The current study compared the psychophysiological effects of Virtual Reality (VR) exergaming ( Beat Saber ) and survival horror ( Resident Evil ). We assessed flow, cognitive workload, and cybersickness along with autonomic responses via heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). The results showed that VR exergame and survival horror produced similar levels of flow experiences, but survival horror induced greater cognitive workload, while the exergame elicited stronger cardiovascular activation. Both genres showed autonomic engagement through distinct physiological pathways. Findings highlight specific cognitive and physiological demands across the two VR gaming genres.
Virtual reality has become more cost effective for training in microgravity, however, its effectiveness depends on how immersed and present users feel in the virtual environment. Participants in this study experienced simulated microgravity in a virtual reality environment while standing and while suspended. After each condition, they completed surveys measuring immersion and presence. These surveys detected no differences between conditions. However, additional items showed that participants felt more weightless in the suspended condition. This highlights the importance of selecting appropriate surveys that match the specific characteristics of the virtual reality environment being studied, especially for extreme conditions like microgravity.
We review the origin, evolution, and impact of the Stanley Caplan User-Centered Product Design Award over the past 25 years. The annual Award has recognized product excellence in the areas of commercially available products, systems, and equipment. The Award is unique in its evaluation method that stresses both a product’s design process and the end product of that process. Winners can expect increased visibility for their industrial design, user experience, and human factors groups, and increased support from their companies for human-centered designs and processes. Designers are invited to submit their human-centered designs into the Award’s evaluation process.
Climbing A-frame ladders places high physical demand on the legs. We measured how lower-limb muscles work through each phase of climbing to identify when and where effort is greatest. Using surface electromyography, we found that the quadriceps are most active while supporting the body, the calf muscles assist during push-off, and the tibialis anterior engages mainly for foot clearance. During descent, the quadriceps appeared to play a substantial role in controlling lowering through eccentric action. These findings provide insight into when leg support may be most needed and suggest potential timing windows for future exoskeleton assistance during ladder climbing.
Bangladesh, a developing country with a large working population, has limited implementation of safety and ergonomics practices in workplace settings, leading to high rates of workplace injury and incidents. While much of the world has advanced towards robotics and automation, the workforce in Bangladesh remains involved in labor-intensive jobs. Therefore, understanding ergonomics practices and education can be beneficial to reduce workplace injuries in Bangladesh. This article presents a scoping review that summarizes the current state of ergonomics practices and educational opportunities in the country to pave the way for future research and development in this area.
The design of wave soldering pallets (WSPs) for Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) used in electronic devices is a laborious process for humans. This study aims to analyze mental workload and human error to recommend interventions that improve the design process. A hierarchical task analysis (HTA) decomposed the tasks, and the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) evaluated the mental workload. The systematic human error reduction and prediction approach (SHERPA) and the Human Error Calculator (HEC) were also applied. The creation of blueprint drawings has the highest probability of human error. Recommendations, such as modifying and standardizing information for drawings, were provided.
Earphone discomfort and poor fit remain widespread problems despite advances in audio technology. This article introduces the Ear Space Reference (ESR) model, an anthropometry-based framework that helps designers create better-fitting earphones. We captured 3D ear anatomy data from volunteers, mapped key landmarks onto a standardized grid, and built depth profiles to represent ear shapes quantitatively. Using this reference, we designed and 3D-printed prototype earphones that lock naturally into the ear’s contours. Pilot testing with users showed improved stability during movement and greater comfort. The ESR model offers designers a methodology for improved anatomy-driven earphone design, and the averaged coordinate dataset is made publicly available to support future research and product development.
Vaccination day plays a pivotal role in India’s strategy to reduce maternal and child mortality, yet the cognitive and emotional demands placed on Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) workers during these sessions remain insufficiently understood. This qualitative study examines the cognitive workload ASHAs encounter in rural immunization settings. Findings reveal that workers operate within an overloaded ecosystem marked by rapid task switching, fragmented documentation, digital unreliability, and decision-making under uncertainty. Drawing on cognitive ergonomics, we propose design interventions aimed at reducing strain and improving workflow reliability. Through a human-centered design (HCD) lens, these insights translate into context-sensitive solutions that support the cognitive and emotional well-being of frontline health workers.
