1,720,969 research outputs found
Process Simulate Versus Inertial Mocap System in Human Movement Evaluation
No full textThere are various tools for evaluating physical ergonomics. Two main computer-assisted approaches can be
recognized in the literature: analytical evaluation using simulation software like Siemens Jack or Process Simulate,
and empirical evaluation by tracking human body movement. Both methods have their own advantages and
disadvantages. This article compares an analytical method using Process Simulate software and an empirical
evaluation using an inertial motion tracking system and highlights the strengths and limitations of both approaches.
The information from the tracking system is processed by the Process Simulate software and an ad-hoc ergonomic
analysis module developed in Unity. Given the limited license of Process Simulate, the ergonomic comparison is
performed using two indices, RULA and OWAS. Other comparison metrics discussed in the article are the time
required for the analysis, the additional functionality each solution offers and the possibility of augmenting the
assessment with virtual or augmented reality solutions. The results show some limitations of using Process
Simulate with the tracking data and the great versatility of the solution developed in Unit
Manual tasks real-time ergonomic evaluation for collaborative robotics
No full textIn manufacturing, ergonomic and productivity benefits may result from combining the sensing and dexterity of the human workers with the strength of collaborative robots (cobots). Anyway, manual tasks requiring repetitive motion or working with robots can cause musculoskeletal disorders especially of the hands. In such a context, this paper proposes a novel solution that includes both a full body inertial system and a dedicated solution for hand tracking. This allows implementing the standard methods for assessing ergonomic indexes and to introduce new advanced task analyses based on gesture evaluation. The benefits reached by the integrated system for body and hand tracking can be exploited in the virtual prototyping of collaborative workstation in the manufacturing domain. Different software packages have been considered to model and simulate the collaboration between the operator and the cobot. In particular, Unity and ROS are used to develop the virtual scene and control the cobot behavior and the HTC Vive Head Mounted Display (HMD) to interact with the virtual environment. Physical ergonomics is evaluated by using both a full body suit (XSENS) and ensorized gloves (MANUS). The solution has been applied to the simulation of a virtual production line where the operator collaborates with a six-axis cobot (NIRYO ONE). Test tasks require the operator to move and manage different objects and tools by simulating different types of grasping. Real-time feedback about ergonomics, in terms of posture evaluation and alerts in case of critical condition, is shown to the operator as well as the automatic generation of reports for the post-process evaluation of the entire process. The results show how the use of these tools can be effective in the ergonomic evaluation of a collaborative robotic workstation which requires manual tasks
Design of Customized Virtual Reality Serious Games for the Cognitive Rehabilitation of Retrograde Amnesia After Brain Stroke
No full textThis article presents a software platform to design serious games for the rehabilitation of severe memory loss by means of virtual reality (VR). In particular, the focus is on retrograde amnesia, a condition affecting patient's quality of life usually after brain stroke. Currently, the standard rehabilitation process includes showing pictures of familiar environments to help memory recover, while the proposed rehabilitation solution aims at developing patient-specific serious games for memory loss starting from 3D scanning of familiar environments. The Occipital Structure sensor and the Skanect application have been used for the virtualization of the real objects and the environment. Instead of following the traditional approach to design a video game during which the game logic is specifically developed for a virtual scene and the software code is not meant to be recombined, a modular procedure has been designed using Unity to interface the virtual objects of each acquired environment without modifying the game logic. In addition, the developed solution makes available a set of software modules for patient's monitoring and data management to automatically generate medical reports, which can be easily connected to each new serious game. A test has been performed to assess the main features of the VR platform and its usability recruiting ten testers. Medical personnel evaluated positively the platform, and they highlighted the importance of objective data to improve the ecological validity of the cognitive rehabilitation for retrograde amnesia
Medical assessment test of extrapersonal neglect using virtual reality: A preliminary study
No full textThe research work presents a preliminary study to create a virtual reality platform for the medical assessment of spatial extrapersonal neglect, a syndrome affecting human awareness of a hemi-space that may be caused by cerebral lesions. Nowadays, the extrapersonal neglect is assessed by using real objects positioned in the space around the patient, with a poor capability of repetition and data gathering. Therefore, the aim of this research work is the introduction of a virtual reality solution based on consumer technology for the assessment of the extrapersonal neglect. By starting from the needs of the involved medical personnel, an online serious-game platform has been developed, which permits to perform a test and a real-time evaluation by means of objective data tracked by exploited technologies, i.e. an HTC Vive Pro head mounted display and ad-hoc IT solutions. The test is based on a virtual environment composed by a table on which twenty objects have been placed, ten on the right side and ten on the left side. The whole 3D virtual environment