2005 Volume 56 Issue 5 Pages 346-357
Using a three-dimensional motion analysis system, manual material handling posture is analyzed primarily through human body movement taken by a highspeed video camera. The angle of asymmetry, lifting height, distance from the load to both feet and load weight were the considerations for the 16-point data source of manual material handling posture. The method of converting the measured coordinates into 21 joint angles is shown. From the 16-point data, using various interpolation working conditions, the method to obtain the approximate expression of the working posture is shown. Then Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) is used to create a human body model and the converted data is used to propose an animated working posture. Before any actual material handling takes place, given the respective working conditions, the working posture can be presented as an approximation through animation. As a result, before any actual work, given the working conditions, from the approximation formula, the joint angle is computed, and the method of interpolation is shown from the computer graphics. Then, the working posture is analyzed through the use of posture and action codes of the Ovako Working posture Analysis System (OWAS) method. Using mathematical computation and a material handling example of a human model, the procedure for formulating the OWAS posture and action codes is shown.
