Ergonomics Theory Research Articles

Impact of Ergonomics Practices on Commercial Banks’ Employee Performance in Nepal: Evidence from Structural Equation Modeling

Background: Organizations today face multiple challenges to maintain the health and performance of employees. Ergonomics is a strategy to reduce occupational disease rates and improving general working conditions for employees in order to improve productivity. Despite the importance of ergonomics in workplace, research in this field is needed to be explored more. It is well practice in world but still new concept in Nepal. Objective: The objective of the study is to investigate “Impact of Ergonomics Practices on Commercial Banks’ Employee Performance in Kathmandu Valley”. Method: The Exploratory research design was adopted for the study with the foundation of Theory of Ergonomics. The population of this study consists of commercial banks’ employee in Kathmandu valley. Under the probability sampling technique, simple random sampling using structured questionnaire 203 responses are collected with the help of KOBO toolbox. SEM is used to analyse the impact of ergonomics practice in commercial Banks of Nepal. The data was statistically examined using descriptive and inferential analysis utilizing the structured questionnaire approach and the KOBO toolbox. Result: This study finds that ergonomics practice in Nepalese commercial bank as at infant stage. Physical ergonomics factor such as, work design area, thermal comfort, furniture, work hours, lighting has significant effect on employee performance respectively. Physical exhaustion, mental stress, back pain are most frequent problems faced by bankers. Mitigation over this problem by designing employee compatible workplace and adopting ergonomics intervention reduce mental stress, physical exhaustion, back pain and fatigue and motivates the employee and increase their performance. Conclusion: Ergonomics adoption on workplace to enhance the productivity level by reducing health related problem and building employee friendly work environment is milestone to enhance employee performance. Based on the finding and conclusion, the study recommends that work area design, thermal comfort, space, lighting should be considered while designing employee compatible workplace to enhance employee performance in Nepalese Commercial banks’ employee. Paper Types: Research Paper Keywords: Ergonomics, Employee Performance, Employee productivity, Employer health issue, Banks. JEL Classification: C13, C83, I12, J28, J81

A Brain-Controlled and User-Centered Intelligent Wheelchair: A Feasibility Study.

Recently, due to physical aging, diseases, accidents, and other factors, the population with lower limb disabilities has been increasing, and there is consequently a growing demand for wheelchair products. Modern product design tends to be more intelligent and multi-functional than in the past, with the popularization of intelligent concepts. This supports the design of a new, fully functional, intelligent wheelchair that can assist people with lower limb disabilities in their day-to-day life. Based on the UCD (user-centered design) concept, this study focused on the needs of people with lower limb disabilities. Accordingly, the demand for different functions of intelligent wheelchair products was studied through a questionnaire survey, interview survey, literature review, expert consultation, etc., and the function and appearance of the intelligent wheelchair were then defined. A brain-machine interface system was developed for controlling the motion of the intelligent wheelchair, catering to the needs of disabled individuals. Furthermore, ergonomics theory was used as a guide to determine the size of the intelligent wheelchair seat, and eventually, a new intelligent wheelchair with the features of climbing stairs, posture adjustment, seat elevation, easy interaction, etc., was developed. This paper provides a reference for the design upgrade of the subsequently developed intelligent wheelchair products.

Research on Improved Design of School Shower Equipment Based on Ergonomics

With the increasing demand of students for campus life quality, the improvement of campus public facilities has attracted much attention. In order to improve the experience of using the on-campus shower and enhance the comfort of the students in the process of using it, the design of the on-campus shower has been improved by applying ergonomic theory, taking into full consideration the physiological and psychological characteristics of the people using it, and optimizing the design of the ergonomic dimensions and operation methods of the on-campus shower equipment to make it more in line with the ergonomic dimension requirements. It provides users with higher efficiency and more comfortable use, and provides reference for the design research of campus shower public facilities.

