To support the basic principles of the Miami Plan for Liberal Education (i.e. critical thinking, understanding contexts, engaging with other learners, reflecting and thinking).
To provide graduate and undergraduate students with guided experience in the design and conduct of research on basic and applied ergonomic issues.
To add to the body of basic and applied research related to significant ergonomic issues.
A fundamental consideration in the layout of workplaces relates to normal working distances; i.e. how far objects can be located from the operator without excessive motion (i.e., bending and twisting) being required. An extensive program of research on how reach patterns are effected by task and environmental requirements is underway. Central to this issue is the discovery of the Preferred Critical Boundary; a location which is closer to the operator than his/or anatomical limit, but where he/she find it easier (more efficient) to switch to a different action mode—such as bending. Douglas Gardner is integrating several of these studies as his dissertation research, and Janina Paasche is concentrating on a more detailed postural analysis in her Master’s thesis research.
(Citation: Mark, L. S., Nemeth, K., Gardner, D., Dainoff, M. J., Paasche, J., Duffy, M. and Grandt, K. (in press). Postural dynamics and the preferred critical boundary for visually guided reaching. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance.
In the field of ergonomics, Fitts’ Law is one of the most solidly supported methods of assessing speed and accuracy of human performance. Fitts’ Law states that:
where: MT = movement time between a starting point and a target,
A (amplitude) = distance traveled during the movement
W = width of the target.
a, b = constants
Fitts’ Law has been used extensively in evaluating input devices, such as mice and trackballs. We are developing the capability to use this method to assess effects of postural variables, such as changes in the reach envelope.
Effective workplace design must take the range of human variability into account. The science of anthropometry --relating to the measurement of body dimensions--provides a basis for ergonomic design decisions. However, using anthropometric databases correctly and accurately presents a number of methodological challenges. Efforts to develop and validate alternative analytic/multivariate methods are being developed in the Center, in conjunction with the Air Material Command, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Kristie Nemeth is evaluating some of these methods as her dissertation research
(Citation: Nemeth, K.J., and Dainoff, M.J. 1997. Inappropriately applying anthropometric methods for ergonomic design testing. Proceedings of the International Ergonomics Association 13th Triennial Congress. Tampere, Finland.)
The MEPS project "Musculoskeletal, Eyestrain, Psychosocial Stress" represents an unprecedented example of international multidisciplinary cooperation and coordination. Its objective is to examine the effects of various kinds of ergonomic interventions, including corrective lenses, on a combination of musculoskeletal, postural, and psychosocial outcomes among a group of workers (data entry workers) who have been particularly at risk. These studies have been conducted in several different countries. Each country has utilized the same standardized research protocol, but ergonomic interventions were individually designed for four countries that participated in the study including: U.S., Norway, Sweden, and Poland. Marvin Dainoff directed the U.S. component of the study. Data analysis is currently underway.