This paper introduces digital human modeling (DHM) based design framework that focuses on the ergonomics evaluation of high-risk tasks that are required to be performed during an emergency. One of the primary objectives of the framework is to provide quick-and-dirty ergonomics assessments via low-fidelity concept variants, which is appropriate for integrating human factors engineering (HFE) principles early in design. Specifically, this paper is concerned with the early design evaluation of an in-flight emergency. The research aims to provide a computational design exploration study that can be used to measure the effects of the fire/smoke emergency that occur in a civilian aircraft cockpit. Designing for safety and emergencies have been an area of interest for many HFE experts. Although numerous HFE guidelines, approaches, and best practices have been introduced in the past, only a limited number of computational methodologies exist for early design methods that focus on emergencies. Digital human modeling (DHM) research, one of the leading computational approaches within the HFE domain, provides software tools for designers to explore ergonomics requirements via computer-aided design (CAD) or virtual models. The digital human modeling approach brings the advantages of reducing the excess time and cost allocations associated with building physical prototypes. Also, using the computational representation of workers, the DHM approach helps in minimizing the risk of conducting actual human-subject data collection for emergencies. However, the majority of the DHM analysis tools are derived for analyzing standardized tasks that occur in normal or nominal work conditions. There is a lack of DHM-based design and analysis toolkits that focus on high-risk tasks performed during emergencies. Additionally, current DHM tools don’t include multi-physics simulation capabilities to generate high-fidelity performance shaping factors (PSF), for example, dynamic smoke simulations. In this study, the design of the DHM-based framework was used to evaluate the accessibility and visibility of the controls on the instrument panels during the concept development phase. Three-dimensional (3D) graphics modeling software, Blender, was used to create realistic smoke flows using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) solvers. The smoke models were integrated into the framework to develop the smoke mesh profile and to replicate a realistic smoke accumulation within the cockpit. MATLAB Image Processing Toolbox was used to perform visibility analyses of a smoke-filled cockpit based on the luminance values calculated from the static images captured in the DHM interface. Obscuration threshold method was also used to perform visibility analyses of the flight deck controls. The design framework described in this paper also automates the process of repetitive task simulations and ergonomic evaluations, which are typically performed manually by the users. Thus, the automation within the DHM approach saves time and allows the consideration of a large sample set of anthropometries when assessing ergonomic adequacies. The results suggest that the automation framework has the potential to reduce the time required to perform DHM simulations and minimize the effort during simulation design and ergonomics analysis. Also, the automation framework brings the advantage of making the emergency assessments be part of the early design ergonomics evaluations, which has not been explored in traditional ergonomics studies.


Extending the Capabilities of Digital Human Modeling: A Design Framework to Assess Emergencies Early in Design

Division / Sponsors: 
Aerospace, Bioengineering, Applied Mechanics, Design Engineering Division, Advanced Energy Systems, Manufacturing Engineering Division, Noise Control and Acoustics, Nondestructive Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Prognosis (NDPD), Nuclear Engineering Division, Process Industries Division, Fluids Engineering, Heat Transfer, Materials, Microelectromechanical Systems, Safety Engineering and Risk Analysis, Computers & Information in Engineering


Paper Proceedings: https://asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/IMECE/IMECE2020/volume/84478

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