Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Exploring The Effects Of Meaningful Tactile Display On Perception And Preference In Automated Vehicles, Kimberly D. Martinez, Gaojian Huang

Mineta Transportation Institute Publications

There is an existing issue in human-machine interaction, such that drivers of semi-autonomous vehicles are still required to take over control of the vehicle during system limitations. A possible solution may lie in tactile displays, which can present status, direction, and position information while avoiding sensory (e.g., visual and auditory) channels overload to reliably help drivers make timely decisions and execute actions to successfully take over. However, limited work has investigated the effects of meaningful tactile signals on takeover performance. This study synthesizes literature investigating the effects of tactile displays on takeover performance in automated vehicles and conducts a human-subject …

Evaluating Safety And Productivity Relationship In Human-Robot Collaboration, Aayush Jain, Shakra Mehak, Philip Long, John D. Kelleher, Michael Guilfoyle, Maria Chiara Leva

Conference papers

Collaborative robots can improve ergonomics on factory floors while allowing a higher level of flexibility in production. The evolution of robotics and cyber-physical systems in size and functionality has enabled new applications which were never foreseen in traditional industrial robots. However, the current human-robot collaboration (HRC) technologies are limited in reliability and safety, which are vital in risk-critical scenarios. Certainly, confusion about European safety regulations has led to situations where collaborative robots operate behind security barriers, thus negating their advantages while reducing overall application productivity. Despite recent advances, developing a safe collaborative robotic system for performing complex industrial or daily …

The Music Bluetooth Controller: An Intersection Between Technology And Music, Lydia Wu

Senior Honors Theses

The modern musician faces a new challenge: how can technology be used to enhance a performance? This thesis documents the development of a Bluetooth remote controller that will aid today’s performing musicians by interacting with a digital display (e.g., an iPad) to flip musical score pages remotely. At its core, while mimicking a Bluetooth pedal (the current industry standard), this device attaches to the musician’s hand. In its pilot stages, the device has been referred to “MBC” (Music Bluetooth Controller).

Human Ergonomic Simulation To Support The Design Of An Exoskeleton For Lashing/De-Lashing Operations Of Containers Cargo, Francesco Longo, Antonio Padovano, Vittorio Solina, Virginia D' Augusta, Stefan Venzl, Roberto Calbi, Michele Bartuni, Ornella Anastasi, Rafael Diaz

VMASC Publications

Lashing and de-lashing operations of containers cargo on board containerships are considered as quite strenuous activities in which operators are required to work continuously over a 6 or 8 hours shift with very limited break. This is mostly because containerships need to leave the port as soon as possible and containers loading and unloading operations must be executed with very high productivity (stay moored in a port is a totally unproductive time for a ship and a loss-making business for a shipping company). Operators performing lashing and de-lashing operations are subjected to intense ergonomic stress and uncomfortable working postures. To …

Human Factors, Ergonomics And Industry 4.0 In The Oil & Gas Industry: A Bibliometric Analysis, Francesco Longo, Antonio Padovano, Lucia Gazzaneo, Jessica Frangella, Rafael Diaz

VMASC Publications

Over the last few years, the Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E) discipline has significantly benefited from new human-centric engineered digital solutions of the 4.0 industrial age. Technologies are creating new socio-technical interactions between human and machine that minimize the risk of design-induced human errors and have largely contributed to remarkable improvements in terms of process safety, productivity, quality, and workers’ well-being. However, despite the Oil&Gas (O&G) sector is one of the most hazardous environments where human error can have severe consequences, Industry 4.0 aspects are still scarcely integrated with HF/E. This paper calls for a holistic understanding of the changing …

The Impact Of Unequal Processing Time Variability On Reliable And Unreliable Merging Line Performance, Rodrigo Romero-Silva, Sabry Shaaban, Erika Marsillac, Zouhair Laaarraf

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Research on merging lines is expanding as their use grows significantly in the contexts of remanufacturing, reverse logistics and developing economies. This article is the first to study the behavior of unpaced, reliable, and unreliable merging assembly lines that are deliberately unbalanced with respect to their coefficients of variation (CV). Conducting a series of simulation runs with varying line lengths, buffer storage capacities and unbalanced CV patterns delivers intriguing results. For both reliable and unreliable lines, the best pattern for generating higher throughput is found to be a balanced configuration (equal CVs along both parallel lines), except for unreliable lines …

Civilian Pepper Spray For Self Defense: Understanding User Perception And Impact Of Design On User Performance, David Strybel, Anil R. Kumar