Measure the Effects of Cognitive Ergonomics on Industrial Employee Wellbeing in Kathmandu Valley

Ergonomics serves as a strategic approach aimed at diminishing occupational disease rates and enhancing overall working conditions to boost employee productivity. Acknowledging the pivotal role of employee participation in fostering positive organizational relations, this study delves into the impact of cognitive ergonomics on employee performance within Nepalese industrial settings. Employing an explanatory research design anchored in the Theory of Ergonomics, the investigation aims to unveil the correlations between work stress, workload, decision-making, and communication, and their collective influence on employee well-being. Focusing on industry employees in the Kathmandu Valley through probability sampling, a purposive sampling technique was employed, utilizing structured questionnaires administered to 161 respondents from Balaju, Patan, and Bhaktapur industries via the KOBO toolbox. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was utilized to analyze the effects of cognitive ergonomics practices, employing SPSS and AMOS applications to scrutinize relationships between dependent and independent variables. Findings shows that among four components of cognitive ergonomic such as work stress, workload, decision making and communication examine the significant impact on employee wellbeing which gives theoretical relevance in terms of theory of ergonomics. In conclusion, the adoption of ergonomics in the workplace is crucial for improving productivity by addressing health-related issues and fostering an employee-friendly environment, ultimately enhancing overall employee performance.

Analysis of the contribution of ergonomics to the management system and organizational governance

The purpose is To analyze the application of ergonomics in management systems and organizational governance demonstrating the relevance of the potential of its application. The methodology is marked by three major stages. The first is the identification of scientific texts that address the theory of ergonomics. The second is the identification of reports of experiences of application of ergonomics. In the third, the content analysis of the identified scientific texts is carried out and the discussion of the results obtained contributing to organizational theory and practices. The findings come from literature review methods and secondary data from case studies. It concludes that the organizational culture should value the application of ergonomics in projects. The contributions of ergonomics to the management system, compliance and organizational governance are described. The main limitations present in the research are inherent to the chosen methods, that is, the Bibliographic Review does not cover all the possibilities of application of the concepts of ergonomics to the management system and to governance. The conclusions, finally, go through the subjectivity of the researcher in the analysis of the peculiarities of the case studies identified and cited. The main contributions of this work are focused on the support and guidance of organizational practices for the management system and good governance practices. The academic contribution consists of the ergonomic analyzes articulated and aggregated to the management system and organizational governance. Originality is supported by the governance and management system approach under the ergonomics guideline.

Research on the design of interactive intelligent toy art experience based on multimodal sensory

Abstract Although many kinds of intelligent toys, interactive toys that can mobilize children’s sensory experience in many aspects and cultivate their creative thinking are still scarce. In this paper, interactive experience elements are built based on virtual reality technology, image recognition technology, human-computer interaction theory, and ergonomics theory. A brain interaction network based on multimodal sensory modulation is constructed to allow intelligent toys to perceive their surroundings effectively. And the dynamic causal model (DCM) is proposed to infer the connection strength and direction of neural activities among pre-defined cortical regions of the brain. The results showed that the classification accuracy of noisy audiovisual (AVd) modality in the BA18 region was 87.87% significantly higher than that of the STS region (81.41%). The average classification accuracy of the mono-visual noise-added (Vd) modality in the BA18 ROI was 79.40%, which was also significantly higher than that of the STS ROI at 65.12%. It indicates that the interactive design based on multimodal senses can effectively stimulate children’s brain interest areas, which makes children experience better and communicate more interactions. The research results of this paper provide new perspectives and have important implications for the application of interactive intelligence to toy art.

Modeling and evaluation of ergonomic risks and controlling plans through discrete-event simulation

Ergonomic risks due to repetitive, awkward and physically demanding operations in construction pose a serious threat to the health and safety of workers, stimulating the need to decide an appropriate measure to control them. This paper introduces a discrete-event simulation (DES)-based platform to model and evaluate the ergonomic risks and the controlling plans for construction processes. The ergonomics theories about energy expenditure for the fatigue, the Ovako Working Posture Analyzing System (OWAS) for the work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), and the dynamic productivity of a worker related to his ergonomic risk level are utilized. The activity-based strategy of the DES methodology is incorporated with relevant ergonomics theories to achieve the modeling and simulation platform. Justification and application of the proposed method are presented through a construction case. This study contributes a DES methodology through incorporating the activity-based strategy with the ergonomics, facilitating effective management on workers' health without losing the construction performance.

Intelligent Safety Ergonomics: A Cleaner Research Direction for Ergonomics in the Era of Big Data.

