• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.30-38
• /
• 2019

Background: Police officers' stress perception, frequency of stressful events (stressors), and police work characteristics may contribute to poor sleep quality through different mechanisms. Methods: We investigated associations of stress severity (measured by stress rating score) and frequency of stressors with sleep quality and examined the influence of police work characteristics including workload, police rank, prior military experience, and shift work on the associations. Participants were 356 police officers (256 men and 100 women) enrolled in the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress Study from 2004 to 2009. A mean stress rating score and mean frequency of stressors occurring in the past month were computed for each participant from the Spielberger Police Stress Survey data. Sleep quality was assessed using the global score derived from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index survey. Linear associations of the stress rating score and frequency of stressors with sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index global score) were tested. Age, sex, race/ethnicity, and smoking status were selected as potential confounders. Results: The stress rating score was positively and independently associated with poor sleep quality (${\beta}=0.17$, p = 0.002). Only workload significantly modified this association (${\beta}=0.23$, p = 0.001 for high workload group; p-interaction = 0.109). The frequency of stressors was positively and independently associated with poor sleep quality (${\beta}=0.13$, p = 0.025). Only police rank significantly modified the association (${\beta}=0.007$, p = 0.004 for detectives/other executives; p-interaction = 0.076). Conclusion: Both police officers' perception of stress severity and the frequency of stressors are associated with poor sleep quality. Stress coping or sleep promotion regimens may be more beneficial among police officers reporting high workloads.

• Journal of Drive and Control
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.27-36
• /
• 2020

The aim of this study is to design a simulation model for an electric All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) tractor to evaluate the performance of the selected component and agricultural work ability. The electric AWD tractor consists of four motors independently for each drive wheel, and each motor is combined with an engine generator, a battery pack, and reducers. The torque data of a 78 kW-class tractor was measured during plow tillage and driving operation to develop a workload cycle. A simulation model was developed by using commercial software, Simulation X, and it used the workload as the simulation condition. As a result of simulation analysis, the drive system, including an electric motor and reducers, was able to cope with high load during plow tillage. The SOC (State of Charge) level was influenced by the output power of the motor, and it was maintained in the range of 50~80%. The fuel consumed by the engine was about 18.23 L during working on a total of 8 fields. The electric AWD tractor was able to perform agricultural work for about 7 hours. In the future study, the electric AWD tractor will be developed reflecting the simulation condition. Research on the comparison between the simulation model and the electric AWD tractor should be performed.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.157-165
• /
• 2007

The Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) can be occurred by various factors such as repetition, forceful exertions and awkward postures. Especially, occurrences of the WMSDs on the waist and lower limb are reported in workplaces, demanded standing postures for a long time, in service and manufacturing industry. The static and standing postures without movement for a long time increase work loads to the lower limb and the waist. Accordingly, anti-fatigue mat or anti-fatigue insole is used as a preventing device of the WMSDs. However anti-fatigue mats are limited in space and movement. In this study, multi-elastic insoles are designed and shown the effects of the workload reduction for a long time under the standing work. The foot pressures and EMG (Electromyography) are measured at 0 hour and after 2 hours by 6 health students in their twenties. The 6 prototype insoles are designed with three elastic (Low, Medium and High). These insoles are compared with no insole (insole type 7) as control group. The EMG measurement was conducted to waist (erector spinae muscle), thigh (vastus lateralis muscle) and calf (gastrocnemius muscle). The foot pressure is analyzed by mean pressure value and the EMG analysis is investigated through MF (Median Frequency), MPF (Mean Power Frequency) and ZCR (Zero Crossing Rate). The results of the foot pressure show that the multi-elastic insoles had smaller foot pressure value than that of no-insole. Moreover, Insole 2 and Insole 3 have the smallest increasing rate in foot pressure. The EMG results show that the multi-elastic insoles had smaller EMG shift value than that of no-insole in 2 hour, and then shift value shows the smallest value in Insole 2. Therefore, this study presents that the multi-elastic insoles have reducing effects of the work load for a long time standing work in both side of foot pressure and EMG.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
• /
• v.7 no.9
• /
• pp.2326-2337
• /
• 2013

Many applications can be parallelized by using multicore platforms. We propose a load-balancing technique for parallelizing a whole application, whose first module (H.264) has data independency and whose second module (AES) has data dependency. Instead of distributing the first module symmetrically over the multi-core platform, we distribute the data-independent workload asymmetrically in order to start the data-dependent workload as early as possible. Based on the experimental results with a compression/encryption application, we confirm that the asymmetric load balancing can provide better performance than the typical symmetric load balancing.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.115-124
• /
• 2010

According to wide-spread experience in many industries, a procedure is one of the most effective countermeasures to reduce the possibility of human related problems. Unfortunately, a systematic framework to evaluate the complexity of procedural tasks seems to be very scant. For this reason, the TACOM measure, which can quantify the complexity of procedural tasks, has been developed. In this study, the appropriateness of the TACOM measure is investigated by comparing TACOM scores regarding the procedural tasks of high speed train drivers with the associated workload scores measured by the NASA-TLX technique. As a result, it is observed that there is a meaningful correlation between the TACOM scores and the associated NASA-TLX scores. Therefore, it is expected that the TACOM measure can properly quantify the complexity of procedural tasks.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
• /
• v.7 no.6
• /
• pp.1194-1201
• /
• 2003

