An interactive virtual lighting maintenance environment for human factors evaluation

Abstract

Purpose – The paper aims to establish a virtual lighting maintenance environment (VLME), and to analyze the visibility-related human factors (HFs) during maintenance operations through interactive simulations. Design/methodology/approach – First, an accurate task lighting modeling method was developed, which includes lighting information modeling and illuminant parameters calibration. Then, the real-time interaction between the task lighting and three-dimensional virtual human was modeled. After that, the attenuation coefficient of visibility was determined. Also, the HFs’ analysis process in VLME was described in detail. Findings – A case study of power supply module replacement of radar equipment was performed in VLME. The HFs’ analysis demonstrated that the task lighting significantly affects the visibility, which causes indirect impact on posture comfort and operation safety. Practical implications – Through evaluating maintenance operation processing in lighting environment, engineers can better analyze and validate the maintainability design for complex equipment, and some potential ergonomics and safety issues can be found and dealt earlier. Originality/value – An VLME was built for interactive “human-in-loop” maintenance operation simulation, which can support HFs’ evaluation in lighting environment accurately and effectively.