Influence of mono-axis random vibration on reading activity

Area of Science:

• Human Factors Engineering
• Transportation Ergonomics
• Vibration Analysis

Background:

• Many train passengers engage in reading and writing during travel.
• Passenger activities are frequently disrupted by train vibrations and motion.
• Understanding the impact of vibration on reading is crucial for passenger comfort and productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of low-frequency random vibrations on reading difficulty.
• To quantify the effects of vibration magnitude and direction on reading performance.
• To assess the impact of different font types, sizes, and sitting positions on reading under vibration.

Main Methods:

• Laboratory study involving 18 healthy male subjects (23-32 years).
• Application of random vibrations (1-10 Hz) at 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 m/s² (rms) in longitudinal, lateral, and vertical directions.
• Reading tasks using word chains in Times New Roman and Arial fonts (10, 12, 14pt) under two sitting positions, with difficulty rated on a 7-point scale.

Main Results:

• Reading difficulty escalates with increasing vibration magnitudes.
• The highest reading difficulty was observed in the longitudinal direction, particularly when subjects were leaning over a table.
• Arial font was perceived as easier to read than Times New Roman across all font sizes and vibration conditions.

Conclusions:

• Vibration significantly impairs reading ability on trains.
• Optimizing font type (Arial) and considering sitting posture can mitigate reading difficulties caused by vibrations.
• Further research can inform the design of more comfortable and productive train environments.