# UX: human factors (III): ergonomics

## Ergonomics in general&#x20;

![This isn’t an interface. This is a workout!](http://blog.leapmotion.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/tumblr_nyo3nqtgMh1tslewgo1_400.gif)

What will the digital experiences of the future look like, and how will you use them? What looks awesome on screen doesn’t always translate well to human experience.

Ergonomics play a crucial role when designing virtual reality experiences that demand for high endurance. Augmented and Virtual Reality manufacturing applications will have a significant impact the manufacturing sector in the years to come. The user needs to be able to hold on to specific tasks without getting overwhelmed and exhausted. The manufacturing industry has done quite some research in ergonomics VR, since it plays an important part in training programs. The focus in this research lies in enhancing data-driven, experiential training. Have a look at some cases and background information:

{% embed url="<https://www.eonreality.com/applications/augmented-virtual-reality-manufacturing/>" %}

## Human Ergonomics Evaluation

### Posture Analysis

[ErgoVR](https://ergovr.io/) uses active exploration to measure ergonomics, process efficiency, or simply save user movements for later use as animations. An example below shows the use heatmaps.&#x20;

![](https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ikw.uni-osnabrueck.de%2Ffileadmin%2F_processed_%2Fcsm_ERGOVR_EmbodiedEngineering_S_3daed32a69.png\&f=1)

**article 1:** [**Ergonomic Evaluation Of Virtual Assembly Tasks**](http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.129.5709\&rep=rep1\&type=pdf)

![](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Menelaos_Pappas/publication/227033307/figure/fig2/AS:669971159978010@1536744980857/Mannequins-body-parts-and-their-degrees-of-freedom-For-each-posture-and-each-studied_Q320.jpg)

The nature of the performed motions can provide a selection of body parts and respective degrees of freedom (DoF) that can be measured while testing a VR-experience:&#x20;

• neck in ***flexion*** and ***extension*** \
• thigh (left and right) in ***abduction*** and ***adduction*** \
• thigh (left and right) in flexion and extension \
• leg (left and right) in flexion and extension \
• arm (left and right) in flexion and extension \
• arm ( left and right) in abduction and adduction \
• forearm (left and right) in flexion and extension \
• centre of prehension -wrist (left and right) in flexion and extension.

![](https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/43/13/1049/F2.large.jpg?download=true)

### Carry analysis

Of course repetitive heavy duty can cause a lot of health issues amongst workers and so it is important to analyse the risk of fatigue and overload. For manufacturing, the VR-training can provide a good start for risk analysis of manufacturing tasks. A possible input for this analysis is: \
\
• The *frequency* of the carry task \
• The *distance* of carry \
• The *population sample* whilst the output is the maximum allowed load weight under these circumstances.

* [Ergonomics in VR Design](http://blog.leapmotion.com/ergonomics-vr-design/)
* [Virtual Reality Improves Ergonomics at Ford](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbx8ios3vd4)
* [Designing and Evaluating a Workstation in Real and Virtual Environment: Toward Virtual Reality Based Ergonomic Design Sessions](https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00908149/PDF/Designing_and_Evaluating_a_Workstation_in_Real_and_Virtual_Environment_authorversion.pdf)

![Human Ergonomics Evaluation](https://proxy.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.optis-world.com%2Fvar%2Fwebsite%2Fstorage%2Fimages%2Fmedia%2Fimages%2Fproducts%2Fdiaporama-him%2Fhim-%7C-validate-ergonomics-beforehand-for-all-types-of-operations%2F3261-3-eng-US%2FHIM-%7C-Validate-ergonomics-beforehand-for-all-types-of-operations_reference.jpg\&f=1)

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWnYlWCATmI>" %}

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjHtXKlLBX8>" %}

## Headset ergonomics

[Designers Prototype New Approaches to VR Headset Ergonomics and Input](https://www.roadtovr.com/nonobject-designers-dream-up-new-vr-headset-ergonomics-input/)\
[HMD Design, Ergonomics, And Comfort](https://www.tomshardware.co.uk/vive-rift-playstation-vr-comparison,review-33556-4.html)\
[*Test on HMD's (2016)*](http://www.luxresearchinc.com/news-and-events/press-releases/read/why-oculus-rift-and-samsung-vr%E2%80%99s-days-top-virtual-reality-are)

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