A quantitative analysis model of thoracic flexibility for wearable personal protection equipment
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ORIGINAL PAPER
A quantitative analysis model of thoracic flexibility for wearable personal protection equipment Ranit Eldar1 Received: 22 June 2020 / Accepted: 23 July 2020 © Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Human body models of pose and motion are widely used in the interactive design process. Existing models, however, have examined movements of the thoracic spine independent of the ribcage, without specifically examining the influence of motion on specific thoracic areas. Additionally, current models are not widely used by designers or the industry for a variety of reasons. Consequently, the application of postural assessments in the design process may lack crucial data regarding complex yet contextually relevant body motions. To address this, we evaluated the optimal levels of thoracic flexibility for wearable personal protection equipment (WPPE). The ranges of four separate thoracic motions were measured in fifteen healthy males and females subjects using a motion capture system necessitating clusters of 92 reflective markers. A kinematic model for calculating 3D transformation and thoracic displacement over time was developed. A 60 segment thoracic map demonstrated that while ± 20° was sufficient for most frontal and lateral motions, distal to the xiphoid, 45° of flexion was required. For most rearward thoracic motions, ± 15° degrees was sufficient, but for movements involving the thorax distal to the T10 vertebra, 30° of flexion was required. The causal hypothesis for this numerical data was based on existing biomechanical literature. The quantitative analysis is a useful tool for assessing the biomechanics of body motion and supporting the industrial design process of well-fitted WPPE. We anticipate that our quantitative analysis model will be an integral aspect of any future ergonomic design interactive processes. Keywords Flexibility · Wearable · Personal protection equipment · Thoracic mapping · Body motions interaction
1 Introduction Over the years, ergonomics and usability have become key product quality parameters, while an increasing attention has been devoted to industrial design process of well-fitted equipment approaches, even from the early stages of the design process. Ergonomics is a design-oriented discipline with the potential to guide the design process, ranging from consumer products to industrial environments. Along with the measurements and requirements of human usage, this ensures the users’ well-being and peak performance [17]. An understanding of human structure (anatomy), function (physiology), and motions (biomechanics) is key for designing products that adequately reflect the range and complexity of the body.
* Ranit Eldar [email protected] 1
Herzeliya, Israel
Designers to day have access to movement data through readily available sensors, such as the iPhone or the Kinect. In addition, the open source community makes software increasingly accessible with for instance and Processing. However, few resources exist in interaction design to m
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