A quantitative analysis model of thoracic flexibility for wearable personal protection equipment

Autor: Ranit Eldar
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM). 14:887-898
ISSN: 1955-2505
1955-2513
DOI: 10.1007/s12008-020-00677-6
Popis: Human body models of pose and motion are widely used in the interactive design process. Existing models, however, have examined movements of the thoracic spine independent of the ribcage, without specifically examining the influence of motion on specific thoracic areas. Additionally, current models are not widely used by designers or the industry for a variety of reasons. Consequently, the application of postural assessments in the design process may lack crucial data regarding complex yet contextually relevant body motions. To address this, we evaluated the optimal levels of thoracic flexibility for wearable personal protection equipment (WPPE). The ranges of four separate thoracic motions were measured in fifteen healthy males and females subjects using a motion capture system necessitating clusters of 92 reflective markers. A kinematic model for calculating 3D transformation and thoracic displacement over time was developed. A 60 segment thoracic map demonstrated that while ± 20° was sufficient for most frontal and lateral motions, distal to the xiphoid, 45° of flexion was required. For most rearward thoracic motions, ± 15° degrees was sufficient, but for movements involving the thorax distal to the T10 vertebra, 30° of flexion was required. The causal hypothesis for this numerical data was based on existing biomechanical literature. The quantitative analysis is a useful tool for assessing the biomechanics of body motion and supporting the industrial design process of well-fitted WPPE. We anticipate that our quantitative analysis model will be an integral aspect of any future ergonomic design interactive processes.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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