• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.73-82
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• 1997

Daily exposure to constrained body postures and deviations from neutral postures over a long period may result in discomfort as well as pains and aches in the muscles, joints, tendons, and other soft tissues. Furthermore, it was known that poor body postures are a major cause of musculoskeletal disorders in industry. Therefore, in this study, comfort ranges of joint motions were obtained as a criterion for evaluating body postures and designing workplaces ergonomically, which were bases on subjects' perceived discomfort level estimated by magnitude estimation. Nineteen healthy male subjects participated in the laboratory study. They results showed that comfort ranges of joint motions occurred in the wrist, elbow, neck, and ankle were little less than their normal range of joint motions, but those in the back(L5/S1) and hip joint were much less than their normal ones. This fact implies that the back and jip movements are more stressful than the other joints movements. It is expected that comfort ranges of joint motions can be used as a valuable guideline when designing and evaluating workplaces.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.1193-1203
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• 2023

This study aims to provide primary data regarding the thermal stress of disposable personal protective coveralls. Thermal stress and surface temperature measurements were taken among ten men wearing coveralls. The size of the ten men corresponds to a size eight in Size Korea. As a result of thermal stress, sensations of humidity and discomfort were higher when wearing Level C compared to Level D. Level D felt significant thermal stress in their upper body after exercise. However, they did not feel such stress in their lower body. Level C felt thermal stress in their upper and lower body after exercise. In addition, in Level C, the ratings of perceived exertion blood pressure and pulse rate after exercise were higher than those of Level D. Furthermore, the surface temperature of disposable personal protective coveralls among Level C was slightly higher than that of Level D.

• Proceedings of the Korean Operations and Management Science Society Conference
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.529-533
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• 1995

안장은 인체하중이 집중되고, 자전거의 충격과 진동이 직접 전달되는 부위로서 주행 안락도를 높이고 buttock의 discomfort를 감소시킬 수 있도록 설계되어야 한다. 본 연구의 목적은 인체곡면을 본뜬 안장형상 설계를 통하여 buttock의 국부적 discomfort를 감소시키고자 하는 것이다. 인간의 앉은자세에 대한 해부학적 고찰을 통해 좌골결절(Ischial Tuberosity)과 치골결합면(Symphyseal Surface)이 안장과 직접 맞닿는 면으로 파악되었으며, 이들 부위에 대한 집중적 개선이 이루어져야 할 것으로 제안되었다. 문헌조사를 통해 의자설계시 고려해야 할 인체치수 및 지침을 파악하였으며, 안장과 의자의 기능비교를 통해 이를 선별적으로 적용하였다. 인체곡면 측정을 위해 Rod Matrix(3cm 간격, 13*20)방법을 이용하여 10명의 buttock contour를 측정하였으며, 측정된 자료를 분석하여 안장의 곡면형상을 결정하였다. General Comfort Rating, Body Part Discomfort 등의 주관적 안락도 평가방법을 통하여 기존 자전거 안장과 본 연구를 통해 개발된 안장을 비교 평가한 결과, 전반적인 안락도의 향상과 좌골결절 및 치골 결합부의 discomfort 감소효과를 가져온 것으로 파악되었다.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.94.2-94
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• 2001

This paper investigates human discomfort response to the foot-to-head acceleration. During ambulance transport, a patient suffers from the foot-to-head acceleration, which might deteriorate his illness. To investigate the relationship between the ride discomfort and the foot-to-head acceleration, experiments were performed using a van type automobile similar to an ambulance. The experimental results show that head-ward acceleration is more uncomfortable than the foot-ward acceleration. For further investigation of the difference of ride discomfort caused by the direction of acceleration, two experiments were peformed using a tilt bed. In these experiments, foot-to-head acceleration is applied to the subjects by tilting the bed. Using a tilt bed, we investigated two things; relationship between discomfort and inclination of the bed ...

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.11-27
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• 2005

The objectives of this study are to analyze representative wrist postures while using hand tools and parts at general assembly processes, to evaluate perceived discomfort on the wrist when external loads are present, and to suggest an evaluation and prediction model of perceived discomfort. Sixteen subjects participated in an experiment to appraise perceived discomfort. Three types of the wrist postures with five levels of non-neutralities were analyzed when five levels of external load were applied to each posture. The ANOVA results showed that the perceived discomfort of wrist postures was significantly affected by both the wrist posture and external load (p$<$0.001). It was also shown that some of the interactions between external loads and the wrist postures(Flexion/$Extension^*$Load, Flexion/$Extension^*$supination/pronation, ulnar/radial $deviation^*$supination/pronation) were significant(p$<$0.001). The result implies that a new posture classification scheme for workload assessment methods may be needed to reflect such effects of external load and wrist posture. A regression model of perceived discomfort was developed with respect to wrist posture and external load from the experimental data. A subsequent experiment revealed that the correlation coefficient between the predicted values of perceived discomfort from the model and the actual values obtained from the experiment was about 0.98. It is expected that the results help to properly estimate the body stress resulting from worker's postures and external loads and can be used as a valuable design guideline to analyze potential hazard of musculoskeletal diseases in industry.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.249-258
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to identify the factors influencing the musculoskeletal discomfort and the physical region related symptoms. The outcome of the study uses KOSHA Code H-30-2003 which defines possible symptoms into different categories. Symptom I, ll showing the highest occurrence rate in shoulder and neck regions and most of Symptom III, IV come from back region. Analysis of the factors influencing the musculoskeletal discomfort vary in different parts of the body. In the neck region, the discomfort related to rest and the computer keyboard. Gender affects the magnitude of pain in the shoulder region. Wrist pain is related to the chairs being used and back discomfort is influenced by shoulder exercise and the degree of rest taken. Physical fatigue due to work affects all the regions mentioned above. Conclusively, office workers are prone to the musculoskeletal discomfort due to their work environment. To alleviate this problem, the workers need to be educated with proper long-term musculoskeletal related health programs and exercise program containing various stretching methods. In addition, the effort to improve the variables in this study would help to reduce the rate of musculoskeletal discomfort.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.779-791
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• 1997

