• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.671-681
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• 2011

Objective: The purpose of this study is to compare the workload level at each lower limbs posture and suggest the ergonomic workstation guideline for working period by evaluating the imbalanced lower limbs postures from the physiological and psychophysical points of view. Background: Many workers like welders are working in various imbalanced lower limbs postures either due to the narrow working conditions or other environmental conditions. Method: Ten male subjects participated in this experiment. Subjects were asked to maintain 3 different lower limbs postures(standing, squatting and bending) with 3 different working conditions(balanced floor with no scaffold, imbalanced floor with 10cm height of scaffold, and imbalanced floor with 20cm height of scaffold). EMG data for the 4 muscle groups(Retus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Tibialis Anterior, Gastrocnemius) from each lower limbs posture were collected for 20 seconds every 2 minutes during the 8 minutes sustaining task. Subjects were also asked to report their discomfort ratings of body parts such as waist, upper legs, lower legs, and ankle. Results: The ANOVA results showed that the EMG root mean square(RMS) values and the discomfort ratings(CR-10 Rating Scale) were significantly affected by lower limbs postures and working time(p<0.05). The correlation was analyzed between the EMG data and the discomfort ratings. Also, prediction models for the discomfort rating for each posture were developed using physical condition, working time, and scaffold height. Conclusion: We strongly recommend that one should not work more than 6 minutes in a standing or squatting postures and should not work more than 4 minutes in a bending posture. Application: The results of this study could be used to design and assess working environments and methods. Furthermore, these results could be used to suggest ergonomic guidelines for the lower limbs postures such as squatting and bending in the working fields in order to prevent fatigue and pain in the lower limbs body.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.645-650
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• 2011

Objective: The aim of this study is to design a sampling inspection plan with human error which is changing according to inspection time. Background: Typical sampling inspection plans have been established typically based on an assumption of the perfect inspection without human error. However, most of all inspection tasks include human errors in the process of inspection. Therefore, a sampling inspection plan should be designed with consideration of imperfect inspection. Method: A model for single sampling inspection plans were proposed for the cases that visual inspection error rate is changing according to inspection time. Additionally, a sampling inspection plan for an optimal inspection time was proposed. In order to show an applied example of the proposed model, an experiment for visual inspection task was performed and the inspection error rates were measured according to the inspection time. Results: Inspection error rates changed according to inspection time. The inspection error rate could be reflected on the single sampling inspection plans for attribute. In particular, inspection error rate in an optimal inspection time may be used for a reasonable single sampling plan in a practical view. Conclusion: Human error rate in inspection tasks should be reflected on typical single sampling inspection plans. A sampling inspection plan with consideration of human error requires more sampling number than a typical sampling plan with perfect inspection. Application: The result of this research may help to determine more practical sampling inspection plan rather than typical one.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.605-611
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• 2011

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of seat heights for optimizing the ingress/egress performance in the elderly people. Background: Recently elderly users have been increasing in number and the ease of ingress/egress of the vehicle becomes an important issue. Method: Seven elderly subjects participated in this study(age: 71.7${\pm}$3.6yr, height: 167.7${\pm}$5.4cm, weight: 68.1${\pm}$11.5kg). Each subject performed the sitting and rising task from comfortable seated position on the chair under the following conditions: (1) with a lumbar support and (2) without a lumbar support. We measured EMG activities of seven muscles(tibialis anterior, soleus, gastrocnemius, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris and erector supinae) and ranges of motion in lower limb during sitting and standing from three different heights (400mm, 500mm and 600mm from ground) of slide-up seat. Results: Muscle activities and angular movements of hip and knee joints during standing-up and sitting-down with a high seat height(600mm) were reduced mean 30.4% in extensor muscles, 57.11% in flexor muscle, 18.74% in erector muscle and 31.0% in joints compared with a low seat height(400mm). Conclusion: Muscle activities and joint movements in hip and knee were reduced when rising/sitting from a high seat height(600mm) compared with a low seat height(400mm). Application: This study can be used to design vehicle that are easy to get in and out of by older peoples with or without impairments.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.511-516
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• 2013

