• IE interfaces
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 1998

A new vehicle design approach coupled with an ergonomic human model was proposed in the study. The seating package layout of a vehicle is very important to the driving comfort, and it has been one of the primary ergonomic research areas since the past 30 years. The diverse and interrelated design factors of seating package layout in the limited workspace make designers often neglect many parameters related with drivers which differ in their anthropometric characteristics. It is due to the lack of the proper tools by which the designer can easily apply several ergonomic design guidelines to the vehicle design. In this study. an iterative package layout procedure was developed, and the effectiveness of an ergonomic human model was examined in this procedure. A discomfort function was developed for the quantitative evaluation of the driving posture. This study clearly demonstrates that the package layout using an ergonomic human model is very helpful to improve the usability and driving comfort of the drivers or passengers.

• IE interfaces
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2010

For proper ergonomic evaluation using a digital human model simulation (DHMS) system such as $RAMSIS^{(R)}$, the postures of humanoids for designated tasks need to be predicted accurately. The present study (1) evaluated the accuracy of driving postures of humanoids predicted by RAMSIS, (2) proposed a method to improve its accuracy, and (3) examined the effectiveness of the proposed method. The driving postures of 12 participants in a seating buck were measured by a motion capture system and compared with their corresponding postures predicted by RAMSIS. Significant discrepancies ($8.7^{\circ}$ to $74.9^{\circ}$) between predicted and measured postures were observed for different body parts and driving tasks. Two methods (constraints addition and user-defined posture) were proposed and their effects on posture estimation accuracy were examined. Of the two proposed methods, the user-defined posture method was found preferred, reducing posture estimation errors by 11.5% to 84.9%. Both the posture prediction accuracy assessment protocol and user-defined posture method would be of use for practitioners to improve the accuracy of predicted postures of humanoids in virtual environments.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.216-222
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• 2002

The ergonomic human model can be considered as a tool for the evaluation of ergonomic factors in vehicle design process. The proper anthropometric data on driver's postures are needed in order to apply a human model to vehicle design. Although studies on driver's posture have been carried out for the last few decades, there are still some problems for the posture data to be applied directly to the human model due to the lack of fitness because such studies were not carried out under the conditions for the human model application. In the traditional researches, the joint angles were evaluated by the categorized data, which are not appropriate for the human model application because it is so extensive that it can not explain the posture evaluation data in detail. And the human models require whole-body posture evaluation data rather than joint evaluation data. In this study a postural evaluation function was developed not by category data but by the concept of the loss function in quality engineering. The loss was defined as the discomfort in driver's posture and measured by the magnitude estimation technique in the experiment using a seating buck. Four loss functions for the each joint - knee, hip, shoulder, and elbow were developed and a whole-body postural evaluation function was constructed by the regression analysis using these loss functions as independent factors. The developed postural evaluation function shows a good prediction power for the driver's posture discomfort in validation test. It is expected that the driver's postural evaluation function based on the loss function can be used in the human model application to the vehicle design process.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.1391-1398
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• 2011

Biomechanical analysis of arm motion during steering was performed using a motion analysis technique. Three-dimensional position data for each part of arm are fed into an interactive model combining a musculoskeletal arm model and the mechanical steering system to calculate joint angles and torques using inverse kinematic and dynamic analyses, respectively. The analysis shows that elbow pronation/supination, wrist flexion/extension, shoulder adduction/abduction, and shoulder flexion/extension have significant magnitudes. Sensitivity analysis of the arm joint motion with respect to seating posture and steering wheel configuration is carried out to investigate the qualitative influence of the seating posture and driver's seat configuration on the steering behavior.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.537-538
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• 2016

Recently, modern people a lot of frequency of work and seat life by academic is increased, addictive spine for the wrong attitude and the wrong habits are many pelvic disease occurrence. Therefore, in order to induce continuous correct posture to prevent this, the system that can be induced to determine the posture information based on the seating information is requested. In this paper, when the development and inappropriate attitude of the device that is capable of tracking measurement in order to evaluate the attitude stability is detected, let your users know, to correct their attitude through the real-time monitoring It was implemented of categorize to help application.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the importance of developing slim seats with ergonomic design to improve seat comfort and expand the interior space. Two seats were used for the experiment: a sample seat designed based on hip shape and spinal alignment and a normal seat with a flat design without curves. Subjects sat in both the sample seat and a normal seat applied to the vehicle simulator and the experiment was conducted. The next part of the experiment was conducted in two different postures: a driving posture and a relaxed posture. The subjects filled out a comfort questionnaire immediately after sitting and after 30 minutes. The results showed that the comfort in the sample seat was found to be more comfortable than the normal seat. However, no significant difference was noted for the relaxation posture. Pressure distribution was also recorded immediately after sitting and after 30 minutes. In the case of pressure distribution, it was confirmed that the pressure in the sample seat was more evenly distributed in both the driving and relaxed postures than in the normal seat. The results showed that the ergonomically designed sample seat greatly improved seating comfort and pressure distribution compared to the normal seat, which is a general vehicle seat design.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.26-32
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• 2005