has been developed using low-cost and free development tools, such as Unity and Blender. The interaction with the virtual environment is based on voice recognition technology, therefore the patient interact with the application by pronouncing the name of each object aloud. The VR application has been developed according to an online gaming software architecture, which permits to share the 3D scene by exploiting a Wi-Fi hotspot network. Furthermore, the on-line gaming software architecture allows sending and receiving data between the doctor's laptop and the VR system used by the patient on another laptop. The therapist can see through his/her personal computer a real time faithful replica of the test performed by the patient in order to have a fast feedback on patient’s field of view orientation during the evaluation of 3D objects. A preliminary test has been carried out to evaluate the ease of use for medical personnel of the developed VR platform. The big amount of recorded data and the possibility to manage the selection of objects when the voice commands are not correctly interpreted has been greatly appreciated. The review of the performed test represents for doctors the possibility of objectively reconstructing the improvements of patients during the whole period of the rehabilitation process. Medical feedback highlighted how the developed prototype can already be tested involving patients and thus, a procedure for enrolling a group of patients has been planned. Finally, future tests have been planned to compare the developed solution with the Caterine Bergero Scale to define a future standardization
Extended Reality and Motion Capture for Ergonomics in Industrial Contexts
No full textIn recent years, operator ergonomics has been playing an important role, driven by workplace regulations and worker safety in manufacturing settings characterized by physical demands and injury risks. Traditional ergonomic evaluation methods rely mainly on observation and manual measurements, which are subjective, reactive, and sometimes challenging to perform. Technologies, such as virtual reality devices and motion capture systems, offer opportunities to streamline data collection and enhance objectivity. Moreover, Industry 4.0 introduced digital twins, facilitating ergonomic evaluations in virtual environments.
This paper presents a framework that integrates Virtual Reality technologies and motion capture analysis to support ergonomists in evaluating operators’ working conditions in manufacturing settings. The operator wears a head mounted display to simulate working tasks in a virtual replica of the real plant. An inertial motion capture system is employed to automate data gathering and processing for an objective evaluation of the operator’s postural condition. A Virtual Wall system is exploited by the ergonomist for the evaluation of the tasks using the motion captured data.
A case study has been considered to test the functionality of the platform. A tester repeats a sequence of tasks both in real and virtual scenarios in order to compare the results. Ergonomics is evaluated through three standard indexes (i.e., RULA, REBA, OWAS), resulting in a strong correlation between data acquired interacting with physical and virtual environments
Operators' Well-Being in Industry 5.0: Balancing Physical And Cognitive Demands
No full textIl lavoro di ricerca svolto mira alla formulazione di un framework per la valutazione del benessere dell'operatore durante l'esecuzione di task industriali, sfruttando l'utilizzo di tecnologie innovative come sistemi di body tracking, realtà virtuale/aumentata e modelli di machine learning. Il metodo proposto consente di valutare l'ergonomia fisica e cognitiva adottando un approccio sia proattivo che reattivo. Il framework è stato validato attraverso applicazioni in diversi settori industriali (logistica, assemblaggio, teleoperazione, ecc.), inclusi contesti che coinvolgono l'uso di robot collaborativi. I risultati ottenuti mostrano l'adattabilità del metodo in diversi contesti, offrendo una visione completa delle condizioni di lavoro dell'operatore.The research aims to develop a framework for evaluating operator well-being during the execution of industrial tasks, exploiting innovative technologies such as body tracking systems, virtual/augmented reality, and machine learning models. The proposed method allows for the assessment of both physical and cognitive ergonomics by adopting a proactive and reactive approach. The framework was validated through applications in various industrial sectors (logistics, assembly, teleoperation, etc.), including contexts involving the use of collaborative robots. The results demonstrate the adaptability of the method in different settings, providing a comprehensive overview of the operator's working conditions
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
A design procedure for the development of VR platforms for the rehabilitation of patients after stroke
No full textVirtual Reality (VR) opens new frontiers in the rehabilitation field. Low-cost head mounted displays and motion capture systems are available and easily integrated in consumer technologies, such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets. The main limit of VR is related to its acceptance because the technologies are usually considered too complex for patients' daily rehabilitation. Furthermore, available VR hardware solutions are usually designed for generic categories of users and there is a considerable margin to specific pathologies or patients. This chapter presents the development of VR platforms for both cognitive and motor skills rehabilitation starting from physicians' requirements and usability issues. Three VR applications are described: a platform for cognitive rehabilitation of patients with severe memory loss, an application to test the level of extra-personal neglect, and a web platform for hand motor skill rehabilitation
Variations on the Author
No full text“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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