Objective: The objective of this study is designing an optimal hand tool through maximum grip force study accordance to the hand grip span. Background: In order to prevent musculoskeletal diseases, studies on hand tool design are proceeding based on grip strength, finger force, and contribution of individual finger force on total grip strength. However, experimental apparatus using a tool that is actually used in work place was almost non-existent. Method: 19 males were participated in an experiment. Using the load cell inserted real plier, finger force, grip strength, and subjective discomfort rate of both hands (dominant and non-dominant) were measured in 5 different hand grip span(45mm, 50mm, 60mm, 70mm, and 80mm). Results: There was significant difference(p<0.001) of total grip strength, individual finger force and subjective discomfort rating according to various hand grip span(45, 50, 60, 70, and 80mm). Also, statistically significant different(p<0.001) was shown between the dominant hand and non-dominant hand. In addition, individual finger force in maximum grip was in order of middle finger, ring finger, index finger, and little finger. Conclusion: Optimal grip span of pliers that exerting maximum grip strength is 50~60mm. Application: This finding is expected to be used for designing proper pliers.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2008

A lot of models have been developed for prevention of human errors. Nevertheless most of them failed to attract attention of industry which has been looking for an integrative model that can show practical countermeasures as well as causal factors of human errors. This research aimed to develop a comprehensive model that can mainly be applied to industrial fields. Therefore, in the model, it was tried to explain sequences of an operator's information process that might cause human errors on one hand, and life cycle stages of facilities involved when human errors occur on the other hand. This model was validated by using a typical accident case. With the comprehensive model presented in this research, one could follow up the sequence of human errors caused by operators, and errors made at the design stage which might cause accidents could be tracked. As a consequence, it is expected that much attention would be paid to preventing human errors in industrial fields since safety personnel can easily find out cause of human errors throughout life cycle stages of man-machine facilities if utilizing the suggested model.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.689-694
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• 2011

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the fluctuation of signal amplitude during repetitive dynamic contraction based on surface electromyography(EMG). Background: The most previous studies were considered isometric muscle contraction and they were difference to smoothing window length by moving average filter. In practical, the human movement is dynamic state. Dynamic EMG signal which indicated as the nonstationary pattern should be analyzed differently compared with the static EMG signal. Method: Ten male subjects participated in this experiment, and EMG signal was recorded by biceps brachii, anterior/posterior deltoid, and upper/lower trapezius muscles. The subject was performed to repetitive right horizontal lifting task during ten cycles. This study was considered three independent variables(muscle, amplitude processing technique, and smoothing window length) as the within-subject experimental design. This study was estimated muscular activation by means of the linear envelope technique(LE). The dependent variable was set coefficient of variation(CV) of LE for each cycle. Results: The ANOVA results showed that the main and interaction effects between the amplitude processing technique and smoothing window length were significant difference. The CV value of peak LE was higher than mean LE. According to increase the smoothing window length, this study shows that the CV trend of peak LE was decreased. However, the CV of mean LE was analyzed constant fluctuation trend regardless of the smoothing window length. Conclusion: Based on these results, we expected that using the mean LE and 300ms window length increased reproducibility and signal noise ratio during repetitive dynamic muscle contraction. Application: These results can be used to provide fundamental information for repetitive dynamic EMG signal processing.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.381-387
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• 2011

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the maximal grip strength for the combinations of resting time and trial and to provide guideline of resting time for the maximum gripping task associated with the number of trials. Background: Despite many previous researches for the maximal grip strength, few studies have considered the effect of both trials and rest time on the maximum grip strength. Methods: A total of thirty subjects participated in the study. The average of maximum grip strength was measured using JAMAR hydraulic hand dynamometer. The testing position was same as the position recommended by the American Society of Hand Therapists. The between-subject experimental design has been conducted in this study. Trials(1~20 trials) and rest time(2, 3, and 4min) were considered as independent variables, and the maximum grip strength was considered as dependent variable, respectively, in this study. Results: According to the result of the number of trials, the maximal grip strength decreased gradually as the number of trials increased. The ANOVA result showed that the main effect was significant for both resting time(p<.0001) and trial(p<.0001), and the interaction was significant(p<0.0086). Conclusions: The maximal grip strength decreased gradually as the number of trials increased. Thus, basic guideline of resting time was suggested for the number of trials of maximal grip strength tests in this study.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.907-914
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• 2010