Faculty Publications

Pepper spray is widely used in the US, and is marketed as an effective self-defense device. While pepper spray can be useful in deterring an attacker, many pepper spray owners do not have any experience using it. There is a dearth of published studies that focus on civilian pepper-spray use, not to mention first time pepper-spray users. A study to analyze pepper-spray designs with first-time users, to see how the design, specifically the safety mechanism, affects response time and overall performance would be helpful. The study was conducted in 2 parts – a survey to understand user perception, and a …

Gender Differences And Cockpit Design, Susan Archer, Heidi Brewer, Stacie Fain, Stephanie Smith

Student Works

The design project reported in this paper examined female pilots’ experiences with how well or poorly cockpit design allowed them to safely accomplish their flying missions. The general aviation aircraft cockpit is not designed for female pilots, often causing them to find ways to adapt to the cockpit in order to operate the aircraft safely. Two primary focal areas for adaptations address issues with accessibility of controls and “viewability” inside and outside the cockpit. The design team used a Situation Awareness-Oriented Interface Design (SAOD) approach in preparing cockpit design recommendations for general aviation aircraft that would accommodate female pilots.

The Business Case For Industrial Safety: Revealing The Comprehensive Value Of Ergonomic Investments For Manufacturing Enterprises In Industry 4.0, Shane Stan

Honors Theses

How can today’s manufacturing enterprises construct, implement, and optimize modern safety initiatives in a manner that will present maximum return on investment and facilitate enterprise growth? Furthermore, how can these manufacturers assure individual ergonomic investments become part of a larger strategy to facilitate organizational change in safety? This work addresses these questions by placing industrial ergonomics in a business improvement context which comprehensively presents the financial returns and growth opportunities poised by modern safety initiatives. Additionally, to further strengthen the business case for industrial safety, an ergonomic action planning framework is established to guide the creation of holistic safety programs …

Improving Production Flexibility, Christopher T. Patrick, Conrad R. Troutman, Adam Glassman, Kaitlin Payne

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Industrial & Information Engineering

Over the last year, Clayton has paired with the University of Tennessee in order to increase production rates at their Rutledge facility due to a high demand for their homes. Other concerns expressed by Clayton included high employee turnover, fluctuation in demand throughout the year, and lack of space within the facility. Several teams from the University were assigned to this location with the goal of observing and increasing throughput and flexibility within the facility while considering the previously stated issues.

Implementation Of 5s At A Survey Laboratory In Western Kentucky University, Mercy Akunna Ebuetse

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

5S is a technique used alongside methodologies such as lean, total quality management and six-sigma for continuous improvement and workplace standardization. Nonetheless, despite the upsurge in the implementation of 5S by lean manufacturing facilities and other industries, educational laboratories appear to be lagging. Taking into consideration the benefits of implementing 5S within industry, it has become crucial to replicate the technique in an educational laboratory to obtain equivalent results. To upgrade educational laboratories into industrial laboratories, 5S (sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain) is required to improve the laboratory’s ergonomics that subsequently increases efficiency, productivity, and lessens waste …

Assessment Of Ergonomics In Indian Dental Practice: A Workplace Analysis, Divya Gadde

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Dental practice requires unique working conditions such as prolonged working hours, strained body postures and laborious, high finesse dental techniques. However, it can be more efficiently performed by the application of ergonomics, rather than physically forcing the worker's body to fit the job. Posture is highly influenced by factors such as inadequate working level, incorrect patient positioning, and poor visual comfort. In order to eliminate musculoskeletal disorders it is necessary to control these and other factors, and design the human work environment to be more ergonomic. The aim of this study was to assess ergonomics within Indian dental practice and …

Repeatability Case Study Of The 3d Printer In The School Of Engineering And Applied Science Lab, Naif Faleh S. Albaiji

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

3DP (three-dimensional printing) technologies have become more than just a tool to help companies with prototyping and designing in the pre-production stage. Some firms have already implemented 3DP technology to produce parts and end-use products. However, there are several challenges and barriers that this technology must overcome to replace traditional manufacturing methods. One of the most significant obstacles associated with 3D printing is its low level of accuracy in variable repeatability when it comes to making separate batches of the same product. There are several arguable reasons behind this variation. Some of the factors that can influence repeatability are the …

Communication Based Control For Dc Microgrids, Mahmoud S. Saleh, Yusef Esa, Ahmed Mohamed

Publications and Research

Centralized communication-based control is one of the main methods that can be implemented to achieve autonomous advanced energy management capabilities in DC microgrids. However, its major limitation is the fact that communication bandwidth and computation resources are limited in practical applications. This can be often improved by avoiding redundant communications and complex computations. In this paper, an autonomous communication-based hybrid state/event driven control scheme is proposed. This control scheme is hierarchical and heuristic, such that on the primary control level, it encompasses state-driven local controllers, and on the secondary control level, an event-driven MG centralized controller (MGCC) is used. This …

