Development and application of experimental software for a 21st century occupational psychophysics research toolbox
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Date
2018
Authors
Bandaralage, Harsha
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
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Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : Universtiy of Lethbridge, Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education
Abstract
In the fields of ergonomics and biomechanics, the use of bio-instrumentation for the purpose of analysing work and reducing work related muskuloskeletal disorders for injury prevention has become a new norm. It is equally important to employ these instruments in ecologically-valid experimental work tasks that use relevant and controllable manipulations of occupational psychophysics. The current thesis attempts to begin design and validation of components for a 21st century occupational psychophysics toolbox that couples relevant bio-instrumentation hardware (vision tracking, motion capture, and force platforms) with custom Matlab based experimental software capable of image processing, assessment of full body kinematics, and analysis of ground reaction force kinetics to study the perceptions and actions at work tasks. I investigated the coupling between visual attention and cueing, pre-handling perceptions, and manual material handling actions, with the ultimate goal of understanding occupational behaviours and preventing injurious occupational behaviours.
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Keywords
Biomechanics -- Research , Biomechanics -- Data processing , Pyschophysics , Musculoskeletal system -- Wounds and injuries -- Research , Musculoskeletal system -- Wounds and injuries -- Prevention , Human engineering , Bioinformatics , Overuse injuries -- Prevention , Human mechanics -- Measurement , Signal processing -- Digital techniques , Image processing -- Digital techniques , Biological apparatus and supplies , Dissertations, Academic , bio-instrumentation , biomechanics , Matlab , motion capture , vision tracking