Safety ergonomics is an important branch of safety science and environmental engineering. As humans enter the era of big data, the development of information technology has brought new opportunities and challenges to the innovation, transformation, and upgrading of safety ergonomics, as the traditional safety ergonomics theory has gradually failed to adapt to the need for safe and clean production. Intelligent safety ergonomics (ISE) is regarded as a new direction for the development of safety ergonomics in the era of big data. Unfortunately, since ISE is an emerging concept, there is no research to clarify its basic problems, which leads to a lack of theoretical guidance for the research and practice of ISE. In order to solve the shortcomings of traditional safety ergonomics theories and methods, first of all, this paper answers the basic questions of ISE, including the basic concepts, characteristics, attributes, contents, and research objects. Then, practical application functions of ISE are systematically clarified. Finally, following the life cycle of the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the system, it ends with a discussion of the challenges and application prospects of ISE. The conclusion shows that ISE is a cleaner research direction for ergonomics in the era of big data, that it can deepen the understanding of humans, machines, and environment systems, and it can provide a new method for further research on safety and cleaner production. Overall, this paper not only helps safety researchers and practitioners to correctly understand the concept of intelligent safety ergonomics, but it will certainly inject energy and vitality into the development of safety ergonomics and cleaner production.

Designing a sustainable digital control room for public transport: a comprehensive human performance measurement model

ABSTRACT The control rooms of organizations such as bus rapid transports and automated railroad systems have changed from conventional systems with analogue equipment to modern systems with digital equipment. These changes have necessitated adaptations in the responses and habits of operators carrying out tasks. Although enhancing the system from conventional to modern is intended to improve the system performance, it often exerts the opposite effect. Therefore, the risk of decreased operator performance needs to be evaluated. This research develops a design framework incorporating comprehensive dimensions for evaluating operator performances in digital control rooms. The evaluation is based on the theory of ergonomics and is implemented by the analytical hierarchical process and fuzzy set theory. The framework has been empirically tested in digital control room for bus rapid transport and thus, it can be customized and implemented to design the work and workplace of digital control rooms for public transport design.

Study on the improvement of gearshift performance in commercial vehicle based on ergonomics

Due to the more demanding quality requirements for the vehicle manipulating comfort imposed by the market in recent years, the driver's feeling during gear shifting has become very important in the design stage of the shifting systems. This paper combines the ergonomics theory with the vehicle shifting device, and expounds the application and practice of the ergonomics in the innovative design of the vehicle shifting device. Firstly, GSA analysis system is used to pre-evaluate the static and dynamic shifting performance of the whole vehicle, and analyzes the shifting device of the vehicle transmission according to ergonomics theory. And then the corresponding improvement measures are put forward for the existing defects in the shifting device. Finally, the post-test analysis is carried out to verify the effectiveness in improving the driving experience of the whole vehicle, and ultimately enhance the competitiveness of the studied shifting device in the vehicle industry.

Teleworking “is here to stay”?

Over the last decade advances in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have significantly changed the world of work, making it possible to work anytime anywhere in many sectors and occupations. This is occurring in the context of a growing knowledge-based and service economy where ICTs are key tools for work. The article emphasizes that the term “telework” encompasses various types of working styles that involve the use of information and communications technology equipment, such as telecommuting, mobile work or self-employed home-based work. There are two dominant theories in occupational health literature that facilitate our understanding of the relationship between telework and occupational health: the job-demands-resources model in occupational health psychology, and macroergonomics systems theory in ergonomics. This article analyzes that telework is not without potential negative health and wellness outcomes. In particular, employees: suffer stress and burnout from the feeling they are expected to be available outside of regular hours, regardless of whether they are actually working; feel frustration over unclear boundaries between work and life; feel isolated and disconnected from their colleagues.It is important to note that if there is to be a significant shift to telework, workers and their managers will need to manage the arrangement consciously. When the same physical space is both home and place of work, the boundary between the two worlds blurs easily, creating conflict and stress. Permanent connectivity of devices promotes an ‘always-on’. However, at the EU and national levels current legislation addresses most of the issues which have been highlighted as potential challenges linked to telework such as working time, health and safety and work-life balance.

Optimal Design and Verification of Standing-up Motion Assistant Machine

Standing-up motion assistant machine is a new type of assistant device for the care and motion of the semi-disabled, which can replace the manual motion mode to a great extent and reduce the workload of the care-givers. After a detailed analysis of shortcomings of the structural design of the existing standing-up motion assistant machine in the practical application in elderly institutions, this paper proposes a design scheme and mechanical structure of the hanger. The optimized product is verified based on ergonomics theory. Results show that the design scheme and structure of the hanger of the motion assistant machine proposed in this paper can satisfy the requirements of occupant comfort on the premise of ensuring safety, as well as effectively expand the application of the standing-up motion assistant machine in elderly institutions of varied facility levels.

