A simplified approach towards integrating biomechanical simulations into engineering environments
Year: 2012
Editor: Assoc. Prof. Poul Kyvsgaard Hansen, Professor John Rasmussen, Assoc. Prof. Kaj A. Jřrgensen, Assoc. Prof. Christian Tollestrup
Author: Krüger, Daniel; Miehling, Jörg; Wartzack, Sandro
Series: NordDESIGN
Institution: 1: Aalborg University, Denmark; 2: Design Society, United Kingdom
ISBN: 978-87-91831-51-5
Abstract
In human-centered design biomechanical simulations can be used to predict the characteristics of the interaction between the user and the product in order to optimize the design with respect to ergonomics. However since biomechanical modelling has its origin in medical applications the simulation procedure is not familiar to product designers yet. In this paper an approach towards the integration of an arbitrary biomechanical simulation system into the CAD/CAE engineering environment is proposed. The objective is to enable the analysis of user-product interaction in early design phases based on virtual prototypes. A major focus of this work is the fast acquisition of human body measures and motion sequences using an inexpensive depth imaging device originally designed for entertainment applications.
Keywords: biomechanics, simulation, human-centered design, ergonomics