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An interactive virtual lighting maintenance environment for human factors evaluation

Qichang He (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China)
Shiguang Qiu (Chengdu aircraft industry (Group) Co.,Ltd., Chengdu City, China)
Xiumin Fan (Institute of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China)
Keyan Liu (Institute of Computer Integrated Manufacturing, Shanghai Jiaotong Univerisity, Shanghai, China)

Assembly Automation

ISSN: 0144-5154

Article publication date: 1 February 2016

611

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to establish a virtual lighting maintenance environment (VLME), and to analyze the visibility-related human factors (HFs) during maintenance operations through interactive simulations.

Design/methodology/approach

First, an accurate task lighting modeling method was developed, which includes lighting information modeling and illuminant parameters calibration. Then, the real-time interaction between the task lighting and three-dimensional virtual human was modeled. After that, the attenuation coefficient of visibility was determined. Also, the HFs’ analysis process in VLME was described in detail.

Findings

A case study of power supply module replacement of radar equipment was performed in VLME. The HFs’ analysis demonstrated that the task lighting significantly affects the visibility, which causes indirect impact on posture comfort and operation safety.

Practical implications

Through evaluating maintenance operation processing in lighting environment, engineers can better analyze and validate the maintainability design for complex equipment, and some potential ergonomics and safety issues can be found and dealt earlier.

Originality/value

An VLME was built for interactive “human-in-loop” maintenance operation simulation, which can support HFs’ evaluation in lighting environment accurately and effectively.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51475291), Technology Innovation Foundation of AVIC (No. KC371503).

Citation

He, Q., Qiu, S., Fan, X. and Liu, K. (2016), "An interactive virtual lighting maintenance environment for human factors evaluation", Assembly Automation, Vol. 36 No. 1, pp. 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1108/AA-04-2015-029

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2016, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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