Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Promptly assessing concurrent physical, musculoskeletal, and cognitive risks, especially among individuals engaged in high-physical demand and high-stress occupations like workers, surgeons, and pilots, is crucial but notably deficient in existing research. There is a notable lack of integrated and mutually supportive methods for measuring cognitive load that incorporate various data sources, including sEMG, force plates, EEG, GSR, MoCap, eye tracking, and bio-signals. Additionally, comprehensive assessment tools and guidelines that combine biomechanical algorithms, physiological signs, and cognitive parameters are in limited supply. This project aims to establish a collaborative and integrated research facility at the UofA, specializing in advanced human physical ergonomics and cognitive load detection and analysis. Three research objectives can be achieved with the equipment: (1) Detecting physical and cognitive bio-signals to monitor human performance by synergizing Game Engines with Computer Vision for enhanced health and safety in off-site construction; (2) Integrating multiple physical and cognitive bio-signals to monitoring human performance, eye-hand coordination, decision-making and multitasking performance; (3) Introducing natural postural sway and continuous movements to improve the REBA and RULA risk assessment methods by using fuzzy expert system and biomechanical analysis. Ultimately, the goal of these explorations and discoveries is to enhance the health, safety, and performance of occupational operators, promote collaboration among diverse stakeholders, and nurture a culture of safety and morale within the workplace. The demand for advanced mechanical sensing systems and biosensors is imperative for the involved 4 laboratories, ensuring rigorous scientific exploration and discovery across various fields such as built-environment design, ergonomics, musculoskeletal disorders, human factors, real-time monitoring, proactive training, clinical simulations, and more. This initiative will also focus on high-quality personnel (HQP) training, fostering applied research and development projects with industrial partners and hospital end-users. The absence of the requested devices will significantly hamper the ability to quantify physical ergonomic risks and conduct the cognitive ergonomic measurements. Therefore, if without the requested devices, the team has to change the focus and the research has to be terminated.