Possibility of automated ergonomic evaluations in virtual reality environments

článek ve sborníku ve WoS nebo Scopus

en

In the area of assessment of ergonomic parameters of production machines in terms of their user-friendly and safe control, the possibility of using various software platforms on a complex virtual model was analyzed. The possibilities of currently used commercial software platforms IC: IDO, SIEMENS JACK and PROCESS SIMULATE enabling at least partial integration into the immersion virtual reality environment were tested. The main objective was to verify the ergonomics of the workplace or machine in assessing their overall safety before releasing the developed machine into production. Since none of the existing software platforms was able to fully meet our requirements, further work was focused on extending the functionality of our virtual eyewear application, which we expanded with the ability to directly monitor the movement of the operator's hands and translate it into an immersive virtual reality environment. This solution also enables cost reduction for machine development, especially in terms of rapid machine verification by a 1: 1 scale designer, without the need for costly virtual reality visualization devices such as CAVE devices. In this case, we use commonly available technologies primarily designed for the gaming industry such as HTC Vive, MS Kinect, Leap Motion and PC kits for this purpose. The designer can therefore use the existing PC equipment and only supplement it with the required VR equipment, which with low cost and time and allows to accelerate the preparation phase of a new machine before its validation using a complex virtual model in the CAVE type.

In the area of assessment of ergonomic parameters of production machines in terms of their user-friendly and safe control, the possibility of using various software platforms on a complex virtual model was analyzed. The possibilities of currently used commercial software platforms IC: IDO, SIEMENS JACK and PROCESS SIMULATE enabling at least partial integration into the immersion virtual reality environment were tested. The main objective was to verify the ergonomics of the workplace or machine in assessing their overall safety before releasing the developed machine into production. Since none of the existing software platforms was able to fully meet our requirements, further work was focused on extending the functionality of our virtual eyewear application, which we expanded with the ability to directly monitor the movement of the operator's hands and translate it into an immersive virtual reality environment. This solution also enables cost reduction for machine development, especially in terms of rapid machine verification by a 1: 1 scale designer, without the need for costly virtual reality visualization devices such as CAVE devices. In this case, we use commonly available technologies primarily designed for the gaming industry such as HTC Vive, MS Kinect, Leap Motion and PC kits for this purpose. The designer can therefore use the existing PC equipment and only supplement it with the required VR equipment, which with low cost and time and allows to accelerate the preparation phase of a new machine before its validation using a complex virtual model in the CAVE type.

ergonomics, virtual reality, leap motion, Kinect, RULA.

02.11.2020

Research Publishing Services

#12-931 Upper Boon Keng Road, Blk 11, Singapore 380011.

978-981-14-8593-0

Proceedings of the 30th European Safety and Reliability Conference and the 15th Probabilistic Safety Assessment and Management Conference

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