The purpose of this study is to measure a perceived joint discomfort in the seated and standing position, and to provide ranking systems of perceived joint discomfort. Nineteen mole subjects with no history of musculo-skeletal disorders participated in the experiment. Their physical characteristics were: age $-25.4{\pm}2.7$years, stature $-171.9{\pm}6.0cm$, and body weight $-67.1{\pm}7.0kg$. The results showed that the perceived joint discomforts were different depending upon the joints involved in motion and their movement directions (degree of freedom of motions), which implied that the human body motions and their degrees of freedom should be classified into several distinct classes that need to be assigned different weights of postural stress. Therefore, three ranking systems based on the perceived joint discomforts were suggested, which were classified by the degree of freedom of motions and joints, by only degree of freedom motions, and by joints involved in motion, respectively. In the seated position, the hip movement was the most stressful, the bock was the second, and the shoulder was the third. Likewise, in the standing postures, the hip was the most, the bock was the second, and the ankle was the third. It was expected that these joint motion ranking systems could be used by practitioners of health and safety to improve the comfort of working postures in industry.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2000.05a
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• pp.495-502
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• 2000

For the tunnel design of the first class on new Seoul-Chunchon railway, we investigated for train speeds to run through tunnels without ear-discomfort of passenger in cabin by application of numerical analysis. Also we analyzed the effect of the wind speed induced by train in tunnel that is very harmful to the workers on railroad and the effect of the air-pressure fluctuations which get the fatigue to the tunnel lining and the car body.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.53-64
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• 2017

Purpose : This study investigated the effects of active warming using a Warm Touch warming system or a cotton blanket in postoperative patients after general anesthesia for abdominal surgery. Methods : This quasi-experimental study utilized two experimental groups and one control group: a cotton-blanket group (n = 25) were warmed with a cotton blanket and a sheet; a forced-air warming group (n = 24) were warmed with a Warm Touch warming system, a cotton blanket, and a sheet; and a control group (n = 25) were warmed with a sheet. Measurement variables were postoperative pain, body temperature, and thermal discomfort. Data were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA, ${\chi}^2-tests$, Fisher's exact test, and a repeated measures ANOVA. Results : The effects of active warming using a Warm Touch warming system and a cotton blanket on postoperative patients was significant in reducing pain (F = 13.91, p < .001) and increasing body temperature (F = 12.49, p < .001). Conclusion : Active warming made a significant difference in pain and body temperature changes. Active warming methods may help patients' postoperative recovery and prevent complications. Further research is needed to explore the effects and side effects of active warming on recovering normothermia.

• Industrial Engineering and Management Systems
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2011

A driver interacts directly with the car seat at all times. There are ergonomic characteristics that have to be followed to produce comfortable seats. However, most of previous researches focused on either static or dynamic condition only. In addition, research on car seat development is critically lacking although Malaysia herself manufactures its own car. Hence, this paper integrates objective measurements and subjective evaluation to predict seat discomfort. The objective measurements consider both static and dynamic conditions. Steven's psychophysics power law has been used in which after expansion; ${\psi}\;=\;a+b{\varphi}_s^{\alpha}+c{\varphi}_v^{\beta}$ where ${\psi}$ is discomfort sensation, ${\varphi}_s^{\alpha}$ is static modality with exponent ${\alpha}$ and ${\varphi}_v^{\beta}$ is dynamic modality with exponent ${\beta}$. The subjects in this study were local and the cars used were Malaysian made compact car. Static objective measurement was the seat pressure distribution measurement. The experiment was carried out on the driver's seat in a real car with the engine turned off. Meanwhile, the dynamic objective measurement was carried out in a moving car on real roads. During pressure distribution and vibration transmissibility experiments, subjects were requested to evaluate their discomfort levels using vehicle seat discomfort survey questionnaire together with body map diagram. From subjective evaluations, seat pressure and vibration dose values exponent for static modality ${\alpha}$ = 1.51 and exponent for dynamic modality ${\beta}$ = 1.24 were produced. The curves produced from the $E_{q.s}$ showed better $R_{-sq}$ values (99%) when both static and dynamic modalities were considered together as compared to Eq. with single modality only (static or dynamic only R-Sq = 95%). In conclusion, car seat discomfort prediction gives better result when seat development considered both static and dynamic modalities; and using ergonomic approach.