The proposed work evaluated the impact of seat cushion contouring on interface pressure distribution to identify design strategies that enhance seating comfort. The three customised cushions are labelled as Blank Test (BT) flat in shape, Centre Trough (CT) bowl shape, Centre Crest (CC) having a bulged shape. To assess the interface pressure at the popliteal and ischial regions of 10 male participants, a cuff-based digital pressure metre was used. The result exhibited that the CT cushion incurred the lowest mean pressure of 42.05 mmHg, outperforming both the BT: 57.45 mmHg and CC: 43.4 mmHg configurations. These results affirm the CT design's superior capacity to diffuse pressure and reduce concentrated loading zones. Moreover, the results of one-way analysis of variance reflected statistically significant differences (p < .05) among the three cushion designs. Additionally, the study also recommends the use of a digital blood pressure monitor as a reliable and accessible method for seat-body interface pressure mapping. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that bowled cushion geometry enhances comfort by optimising pressure distribution and minimising peak interface loads. The results of the current work hold a significant potential for ergonomic chair design in both clinical and occupational domains.
This article highlights the importance of integrating human-centricity into India's Defence Sector. The paper is a contribution to strategic Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE). It highlights directions that can ensure systematic and systemic embedding of Human-Centred Design (HCD), Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE), and Human Systems Integration (HSI) within the Indian defence sector. It does so by first identifying the current challenges that limit the adoption of human-centricity and then offering a set of recommendations to address them. The proposed measures span across multiple levels of engagement involving government institutions, industry, academia, and the Indian armed forces.
FEATURE AT A GLANCE: Indian carpet sector is the world's leading producer and exporter of handmade carpets, providing livelihoods for over 2.5 million artisans. However, it suffers from a lack of infrastructure, where weavers work in a poorly designed working environment and affected by work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs). This three-phase study developed and validated an ergonomic improvement to the vertical carpet loom focused on reducing pull force, improving posture, and increasing productivity. This study was conducted in three phases. Phase I assessed musculoskeletal symptoms and ergonomic risk among 120 female weavers and identified key risk factors (RULA, working hours, and force exertion), that informed design requirements. Logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors associated with the prevalence of MSDs. RULA score, working hours, force, and experience were highly associated with the prevalence of MSDs among artisans. Phase II generated four concepts and selected a chain-drive rotational handle based on ergonomic, economic, and maintainability criteria. Phase III tested a full-scale prototype with pre-post validation of 30 weavers. Compared with the traditional loom, prototype provided significant reductions in peak pull force (from 72.88 +/- 5.49 N to 23.42 +/- 1.76 N), RULA score (from 6.80 +/- 0.92 to 3.26 +/- 0.78), and REBA score (from 10.30 +/- 1.17 to 2.30 +/- 0.70), and also reduced task cycle time (from 43.43 +/- 1.25 s to 25.06 +/- 0.82 s). Usability feedback indicated unanimous preference for the prototype. The new low-complexity design intervention improved the productivity of the weavers, reduced the force required to pull the threads, and improved the working postures of the weavers.
Human factors psychology and industrial-organizational psychology researchers carried out intensive field research investigating how future Army leaders interacted with robot teammates during large-scale, realistic military training exercises. Despite careful planning, unexpected challenges such as extreme weather and shifting schedules forced the team to adapt quickly. These researchers share their lessons learned and offer practical advice for designing flexible field research, building adaptable research teams, and testing technologies in realistic environments.
