Chapter 41 - DHM applied to ergonomic design and assessment of diagnostic ultrasound systems

Abstract

This chapter is presenting and discussing a pioneering activity in healthcare design and focused on diagnostic ultrasound (US) systems. US systems need a careful design not only for the best quality of the diagnosis to the patient but also and maybe above all for the best workplace for the sonographers. These operators have an increasing evidence of musculoskeletal problems and even diseases because of the cumulative exposure to ergonomic risks at the US workplace. This chapter describes the use of digital human model (DHM) for US system design, in particular for the probe design, together with some indications about the echography laboratory design. Analysis of simulated results compared with qualitative data collected from professional sonographers shows that the new design is well promising to minimize the risk of musculoskeletal pathologies at the wrist and hand level. In the industry environment, the interest in US ergonomics is of main importance among the producers of US machines worldwide. The capability to design ergonomically valid systems and probes represents a strong market plus between competitors. DHM allows to perform the evaluation of US system and probes design well in advance of the marketing phase, enabling the simulation study as soon as a CAD model is available. This work also presents and discusses how simulations may be reliable in the assessment of the ergonomics of US transducer.