Measurements of network traffic have shown that self-similarity is a ubiquitous phenomenon spanning across diverse network environments. We have advance the framework of multiple time scale congestion control and show its effectiveness at enhancing performance for fast TCP prototype control. In this paper, we extend the fast TCP prototype control framework to window-based congestion control, in particular, TCP. This is performed by interfacing TCP with a large time scale control module which adjusts the aggressiveness of bandwidth consumption behavior exhibited by TCP as a function of "large time scale" network state. i.e., conformation that exceeds the horizon of the feedback loop as determined by RTT. Performance evaluation of fast TCP prototype is facilitated by a simulation bench-mark environment which is based on physical modeling of self-similar traffic. We explicate out methodology for discerning and evaluating the impact of changes in transport protocols in the protocol stack under self-similar traffic conditions. We discuss issues arising in comparative performance evaluation under heavy-tailed workload. workload.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.17 no.32
• /
• pp.243-253
• /
• 1994

Work environments have been changed with the advent of new technologies, such as computer technology. The newer technologies, the more changes in our work conditions. However, human cognitive limits can't keep up with the change of work environments. Mental workload has been an important factors in designing modem work environments such as human-computer interaction. Designing man-machine systems requires knowledge and evaluation of the human cognitive processes which control information flow workload. Futhermore, under an urgent situation, human operator may suffer the work stress, work error, and resultant deleterious work performance. To describe the work performance in the urgent work situations, with time stress and dynamic event occurence, a new concept of information density was introduced. For a series of experiments performed for this study, three independent variables(information amount system processing time, information density) were evaluated using such dependent variables as reaction time, number of error, and number of failure. The results of statistical anlysiss indicate that the amount of information effected on all of five dependent measure. Number of failure and number of secondary task score were effected by both amount of information and operational speed of system, but reaction time of secondary task were effected by both amount of information and information density.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.20 no.11
• /
• pp.39-46
• /
• 2015

In this paper, we propose a performance-aware workload model for efficient implementation of control systems. When implementing a control algorithm as an embedded computer system, the control code executes periodically. For such systems, its control performance depends on not only the accuracy of the control algorithm itself but also temporal parameters such as control period and sensing to actuation delay. In this regard, this paper studies the relation between control period and delay by measuring and analyzing the control performance of LKAS (Lane Keeping Assist System) with varying period and delay combinations. Through this experimental study, this paper shows that the two timing parameters, i.e.,control period and delay, has a tradeoff relation in terms of control performance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.37-45
• /
• 2011

The main objective of this study is two-fold: 1) to analyze the effect of PG technology application on road user's satisfaction and driving speed, and 2) to investigate the relationship between driver's subjective workload level and their reactions related to the PG technology application. Based on the result of field observation, the experimental scenario for driving simulation study was prepared. The experimental results showed that drivers were more satisfied to the road condition with PG technology applied, and even the pattern of speed reduction was more stable than control condition. The pattern of speed reduction along driver's subjective driving workload level were slightly different by physical road condition, and road user's satisfaction was revealed to be negatively correlated with their subjective driving workload level. This result indicates that depending on situation and driver characteristic, information for the drivers could be nothing more than nuisance that just distracts drivers. In order to facilitate the implementation of PG technology in Korea, further study on related human factors, especially for those who are weak in traffic situations, is recommended.

• Journal of Minimally Invasive Surgery
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.168-176
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Robotic-associated minimally invasive surgery is a novel method for overcoming some limitations of laparoscopic surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes (postoperative pain, cosmesis, surgeon's workload) of single-incision robotic cholecystectomy (SIRC) vs. single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) vs. conventional three-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (3PLC). Methods: 134 patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic cholecystectomy at a single center during 2016~2017 were enrolled. Prospectively collected data included demographics, operative outcomes, questionnaire regarding pain and cosmesis, and NASA-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) scores for surgeon's workload. Results: 55 patients underwent SIRC, 29 SILC, and 50 3PLC during the same period. 3PLC patient group was older than the others (SIRC vs. SILC vs. 3PLC: 48.1 vs. 42.2 vs. 54.1 years, p<0.001). Operative time was shortest with 3PLC (44.1 vs. 38.8 vs. 25.4 min, p<0.001). Estimated blood loss, postoperative complications, and postoperative stay were similar among the groups. Pain control was lowest in the 3PLC group (98.2% vs. 100% vs. 84.0%, p=0.004), however, at 2 weeks postoperatively there were no differences among the groups (p=0.374). Cosmesis scores were also worst after 3PLC (17.5 vs. 18.4 vs. 13.3, p<0.001). NASA-TLX score was highest in the SILC group (21.9 vs. 44.3 vs. 25.2, p<0.001). Conclusion: Although SIRC and SILC take longer than 3PLC, they produce superior cosmetic outcomes. Compared with SILC, SIRC is more ergonomic, lowering the surgeon's workload. Despite of higher cost, SIRC could be an alternative for treating gallbladder disease in selected patients.