To balance computational performance with thermal comfort, this study explores a consolidated hotspot architecture at the top center of a tablet. We tested hotspot (39 degrees C, 43 degrees C, 45 degrees C, 47 degrees C) and ambient temperatures (25 degrees C, 35 degrees C) with 60 participants, measuring perception, action likelihood, and expectation. The hotspot was observed away from high contact areas, with 43 degrees C identified as the threshold for significant discomfort. Discomfort increased with portrait mode use and higher device and ambient temperatures, while active use duration influenced acceptability. The findings underscore the importance of thermal mapping and contextual sensing, with direct applications for software throttling thresholds of coated aluminum enclosures.
Accidents involving oxygen gas cylinders are a common phenomenon in several sectors. These call for regularly reinforcing safe practices and associated knowledge for frontline workers, trainers, and safety managers. One entry is through a low-cost board game, enabling a means of augmenting knowledge about oxygen safety and awareness in non-formal settings. The game was designed to augment existing oxygen gas cylinder handling training, using rules, scenarios and bonus mechanisms to reward players. The key idea of the game is encourage players to learn and reinforce knowledge concepts in relation to laws and statues about cylinder handling, both individually and collaboratively.
It is increasingly necessary to develop products that are oriented toward not only economic sustainability but also social and environmental sustainability. In this article we illustrate application of the Ergonomics Quality in Design (EQUID 4.0) model in the design and development of a personal protection item for improving working conditions in one of the most common and harmful activities in Latin America: kneeling work in agriculture, construction, and mining. We conclude that the model reinforces the possibilities for ergonomics to support product design and development beyond physical and cognitive dimensions, and we reflect on the experience.
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the development of systems like the Utah COntainment Ventilation for Exposure Reduction (U-COVER) to limit infectious aerosol spread. This study evaluates the impact of the U-COVER on ergonomics, response time, and perceived workload during simulated intubation through analysis of body posture and kinematics (RULA, Statistical Parametric Mapping) and workload assessment (NASA Task Load Index). While small differences in posture, perceived workload and intubation time were observed, they are unlikely to be clinically meaningful, supporting the feasibility of using the proposed ventilation system without substantial ergonomic or task-time drawbacks in healthcare settings.
This article describes the mechanisms by which small design changes in medical tools can improve physicians' job performance. It focuses on a new type of urine bag used in hospitals, which is easier to read from a distance because it has a floating marker, bigger numbers, and color labels. The study found that doctors made fewer mistakes and felt more comfortable using the new bag compared to the usual one. These outcomes indicate that improving how tools look and work can make healthcare safer and faster, helping both doctors and patients.
This cross-sectional survey of 85 maintenance workers at a Chilean mining company examined acceptability of industrial exoskeletons. Likert items were analyzed by age group (30 or younger, 31 to 40, 41 or older). Willingness to use was high with device knowledge low. Older workers reported lower expected helpfulness and greater distrust (errors). Musculoskeletal discomfort concentrated in the lower back and upper limbs, consistent with tasks identified for assistance. Open-ended responses highlighted expectations of pain and effort relief, alongside constraints of space, fit, and training. Findings indicate favorable social acceptability with practical gaps for implementation pilots integrated with ergonomic controls.
Imagine waking each day knowing that even the simple act of standing or reaching for a cup can feel out of reach. For millions with limited mobility, this is reality-and it inspired us to rethink the traditional wheelchair. What if your chair could gently lift you into a standing posture, glide you forward to fetch a book from the shelf, then smoothly recline you for a moment of rest-all without a jolt or a strain? In this work, we bring that vision to life through a multi-articulated electric wheelchair that learns to move with you, not just for you. Using high-fidelity simulations, we walked our virtual user through every twist and tilt-measuring joint angles, tracking head accelerations, and even calculating the subtle forces on the spine. Each test revealed the precise speed and motion "sweet spots" that keep transitions safe and comfortable. From the gentle lean of the seat to the arm-lifting exoskeleton that hands you an object, every degree of freedom is orchestrated under strict ergonomic rules. The result? A blueprint for a wheelchair that feels less like a machine and more like an extension of your own body-opening the door to greater independence and confidence in daily life.
