- Email: [email protected]
Bicycle crank length
Mar 1975, 95 pp. Abstr in: Government Reports Announcements (Report No PB-253 286/9GA)
and Technical Programme of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Jul 1976, pp 2 4 8 - 2 5 0 .
A Tactile Vision Substitution System (TVSS) has been developed to provide pictorial information to blind users. The output of a closed-circuit television camera is displayed on the user's skin by a matrix between 100 and 400 tactile simulators. With the TVSS, extensive psychophysical research has been conducted to determine the optimal means by which spatial information can be presented to the skin. In addition, extensive research has been conducted with blind subjects to determine the extent to which the system can be used as an aid to the blind. Blind observers have learned to use vision-related concepts to describe complex arrangements of familiar objects in their environment. With the camera mounted in the eye-piece of a microscope, the blind have been able to examine biological specimens for the first time.
A method is shown for simulating individual operator man/computer tasks and collecting performance statistics. This method employs a minicomputer with structured software that receives user-written programs for the specific processes and for display formatting. Users can easily try out and evaluate alternative interface designs, different combinations of task assignments, or various formatting dialogues. Job and task performance characteristics are directly obtained. An illustration is given. These performance characteristics may be used comparatively or as inputs to a total system simulation for the design of large man/machine systems.
Controls 8.3.24 (71618)
Gross, V.J., and Bennett, C.A. Bicycle crank length. In: Proceedings of 6th International Congress of the International Ergonomics Association "Old World, New World, One World" and Technical,Programme of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Jul 1976, pp 4 1 5 - 4 2 1 . An experiment was conducted varying bicycle crank length as a ratio of cyclist's crotch height over a range from 0' 17 to 0"23. A light and a heavy load were used with ten young male subjects. Heart rate, oxygen consumption and perceived exertion measures were taken during bicycle ergometer pedalling sessions. All measures showed the superiority of a crank length of about 0.20 of crotch height (0.10 of standing height). A change of crank length of three percentage points of crotch height increases energy expenditure by one kcal/min. The standard crank is too long for 60% of adult males and almost 100% of females. Varied crank lengths or adjustable cranks should be made available.
Computer interfaces 8.3.25 (71626)
Alford, E.C., and Buck, J.R. A unit task simulator for off-line evaluation of man computer interfaces. In: Proceedings of 6th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association "Old World, New World, One World"
180
Workplace and equipment design 8.3.26 (71632) Gaucher, P. et al Safety in operation of rider-controlled industrial trucks (La securite dans la Conduit des Chariots Automoteurs de Manutention a Conducteurs Portes. (In French.) Archives des Maladies Professionnelles, Mar 1976, 37.3, 2 8 2 - 3 1 1 . Abstr in: CIS Abstracts (CIS 76-1813). Paper presented at the 13th National Meeting on Occupational Medicine (Tours, France, 2 - 5 Oct 1974). Report of a questionnaire survey among 316 drivers, 42 employers or supervisors and 40 works physicians, and of a study of some 50 accidents with industrial trucks. Main conclusions: the driver's workpost presents a hazard for others in the opinion of the works physician, but not necessarily of the employer; certain assignments to a workplace are made without previous medical or psychometric examination, and training is often neglected; safety at the workpost depends on the reliability of the man-machine system. Selection tests are valueless unless they reflect the real work situation and form part of a safety policy which is also aimed at improving the equipment, the conditions of its use, and the training of drivers. 8.3.27 (71637)
Wood, J. The application of ergonomics in the design of a computer console for emergency services: A case study. In: Proceedings o f 6th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association "Old World, New World, One World" and Technical Programme of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Jul 1976, pp 2 5 5 - 2 5 9 .
AppliedErgonomics September 1977
A detailed case-study is presented ot the systematic application of ergonomic to the design of computerized workstations. These workstations, fo~handling emergency calls, incorporate radio and telephone equipment as well as computer displays and keyboards. The use of systems analysis techniques, the preparation of performance specifications; the design and use of ergonomic rigs and the running of trials for evaluation of prototypes are discussed. 8.3.28 (71647) Anon. Fork-lift trucks - Study of ergonomic aspects of 22 driver seats (Chariots Elevateurs - Etude Ergonomique de Vingt-deux Postes de Conduite). (In French.) Travail et Securite, Jul/Aug 1976, 7-8, 3 7 9 - 3 8 5 . A b s t r i n : C I S Abstracts (CIS 76-2070). Methodology of a study carried out by the Nancy (France) Research Centre of the FrenCh National Research and Safety Institute (Institute National de Recherche et de Securite INRS) to assess the main ergonomic features of driver seats; visibility while driving; driver's imposed posture; position of controls; seat (access, safety devices). Following the tests, ergonomics data sheets for the driver seat were drawn up for each type of truck covered by the study. 8.3.29 (71656)
Terrell, R., and Purswell, J.L. The influence of forearm and wrist orientation on static grip strength as a design criterion for hand tools. In: Proceedings of 6th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association "Old World, New World, One World" and Technical Programme of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Jul 1976, pp 2 8 - 3 2 . The amount of force required to use a hand tool and its relationship to the user's capacity to exert this force is a critical design criterion of hand tools, often affecting the immediate safety of the tool user and the propensity of the tool to cause injury to the user with long-term use. Because the wrist is often placed in deviated positions, the available data on grip strength with an undeviated wrist configuration may not be applicable to the design of many hand tools. This study demonstrates the decreases in grip strength due to wrist deviations and forearm rotation. The position of maximal static grip strength is the neutral wrist with a supinated forearm. Decrements from the neutral position for wrist flexion, hyperextension, radial flexion and ulnar flexion, are 30%, 22%, 18% and 15%, respectively. The pronated forearm allows only 87% of
and Technical Programme of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Jul 1976, pp 2 4 8 - 2 5 0 .