This study was purposed to provide basic information on the correct application of a wheelchair's backrest angle by investigating the change in cardiopulmonary function according to backrest angle during propulsion. This study examined the effects of the wheelchair's backrest angle on the cardiopulmonary function by varying the angle to $0^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$ and $20^{\circ}$ with a propulsion velocity of 60 m/min. The experimental parameters were respiration rate, oxygen consumption rate and oxygen consumption rate/kg which were measured by a portable wireless oxygen consumption meter (COSMED, $K4b^2$). The results of the study were as follows: 1) There were no statistically significant differences in respiration rates due to changes in the wheelchair backrest angle (p>.05). 2) There were statistically significant differences in oxygen consumption rates due to changes in the wheelchair backrest angle (p<.05). 3) There were also statistically significant differences in the oxygen consumption rate/kg due to changes in the wheelchair backrest angle (p<.05). In conclusion, changes in the backrest angle of wheelchairs during propulsion influences oxygen consumption rates and heart rates, while respiration rates are not affected. Therefore, a training program for good seating and posture needs to be provided, and the wheelchair seating system should be equipped with the unadjustable-angle wheelchair to reduce the functional load on the cardiopulmonary system.

• IE interfaces
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.120-132
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• 2000

As science advances in many fields, the task of accommodating all human beings with comfort and safety becomes increasingly complex. The anthropometric data are basis of product design, but most of the anthropometric data for Korean emphasize the anthropological, physiological and engineering points of views. Also due to the scarce of body dimensions needed in designing products, the industrial designers are cautious in applying these data to design products. The purpose of this study was to select and measure the body parts that are necessary for the industrial designers but are scarce in existing data, and to illustrate the human body with measures instead of tables for easy understanding and application to industrial product design. Three hundreds and eighteen males and 260 females of age from 18 to 60 participated for this study. Eighty-two dimensions in standing and seating posture were selected to measure. The front views, side views and some working postures for man and woman are illustrated with measures. This study could provide the most vital data to assist designers in creating products and environments that better accommodate human needs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 2013

Crane operators usually work with their necks bent forward in a seating position for a long period. They have complained of their musculoskeletal stress at their necks. The objective of this study was to find the level of stress at the neck when crane operators bend their neck forward during their work. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory where subjects bent their necks forward for 1 minute and took a rest for 0.5 minute and repeated this performance for 60 minutes. Subjective evaluation using Borg's CR-10 scale and electromyography (EMG) were used to check the level of the stress at the neck. Subjects reported that the level of pain at the end of 60 min. experiment was close to the extreme pain(level 8.95). The EMG level(amplitude) increased 80% on the average and the center frequency of EMG shifted to the lower frequency level which indicated fatigue of neck muscles. Thus, it was found that there is quite much neck stress for crane operators when they maintain their neck posture of bending forward for a long time during their work. This information will be a basis in searching for an intervention measure for the crane operators' neck stress.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.151-165
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• 2015

Objective: This study aims to develop and scientifically investigate the efficacy of the Spine S-curve Reactive Backrest that responds to the spine curvature of the user when seated, and maintains and enhances the natural S-curve of the lower back, thereby helping to relieve fatigue, correct posture and prevent spine deformities. Background: The focus of current development, design guidelines and/or standards for office chairs is mainly placed on the chair's dimensions, incline angle, adjusting features and lumbar support. Research and development was called for developing a chair backrest that maintains and improves the S-curve of the full spine. Method: The Spine S-curve Reactive Backrest was ergonomically designed to maintain correct posture and enhance user comfort. When leaned on, the backrest responds to the user's spine line and the whole lower back sits closely against the backrest, thereby aligning the user's lower back and backrest as one to maintain and improve the natural S-curve formation of the spine. In order to evaluate the efficacy of the newly designed chair (new design) and the comparison target (chair), five male college students of standard body type with normal spine curvature were selected as test subjects, and a motion analyzer and electromyography were utilized to measure S-curve and erector spinae muscle activity when seated. Results: The spine S-curve was better maintained and improved when sitting in the new design than in the comparison chair. Particularly notable was the greater displacement gap of the thoracic spine than the cervical spine, and also that of the lumbar more than the thoracic spine, with the increase of the backrest tilting angle. Furthermore, the electromyogram results showed the new design caused a lower fatigue level of the erector spinae muscles compared to the comparison chair, and also earned a higher preference in the subjective opinion results. Conclusion: The newly designed chair in this study responds to the user's spine curvature and maintains and enhances the lower back's natural S-curve, and thereby relieves fatigue, promotes better posture, and helps to prevent spine deformities better than existing office chairs. There is a need to widely introduce and supply this new design. Application: The new design is applicable to office and student chairs, and is expected to improve concentration and work efficiency.