each attribute has on the performance. A computer program, UISA(User interface Simulation system of Aesthetic attributes0, was developed and used for simulation. Findings on the influences of aesthetic attributes were summarized.