Analysis of the integrated use of a motion capture system with a digital human modeling and simulation software for incorporation of future activity

Abstract

This study presents an analysis of a technical system consisting of the integration of a motion capture system with a human modeling and simulation software aiming to propose ways to use it in the design processes contextualized by ergonomics. Different configurations of the main stages of the integration process are analyzed through experimental tests. Four factorial experiments were conducted to test the possible combinations of the different configurations of the system: i) spatial positioning of virtual environments; ii) drift mitigation; iii) kinematics of the digital human model; and iv) anthropometric compatibility. The results obtained demonstrate how to configure the integrated system towards the positioning of the virtual environment, enabling position correction. Procedures relating the possible interactions between the motion capture body and the work environment with the activity characteristics and the simulation goals were developed. In addition, an iterative systematics was created to match the anthropometry among the real human individual, the human model of the motion capture system, and the digital human model of the simulation software. The operating procedures proposed show the different ways to use the integrated system and the ways to reduce and overcome the limitations and problems arising from the use of digital human models integrated with motion capture systems. Finding ways to use these technologies represents an improvement of the commonly used simulation techniques, contributing to the insertion of future work activity into the design of new productive situations.