Unmanned Aerial Systems: Research, Development, Education & Training At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Michael P. Hickey

Publications

With technological breakthroughs in miniaturized aircraft-related components, including but not limited to communications, computer systems and sensors, state-of-the-art unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have become a reality. This fast-growing industry is anticipating and responding to a myriad of societal applications that will provide new and more cost-effective solutions that previous technologies could not, or will replace activities that involved humans in flight with associated risks.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has a long history of aviation-related research and education, and is heavily engaged in UAS activities. This document provides a summary of these activities, and is divided into two parts. The first part …

Magic Triangle – Human, Exoskeleton, And Collaborative Robot Scenario, R. A. Goehlich, M. H. Rutsch, I. Krohne

Publications

The incidence of musculoskeletal disorders in workplaces with difficult ergonomic conditions is increasing. Today, there is a growing market for technical support systems that avoid repetitive strain on the musculoskeletal system. We have been observing two (parallel) lines of development: on the one hand, the development of exoskeletons supporting shop floor operators and, on the other hand, the development of collaborative robots for the creation of hybrid teams. The focus of our research is the combined application of exoskeletons AND collaborative robots for shop floor operators in the aerospace industry. Our approach is to analyze various scenarios to understand which …

Impact Of Sustainable Product Design On Elderly Ergonomics, Tris Kee, Alex King

Faculty of Design & Environment (THEi)

No abstract provided.

Ambulatory Clinic Exam Room Design With Respect To Computing Devices: A Laboratory Simulation Study, Dustin T. Weiler, Tyler Satterly, Shakaib U. Rehman, Maury A. Nussbaum, Neale R. Chumbler, Gary M. Fischer, Jason J. Saleem

Faculty Scholarship

Background—Challenges persist regarding how to integrate computing effectively into the exam room, while maintaining patient-centered care. Purpose—Our objective was to evaluate a new exam room design with respect to the computing layout, which included a wall-mounted monitor for ease of (re)-positioning. Methods—In a lab-based experiment, 28 providers used prototypes of the new and older “legacy” outpatient exam room layouts in a within-subject comparison using simulated patient encounters. We measured efficiency, errors, workload, patient-centeredness (proportion of time the provider was focused on the patient), amount of screen sharing with the patient, workflow integration, and provider situation awareness. Results—There were no statistically …

The Effect Of Magnification Loupes On Dental Hygienists' Posture While Exploring, Emily Ludwig, Gayle B. Mccombs, Susan L. Tolle, Daniel M. Russell

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of dental magnification loupes on posture during instrumentation.

Methods: A convenience sample of 27 right-handed dental hygienists, with no prior history of injuries or disabilities of the head, neck, or trunk region, enrolled in the study. Baseline posture calibration was taken and tri-axial accelerometers were placed on four locations of the head and trunk (occipital region of head; cervical vertebrae C5; thoracic vertebrae T5; lumbar vertebrae L1) to measure acceleration and the orientation of the body to gravity. Participants were randomly assigned to wear self-supplied magnification loupes during either …

The Issues And Complexities Surrounding The Future Of Long Duration Spaceflight, Solomon Miiro

Graduate Student Works

The Comprehensive Exam put forward by this proposal is intended to address the learning objectives covered by the Master of Aeronautical Science Degree with specializations in Aviation Aerospace Safety Systems and some limited aspects in Human Factors in Aviation Systems. This will be accomplished by researching the following topics: effects of long duration spaceflight on crew performance and functioning and the steps that should be taken to enable long term spaceflight mission crews in lieu of accomplishing important missions; a human factor analysis should current human-machine design interfaces be enhanced to make manual rendezvous and docking in space easier to …

Ergonomic Analysis Of Mobile Cart–Assisted Stocking Activities Using Electromyography, Sohyung Cho

SIUE Faculty Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Workers in grocery stores are exposed to numerous musculoskeletal risks that can be reduced using assistive devices while performing stocking tasks. A regional grocery store has recently deployed a mobile cart without comprehension of its ergonomic impact on workers, which this article investigates using normalized electromyography data (%MVC). This article studies not only ergonomic impact based on %MVC values but also work performance represented by a muscle force metric (MFM). The results from this study showed highest muscle groups in %MVC and MFM were the erector spinae and triceps. Interestingly, muscle activations on erector spinae were reduced when mobile cart …

Exploring Bridge-Engine Control Room Collaborative Team Communication, Aditi Kataria, Eric Holder, Gesa Praetorius, Michael Baldauf, Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs

Journal Publications

The EC funded CyClaDes research project is designed to promote the increased impact of the human element in shipping across the design and operational lifecycle of ships. It addresses the design and operation of ships and ship systems. One of the CyClaDes’ tasks is to create a crew‐centered design case‐study examination of the information that is shared between the Bridge and Engine Control Room (ECR) that helps the crew coordinate to ensure understanding and complete interconnected tasks. This information can be provided in various ways, including communication devices or obtained from a common database, display, or even the ship environment …

Design, Programming, And User-Experience, Kaila G. Manca

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis is a culmination of my individualized major in Human-Computer Interaction. As such, it showcases my knowledge of design, computer engineering, user-experience research, and puts into practice my background in psychology, com- munications, and neuroscience.

