A posture prediction method for ergonomic assessment of user-product interactions while grasping using musculoskeletal human models

Abstract

Using digital human models (DHMs) as the virtual representation of the human body enables the integration of ergonomic assessments in the product design process. Especially the use of DHMs in the early phases of product design can be decisive for competitive factors such as ergonomics or usability. Therefore, we present a method for automatic posture generation for grasping tasks using a musculoskeletal human model. This method enables ergonomic analyses without ergonomic knowledge of the product designer or subject tests. We implemented the presented method for a cylinder grasping scenario using the open source software OpenSim. Subsequently, we evaluated the implementation by means of a parameter study.