A Wearable Sensor System for Physical Ergonomics Interventions Using Haptic Feedback
2020 (English)In: Sensors, E-ISSN 1424-8220, Vol. 20, no 21Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are a major concern globally affecting societies, companies, and individuals. To address this, a new sensor-based system is presented: the Smart Workwear System, aimed at facilitating preventive measures by supporting risk assessments, work design, and work technique training. The system has a module-based platform that enables flexibility of sensor-type utilization, depending on the specific application. A module of the Smart Workwear System that utilizes haptic feedback for work technique training is further presented and evaluated in simulated mail sorting on sixteen novice participants for its potential to reduce adverse arm movements and postures in repetitive manual handling. Upper-arm postures were recorded, using an inertial measurement unit (IMU), perceived pain/discomfort with the Borg CR10-scale, and user experience with a semi-structured interview. This study shows that the use of haptic feedback for work technique training has the potential to significantly reduce the time in adverse upper-arm postures after short periods of training. The haptic feedback was experienced positive and usable by the participants and was effective in supporting learning of how to improve postures and movements. It is concluded that this type of sensorized system, using haptic feedback training, is promising for the future, especially when organizations are introducing newly employed staff, when teaching ergonomics to employees in physically demanding jobs, and when performing ergonomics interventions.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
MDPI, 2020. Vol. 20, no 21
Keywords [en]
smart workwear system, risk assessment, prevention, work technique training, wearable sensors, inertial measurement units, workwear, vibrotactile feedback, musculoskeletal disorders, work postures
National Category
Health Sciences Mechanical Engineering
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hb:diva-24802DOI: 10.3390/s20216010ISI: 000589223200001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85094857822OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hb-24802DiVA, id: diva2:1521896
2021-01-252021-01-252022-02-10Bibliographically approved