TINJAUAN POLYESTER PADA JERSEY SEPEDA

This research contains the “overview of polyester on bicycle jersey”. Polyester fabric is a fabric that is often used for bicycle jerseys because it has a high coefficient of elasticity and sweat absorption which is directly channeled to the outer layer of the jersey, thus keeping the body dry and comfortable during cycling. Bike jersey is designed in such a way as to support cyclists or racers in carrying out their activities. The choice of polyester type and the difference between the Mountbike jersey and the Roadbike jersey have a role to affect the comfort while cycling because cycling with the right clothes will further increase the benefits of cycling. To study the polyester review on the bicycle jersey, the author uses qualitative methods and analysis techniques using ergonomic theory. From the results of the discussion, it can be concluded that almost all types of polyester meet the material comfort standards, but there are differences in treatment in fulfilling safety aspects.

Design, reliability, and validity of a portable electronic device based on ergonomics for early screening of adolescent scoliosis.

Background/objectiveThe reported incidence of scoliosis among adolescents in China differs according to screening method owing to the lack of uniformity and limitations of certain techniques. We aimed to design, develop, and validate a non-invasive, accurate, portable, fast, and automated tool that would enable the measurement and storage of data during scoliosis screening.MethodsWe designed a new portable electronic scoliosis screening device (PESSD)—for the identification of adolescent scoliosis based on ergonomics theory. The device measured the axial deflection angle of the trunk of the human body using a built-in angle sensor. Data obtained using the PESSD, a traditional scoliometer manual ruler, and X-ray measurement of the Cobb angle were compared.ResultsThe PESSD exhibited more sensitive detection of small-angle scoliosis and improved repeatability compared with the scoliometer. The data obtained using the PESSD showed good correlation with Cobb angle data measured from X-ray images. All patients who were indicated to be positive for scoliosis using the PESSD were found to have clinically identifiable scoliosis from X-ray examination.ConclusionsThe PESSD may be able to achieve early detection of scoliosis in adolescents. It is non-invasive, highly precise, portable, easy to use, and offers automated data storage and traceability. This study is a pilot or preliminary validation study. With further, more in depth studies, the PESSD has excellent potential for transformation into an effective tool for use in large-scale screening programs for adolescent scoliosis in schools and communities.The translational potential of this articleThis article is about designing a new portable electronic scoliosis screening device based on ergonomics theory. Because there are currently no uniform screening methods and standards, the results in this article could facilitate the adoption of a uniform screening tool into large-scale screening programs for adolescent scoliosis in schools and communities, preliminary examination in hospitals, and self-testing at home after parent training.

Designing success: Applying Cognitive Work Analysis to optimise a para sport system

Within the last decade, Para sport has experienced increased growth, global popularity, and scientific research. Likewise, there is increasing application of systems ergonomics methods to optimise sports performance. Despite this, few studies have attempted to analyse Para sport as a complex system. The aim of this study was to apply a systems ergonomics framework to redesign a current Para sport system via a multi staged approach. The Cognitive Work Analysis framework was used to model and redesign the Para sport system, via the insertion of design interventions. The findings offer insights into the complexity of the Para sport system via the multiple interacting factors that influence the performance of the system. In addition, the design interventions had substantial influence on the Para sport system by creating multiple new processes, functions, measures, and purposes, and enhanced multiple components of the existing system. This study provides a unique contribution to ergonomic science and extends system ergonomics theory and methods in sport. This study has practical implications for policy development by providing a template that can be used by others wanting to optimise able-bodied sport, Para sport, and non-sport systems.

Investigating the Working Efficiency of Typical Work in High‐Altitude Alpine Metal Mining Areas Based on a SeqGAN‐GABP Mixed Algorithm

Man‐machine efficacy evaluations of typical work in the safe mining of high‐altitude alpine metal mines are associated with fuzziness, multiple indexes, and large subjective components. This results in difficulties in the prediction of the typical work efficiency in high‐altitude alpine metal mining areas. In this study, ergonomic theory was applied to establish the evaluation index system of typical work efficiency in high‐altitude alpine metal mining areas by studying the cooperative relationship between operators, working machines, working environment, and design variables. First, we investigated the collaborative relationship between workers, operating machinery, operating environment, and design variables in order to establish the evaluation index system of typical work efficiency in high‐altitude alpine metal mining areas. Second, principal component analysis (PCA) was integrated with the fusion entropy weight method to (i) analyze the coupling correlation and overlapping effects between the factors influencing efficiency at different altitudes and (ii) to determine the key influencing factors. Third, a model based on the sequence generative adversarial network genetic algorithm backpropagation (SeqGAN‐GABP) hybrid algorithm was established to predict the trends in the operating efficiency of typical work types in high‐altitude alpine metal mining areas. Finally, three high‐altitude alpine metal mines in Xinjiang were selected as representative examples to verify the proposed framework by comparing it with other state‐of the art models (multiple linear regression prediction model, backpropagation (BP) neural network model, and genetic algorithm back propagation (GA‐BP) neural network model). Results determine the average relative error of each model as 2.74%, 1.97%, 1.29%, and 1.02%, respectively, indicating the greater accuracy of our proposed method in predicting the efficiency of typical work types in high‐altitude alpine mining areas. This study can provide a scientific basis for the establishment of mining safety judgment standards in high‐altitude alpine areas.