I provided full-service design and development for a web application to be used by the Digital Media and Design Department and their students.This process involved several iterations of user-experience research, testing, concepting, branding and strategy, ideation, and design. It lead to two products.

The first product is full-scale development and optimization of the web appli- cation.The web application adheres to best practices. It was …

Making The Case For Crew-Centered Design (Ccd) In Merchant Shipping, Aditi Kataria, Gesa Praetorius, Jens-Uwe Schröder-Hinrichs, Michael Baldauf

Conference Papers

Since 2003, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has emphasised the need to address and integrate ergonomics knowledge in a concerted manner. However, there is little guidance on the application of this knowledge in the design of merchant vessels. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, the paper identifies the need for crew-centered design (CCD), highlighting the importance of using concepts derived from Human-Centred Design (HCD) to be able to design work spaces and operational procedures that facilitate the work of the crew on board. Drawing upon results obtained from accident analysis (utilising the Technique for the Retrospective and predictive Analysis of Cognitive …

Ergonomics Study Led Lighting Assembly, Marylin Glass-Angeles, Nathan Christensen, Josef Imesh, Lorena Peña, Natalia Matos

Research and Creative Activities Poster Day

The current assembly process of the LED Lighting product line at Landscape Forms (LF) combines high force exertion, motion repetition and an uncomfortable posture. Therefore, Industrial Engineers overseeing the manufacturing of these products raised a concern for their workers health and were interested in identifying injury risks related to the current methodology as well as opportunities for the reduction of such risks.

Injury Prevention With Physical Therapy, Karen Kott, Margaret F. Lemaster

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Ergonomics is the study of human performance (positioning and movement) and workplace design, such as equipment, ambience, and placement. The purpose of ergonomics is to maximize productivity by increasing safety, improving work quality, reducing operator fatigue and discomfort, and decreasing the risk of work -related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).^1-3

An Investigation Of Medical Device Design And Physical Ergonomics In Healthcare, Adam E. De Laveaga

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Human factors and process engineering are becoming a prominent area of research and application for industrial engineering principles as healthcare providers seek to improve patient safety, quality the optimization of resources. Human factors engineering and ergonomics play a crucial role in the pursuit of operational excellence and patient safety in healthcare. These disciplines contain the tools required to develop instrumentation, technology and training that can improve the usability of medical technology and the quality of care that patients receive. Designing tasks, tools and processes for optimal human use can enhance performance, reduce errors and improve safety. This thesis encompasses three …

Improving Health Care Quality And Safety: The Development And Assessment Of Laparoscopic Surgery Instrumentation, Practices And Procedures, Bernadette Mccrory

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Adverse events due to medical errors are a leading cause of death in the United States exceeding the mortality rates of motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer and AIDS. Improvements can and should be made to reduce the rates of preventable surgical errors since they account for nearly half of all adverse events within hospitals. Although minimally invasive surgery has proven patient benefits such as reduced postoperative pain and hospital stay, its operative environment imposes substantial physical and cognitive strain on the surgeon increasing the risk of error. In order to mitigate errors and protect patients, a multidisciplinary approach was taken …

Leaving The Lecture Hall: Conducting Hf/E Outside The Classroom, C. B. Fausset, K. R. Bujak, K. A. Kline, Jenay Beer, C.-A. Smarr, A. E. Adams, S. E. Mcbride, J. S. Burnett

Faculty Publications

Georgia Tech HF/E students initiated and managed a multisemester project to experience the nuances of conducting HF/E outside the classroom setting. This article focuses on the lessons learned beyond the classroom: project management, team coordination, communication with non-HF/E team members, application of research methods, and integration of data to prioritize and guide design changes. The goal of this article is to help guide other HF/E students and educators when implementing similar projects by providing the lessons we learned from this experience.

Ethnic Difference In Healthcare Delivery, Benny Mathew Varghese

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Quality in healthcare is a very important aspect; this is obtained when there is proper care provided to the patients without any discrimination. The healthcare system in the US can be improved in the fields of patient’s care, the amount of money spent and proper advice, if proper responsibilities are taken. Quality has been improving over the years, but the median by which there is an increase is too small. The other main factor is access to the healthcare system, which has over the year, has not progressed. Studies in healthcare quality should be conducted on a regular base, so …