Forces: A Motion Capture-Based Ergonomic Method for the Today's World

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect approximately 60% of workers, especially in production environments.
• Traditional ergonomic evaluations are being updated to incorporate smart methods for better preventive actions.
• Workstation assessments are crucial for identifying and mitigating risks associated with worker health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Forces ergonomic method for evaluating actual workstations.
• To detail the method's fundamentals for structural validity and logical composition.
• To aid prevention technicians in making informed decisions for improving worker health and reducing MSDs.

Main Methods:

• Utilizes inertial motion capture technology for evaluating workstations.
• Calculates joint risks for each posture and the total workstation risk.
• Employs postural measurement and kinetic estimation of joint forces and torques during movement.

Main Results:

• The Forces method provides a comprehensive risk assessment for workstations.
• It enables the calculation of specific joint risks and overall workstation risk.
• The method is designed for structural validity, ensuring logical and well-founded components.

Conclusions:

• The Forces ergonomic method offers a novel approach to workstation evaluation.
• It supports industry needs by reducing MSDs from repetitive tasks.
• Aims to decrease social, economic, and productivity losses associated with MSDs.