A Tactile Vision Substitution System (TVSS) has been developed to provide pictorial information to blind users. The output of a closed-circuit television camera is displayed on the user's skin by a matrix between 100 and 400 tactile simulators. With the TVSS, extensive psychophysical research has been conducted to determine the optimal means by which spatial information can be presented to the skin. In addition, extensive research has been conducted with blind subjects to determine the extent to which the system can be used as an aid to the blind. Blind observers have learned to use vision-related concepts to describe complex arrangements of familiar objects in their environment. With the camera mounted in the eye-piece of a microscope, the blind have been able to examine biological specimens for the first time.
A method is shown for simulating individual operator man/computer tasks and collecting performance statistics. This method employs a minicomputer with structured software that receives user-written programs for the specific processes and for display formatting. Users can easily try out and evaluate alternative interface designs, different combinations of task assignments, or various formatting dialogues. Job and task performance characteristics are directly obtained. An illustration is given. These performance characteristics may be used comparatively or as inputs to a total system simulation for the design of large man/machine systems.
Controls 8.3.24 (71618)
Gross, V.J., and Bennett, C.A. Bicycle crank length. In: Proceedings of 6th International Congress of the International Ergonomics Association "Old World, New World, One World" and Technical,Programme of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Jul 1976, pp 4 1 5 - 4 2 1 . An experiment was conducted varying bicycle crank length as a ratio of cyclist's crotch height over a range from 0' 17 to 0"23. A light and a heavy load were used with ten young male subjects. Heart rate, oxygen consumption and perceived exertion measures were taken during bicycle ergometer pedalling sessions. All measures showed the superiority of a crank length of about 0.20 of crotch height (0.10 of standing height). A change of crank length of three percentage points of crotch height increases energy expenditure by one kcal/min. The standard crank is too long for 60% of adult males and almost 100% of females. Varied crank lengths or adjustable cranks should be made available.
Computer interfaces 8.3.25 (71626)
Alford, E.C., and Buck, J.R. A unit task simulator for off-line evaluation of man computer interfaces. In: Proceedings of 6th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association "Old World, New World, One World"
180
Workplace and equipment design 8.3.26 (71632) Gaucher, P. et al Safety in operation of rider-controlled industrial trucks (La securite dans la Conduit des Chariots Automoteurs de Manutention a Conducteurs Portes. (In French.) Archives des Maladies Professionnelles, Mar 1976, 37.3, 2 8 2 - 3 1 1 . Abstr in: CIS Abstracts (CIS 76-1813). Paper presented at the 13th National Meeting on Occupational Medicine (Tours, France, 2 - 5 Oct 1974). Report of a questionnaire survey among 316 drivers, 42 employers or supervisors and 40 works physicians, and of a study of some 50 accidents with industrial trucks. Main conclusions: the driver's workpost presents a hazard for others in the opinion of the works physician, but not necessarily of the employer; certain assignments to a workplace are made without previous medical or psychometric examination, and training is often neglected; safety at the workpost depends on the reliability of the man-machine system. Selection tests are valueless unless they reflect the real work situation and form part of a safety policy which is also aimed at improving the equipment, the conditions of its use, and the training of drivers. 8.3.27 (71637)
Wood, J. The application of ergonomics in the design of a computer console for emergency services: A case study. In: Proceedings o f 6th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association "Old World, New World, One World" and Technical Programme of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Jul 1976, pp 2 5 5 - 2 5 9 .
AppliedErgonomics September 1977
A detailed case-study is presented ot the systematic application of ergonomic to the design of computerized workstations. These workstations, fo~handling emergency calls, incorporate radio and telephone equipment as well as computer displays and keyboards. The use of systems analysis techniques, the preparation of performance specifications; the design and use of ergonomic rigs and the running of trials for evaluation of prototypes are discussed. 8.3.28 (71647) Anon. Fork-lift trucks - Study of ergonomic aspects of 22 driver seats (Chariots Elevateurs - Etude Ergonomique de Vingt-deux Postes de Conduite). (In French.) Travail et Securite, Jul/Aug 1976, 7-8, 3 7 9 - 3 8 5 . A b s t r i n : C I S Abstracts (CIS 76-2070). Methodology of a study carried out by the Nancy (France) Research Centre of the FrenCh National Research and Safety Institute (Institute National de Recherche et de Securite INRS) to assess the main ergonomic features of driver seats; visibility while driving; driver's imposed posture; position of controls; seat (access, safety devices). Following the tests, ergonomics data sheets for the driver seat were drawn up for each type of truck covered by the study. 8.3.29 (71656)
Terrell, R., and Purswell, J.L. The influence of forearm and wrist orientation on static grip strength as a design criterion for hand tools. In: Proceedings of 6th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association "Old World, New World, One World" and Technical Programme of the 20th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors Society, Jul 1976, pp 2 8 - 3 2 . The amount of force required to use a hand tool and its relationship to the user's capacity to exert this force is a critical design criterion of hand tools, often affecting the immediate safety of the tool user and the propensity of the tool to cause injury to the user with long-term use. Because the wrist is often placed in deviated positions, the available data on grip strength with an undeviated wrist configuration may not be applicable to the design of many hand tools. This study demonstrates the decreases in grip strength due to wrist deviations and forearm rotation. The position of maximal static grip strength is the neutral wrist with a supinated forearm. Decrements from the neutral position for wrist flexion, hyperextension, radial flexion and ulnar flexion, are 30%, 22%, 18% and 15%, respectively. The pronated forearm allows only 87% of