Cognitive Ergonomics of Assembly Work from a Job Demands-Resources Perspective: Three Qualitative Case Studies.

In manufacturing companies, cognitive processing is required from assembly workers to perform correct and timely assembly of complex products, often with varied specifications and high quality demands. This paper explores assembly operators' perceptions of cognitive/mental workload to provide a holistic understanding of the work conditions that affect cognitive demands and performance. While the physical loading aspects of assembly work are well known, most empirical literature dealing with cognitive/mental loading in manufacturing tends to examine a few particular aspects, rather than address the issue with a holistic system view.

'Power base' tactics for workplace change - an interview study with industrial engineers and ergonomists.

The work activities of industrial engineers (IEs) and ergonomists drive workplace changes. The purpose of this study is to compare the work practices of the two professions and examine (1) how IEs and ergonomists gain influence over workplace changes and (2) whether there are prevailing types of intentional interaction behaviours called Power bases (PB) present in the interaction tactics they employ. The study identified key behavioural strategies used by the interviewees to successfully influence workplace changes; these were then mapped to their corresponding PB.

The influence of virtual human model appearance on visual ergonomics posture evaluation.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether the appearance of virtual human models influences observers when judging a working posture. A task in which a manikin is manually assembling a car battery was used in the experiment. In total, 16 different pictures were presented to the subjects.

Endurance, pain and resumption in fully flexed postures.

In this study effects of low loads in fully flexed postures were investigated. Thirteen men who were unused to the postures participated. Thirteen professional construction workers with long experience of suchlike postures were also studied.

Analysis and comparison of reflex times and electromyograms of cervical muscles under impact loading using surface and fine-wire electroces.

Myoelectric signals [electromyograms (EMGs)] can be collected using either surface or fine-wire electrodes. Application of the latter results in higher-frequency contents of EMG. In the field of impact biomechanics, surface electrodes are more often utilized than fine-wire ones.