Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

The project proposed here will build a joint interdisciplinary, advanced, ergonomics research facility at the University of Alberta. This facility will benefit the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as the Department of Surgery at the University of Alberta and the Department of Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering at Concordia University. To support their active NSERC research grants and other research programs, the PIs request a set of wearable motion capture system without magnetic distortions, a portable, high-resolution, high-speed light field camera and a set of eye-tracking virtual reality devices in order. Three research objectives can be achieved with the equipment: (1) develop a user-centred, built virtual environment design system to investigate and eliminate ergonomic risks proactively; (2) develop a 3D visualization and 3D-imaging based, rapid ErgoSystem for ergonomic risk assessment and productivity analysis; and (3) develop a 3D-imaging and motion capture based platform for interpreting eye movement patterns and eye movement interactions among members of a working team. The requested devices listed in this RTI application will fill out the gap in our current system and significantly enhance interdisciplinary research capacity at the U of A and Concordia University. Once in place, the new system will enable us to further obtain tri-council funding to support our research, HQP training and industrial collaborations.