Cognitive model, that is cognitive architecture, is the model expressed with computer program to show the process how human solve a certain problem and it is continuously under investigation through various fields of study such as cognitive engineering, computer engineering, and cognitive psychology. In addition, the much extensive applicability of cognitive model usually helps it to be used for quantitative prediction of human Behavior or Natural programming of human performance in many HCI areas including User Interface Usability, artificial intelligence, natural programming language and also Robot engineering. Meanwhile, when a system designed, an usability test about conceptual design of interface is needed and in this case, analysis evaluation using cognitive model like GOMS or ACT-R is much more effective than empirical evaluation which naturally needs products and subjects. In particular, if we consider the recent trend of very short-end term between a previous technology development and the next new one, it would take time and much efforts to choose subjects and train them in order to conduct usability test which is repeatedly followed in the process of a system development and this finally would bring delays of development of a new system. In this study, we predicted quantitatively the human behavior processes which contains cognitive processes for menu selection in touch screen interface through ACT-R, one of the common method of usability test. Throughout the study, it was shown that the result using cognitive model was equal with the result using existing empirical evaluation. And it is expected that cognitive model has a possibility not only to be used as an effective methodology for evaluation of HCI products or system but also to contribute the activation of HCI cognitive modeling in Korea.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.35-44
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• 2007

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a major problem in industries in which manual materials handling is performed by workers. To prevent these WMSDs, it is necessary to understand the muscular strength capability and use this knowledge to design job and selection and assignment of workers. Even though two-hands lifting activity of manual materials handling tasks are prevalent at the industrial site, many manual materials handling tasks which require the worker to perform one-hand lifting are also very common at the industrial site and forestry and farming. However, a few researches have been done for one-hand lifting activity of manual materials handling tasks. The objective of this study is to compare one-hand and two-hands lifting strength in terms of static and dynamic strength of the lifting activity for the ranging from the height of knuckle to elbow. It is shown in this study that the isometric lifting strength of one-hand is ranging from 54.7 to 63.3% of the one of two-hands. However, it is found that there is no significant difference between a person's isometric lifting strength for left-hand and right-hand. It is also shown that there is no significant difference between the peak force under the dynamic sub-maximal loading with one-hand and two-hands lifting activity. Similar results were obtained for the peak acceleration and peak velocity under the dynamic sub-maximal loading with one-hand and two-hands lifting activity. Isometric lifting strength at the height of knuckle was ranging from 2 to 3 times of the dynamic peak force during sub-maximal lifting. It is concluded that the dynamic peak forces under the sub-maximal loading are not highly correlated with the isometric lifting strength in similar postures.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.67-79
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• 2007

The objective of this study is to investigate a perceived discomfort and cause of Korean elderly in various activities such as work and leisure as well as in daily activities. 120 subjects (30 female and 30 male for each age: the young and elderly) participated in the interview type of questionnaire. Each participant answered to 41 items of activities of daily living. The examination of each item was progressed with 3 steps: whether to do the activity or not, degree of activity discomfort, and the reasons or causes of discomfort. Borg's CR10 scale is used to measure the degree of discomfort of daily activities. As a result, there are differences for the proportion of performers between two age groups, except for essential activities such as individual maintenance and housekeeping. The elderly complained about their daily activities more than the young did, and the degree of discomfort of women was significantly larger than that of men with aging. There are seven items, the mean degree of discomfort of which is over three points for the elderly, and they showed significant difference between two age groups. It was the important reason that physical capacities such as muscle strength and suppleness are declined. The results showed the characteristics of Korean elderly in the whole daily activities. These will be used to understand various life styles of them and to propose a field or direction of study related to the aging.