Virtual Ergonomics Laboratory: Human Body Dimension Relevance

Debkumar Chakrabarti,T Ravi,Manoj Deori,Sangeeta Pandit

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/aef.10.22

Debkumar Chakrabarti, T Ravi + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/aef.10.22

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Abstract

Ergonomics has become an integral part of design education curriculum, where input content demands demonstration through citing and analysing appropriate design experiences. It has come to fore through many academic forum discussions and meetings that to internalise various ergonomics issues relevant hands on experiences on this are necessary. To impart a feel of laboratory experimentation as well as application relevance to a greater number of learners, a virtual environment scenario could go along.A virtual presentation of ergonomics laboratory experiments on physical anthropometry and its design dimension consequences has been tried out. It contains a total of eleven sections. The topic opens with the introductory session where the subject matter and the laboratory experiment methodology in general was considered; this was followed by ten specific topics with flash based self-learning modules and data support on Indian population was provided to have a ready reference. Some of these topic specific experiment sections are also backed with video demonstrations.A whole set of virtual laboratory module under development, for users feedback, has already been uploaded in the net. The experiments are self-explanatory, downloadable and easy to perform. The feedback collected so far (online and also through direct demonstration surveys), confirms its usefulness both by the teachers and student-learners of Ergonomics specialisation and design programmes. This paper reports the salient features with content outline of the educational and free to use virtual anthropometric experiments manual developed which is being fine-tuned at IIT Guwahati.

Highlights

Ergonomics has become an integral component of design and engineering curriculum in India and to meet the requirement trained man power and laboratory facilities is too far from reaching the required level
Most of the engineering fields, architecture and management education including occupational health and safety though ergonomics is being considered as one of the core inputs, is yet to get proper impetus, and mostly the requirement is met with improper attention though its importance is widely talked about
Discussions with academicians reveled that discipline relevant hands-on practical experimentation would have a desired effect, but to start with providing a basic level input would be good; the present project is an initiation with human physical compatibility issues in general through virtual approach, to serve an additional supplement to the direct contact teaching-learning

Summary

Introduction

Ergonomics has become an integral component of design and engineering curriculum in India and to meet the requirement trained man power and laboratory facilities is too far from reaching the required level. Objectives This approach aimed at developing a self-learning tutorial material with inbuilt know-how demonstration and laboratory techniques of measuring basic anthropometric dimensions and some human compatible physical interface in the man-machine-environment system interaction.

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