Virtual Manikin: imitating an operator in his work environment

The Virtual Manikin is a puppet that enables to imitate an operator in virtual reality in his work environment, in real time.

Reintegrate the human factor into a virtual work environment

TechViz Virtual Manikin functionality enables to see how an operator interacts with his work environment, but also with other operators in the same space. It also enables to make ergonomic studies of the workspace.

Modern designs are becoming denser in composing and tend to optimize the product space in order to gain in volume and weight of transport.

It therefore becomes critical to evaluate the consequences of these designs on the assembly lines and on the maintenance operations.

It is in response to this growing demand from its customers that TechViz developed a Virtual Manikin that can be manipulated as a puppet and meets the physiological rules.

Use Case : Maintenance scenario evalution

Use cases

Automotive

Dashboard construction, ergonomics of the driver’s seat

Assembly line

Evaluation of comfort, efficiency and safety of the workstation. Ergonomic rules can be validated from the design stage. Visual communication simplifies the exchanges of multidisciplinary teams.

Key features

Interact with the Manikin: move or steer his limbs to make him change his posture. Move and steer the Manikin using a handle.

Add one or an infinity of Manikins responding to the different characteristics of world population in the virtual scene.

Define the morphology of the virtual model forced physio mechanically.

Unblock a joint and block some: on his workstation, the user often has his hand fixed in the same place.

Quickly position the Manikin in the virtual space as soon as it is created: “Fast positioning”.

Attach the manikin to an object in the virtual scene, or attach the manikin to a specific area of the 3D model with a magnet.

Real time ergonomic evaluation of postures based on RULA

Quickly switch between different basic postures (sitting or standing) or configure any other posture and save it.

Ergonomics : Analyzing the various postures of an operator in VR

TechViz Ergonomics option enables to analyze the posture of a Virtual Manikin or a motion captured operator in a virtual environment, in real time. Visualize with color-coding the efforts and positions that are tiring or dangerous for the user. This option is used in particular to carry out ergonomic studies, for example in the context of studies of tool handling or assembly/disassembly of objects. Ergonomics makes it possible to estimate the fatigue of a user.

Advantages of using Ergonomics?

To analyze the posture of one or more Virtual Manikins in their work environment

To help the ergonomist understanding if the posture of an operator is correct

Benefits of Virtual Manikin

Mimic an operator in his professional environment

Perform “reachability”, collision and ergonomics test

Check if from the seat the manikin accesses the controls

Check his visual field

Check if several operators fit in a small space (eg in a submarine)

Check accessibility: if the operator can reach the buttons or commands

Detecting collisions between the user and his environment: collisions of obstacles that hinder the user

View many virtual manikins at the same time and check how they interact with each other and with their virtual environment.

Questions?

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