Effects of physical exertion on task performance in modern manufacturing: a taxonomy, a review, and a model

Modern manufacturing systems have the characteristic of demanding human cognitive task performance in an environment where sudden physical demands are also possible. There is little research addressing the effects of physical work on cognitive task performance and it is not well organized for application to manufacturing systems design. This paper uses an initial three-dimensional taxonomy to review the literature. Some clear findings emerge, but many studies produced contradictory results. While part of the contradiction was due to experimental technique, some was also due to the lack of a detailed structure to guide future research. Such a model is thus proposed, using the concept of limited resources for both the cognitive and physical aspects of tasks. In addition, specific predictions of research needs for modern manufacturing systems arise.