Prediction of Perceived Steering Wheel Operation Force by Muscle Activity.

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Humans perceive forces differently than applied forces due to psychophysical factors.
• Sense of effort is crucial in determining human movement and interaction with objects.
• Understanding perceived force is vital for designing effective human-object interaction systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a computational method for predicting perceived force during steering wheel operation.
• To evaluate the influence of muscle activity and effort on perceived force using a 3D-musculoskeletal model.
• To investigate how driving posture affects perceived force.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a 3D-musculoskeletal model simulation to analyze muscle activity.
• Quantified perceived force as a function of effort during steering tasks.
• Conducted experiments across four different commercial vehicles.

Main Results:

• Developed a computational method to predict perceived force.
• Demonstrated that perceived force characteristics are influenced by driving posture, even with identical applied forces.
• Achieved a mean absolute error of 1.78 N in predictions.

Conclusions:

• The developed computational method effectively predicts perceived force during steering.
• Driving posture significantly impacts the perception of force, highlighting the importance of ergonomic considerations.
• This research provides valuable insights for designing more intuitive and comfortable vehicle interfaces.