Effect of Office Ergonomics on Office Workers’ Productivity in the Polytechnics, Nigeria

The study was anchored on the ergonomic theory of production and design that stress the importance of office workstation as imperative for workers enhanced productivity. Quasi-experimental design was used to determine the relative performance of office workers with ergonomically fitted furniture, equipment and environment on their keyboarding tasks performance. The study lasted for three months with the post-test results indicating better performance from the experimental group. This implies that office workers with ergonomically fitted furniture, equipment and environment in the tertiary institutions in Nigeria are likely to have enhanced work output. Therefore, the institutions should be provided with well-furnished office with appropriate technological devices and environment. Keywords: Office ergonomics, ergonomics, Office workers, Productivity, Keyboarding, work environment DOI: 10.7176/JEP/12-3-10 Publication date: January 31 st 2021

Applying ergonomics within the multi-modelling paradigm with an example from multiple UAV control

This article presents a position statement on using ergonomics in conjunction with the multi-modelling paradigm. Multi-modelling is a computational approach to combine models of systems and components for design and simulation of cyber physical systems and systems of systems. Despite potentially significant benefits in terms of more human-centric system modelling, there is limited evidence of the application of ergonomics within multi-modelling. This article presents the case for applying ergonomics within multi-modelling. We open with an introduction to multi-modelling and benefits, applications and gaps for ergonomics in multi-modelling, and of potentially useful models from ergonomics. We then describe a proof-of-concept implementation of ergonomics within a multi-model of UAV control. This demonstrates that as well as user-centred modelling, this approach supports ergonomics in how we can access rich systems models, and the collaborative value of applying ergonomics theory in systems design. Practitioner Summary: Examines multi-modelling, a computational approach for complex modelling, and the contribution of ergonomics. An autonomous UAV test implementation demonstrates the application of ergonomics knowledge for improving design and evaluation processes, and how multi-modelling can give ergonomics access to rich systems models. Abbreviations: ACT-R: adaptive control of thought—rational; API: application programming interface; CFD: computational fluid dynamics; COTS: commerical off the shelf; CPS: cyber-physical system; CT: continuous time; DE: discrete event; DSE: design space exploration; FME: finite element modeling; FMI: functional mock-up interface; FMU: functional mock-up unit; GOMS: goals, operators, methods, selections; HCI: human-computer interaction; IMPRINT: improved performance research integration tool; INTO-CPS: integrated toolchain for cyber-physical system modeling; KLM: keystroke level model; MPC: model-predictive control; SysML: system markup language; SoS: system of system; UAV: unmanned aerial vehicle

Design and maintenance method of a kind of rehabilitation fitness machine

With the rapidly increase of people’s living standard, more and more people hope to get healthier and longer life. In this study, a kind of rehabilitation fitness machine is designed for disabled people with lower limb, and its daily maintenance work is clearly displayed. The design of the new rehabilitation exercise machine is suitable for disabled people to exercise, which is designed with the theory of ergonomics. Based on ergonomics theory, the design concept of the space, new structure, working space and display device of the six-link mechanism satisfies the conditions of strength and stability.

The Comfort Design for Civil Aircraft Cabin Using Ergonomics Theory

In order to improve the comfort of civil aircraft cabin, the cabin comfort system is built in this research based on the ergonomics theory and considering the influence of cabin environment, facilities, configuration, etc. In this process, filtrating and classification for the indexes which mainly influence the comfort are conducted, weight value setting is completed according to the analytic hierarchy process method and the quantify score for all the indexes is pushed. Finally, the results of cabin comfort evaluation are obtained. The case analysis results verify the effectiveness of the method. To sum up, based on this method proposal in this research, the main factors that can influence the comfort of the cabin are obtained, the comfort factors of the cabin are quantized and analysed, and last, these research results could direct the cabin comfort design.