Title: A proposal of integrated worker-monitoring system towards ergonomic manufacturing environment

Authors: Teruaki Ito; Seri Rahayu Kamat

Addresses: Department of Human Information Engineering, Faculty of Computer Science and Systems Engineering, Okayama Prefectural University, Kuboki 111, Soja, 719-1197, Okayama, Japan ' Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (TMAC), Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100, Durian Tunggal Melaka, Malaysia

Abstract: Relationship between Japan and Malaysia is getting closer in academia as well as in industry. As a result, critical issues have been raised and shared among the researchers from both countries. For example, ergonomic consideration on workers in manufacturing work was one of these issues. Physical safety and mental stability could not only provide job satisfaction to the workers, but also could enhance productivity in manufacturing. This study develops a prototype of ergonomics working monitoring system to evaluate working posture in a manufacturing work environment. Integrating the environmental measurements and body posture measurement, a prototype monitoring system called ergonomic posture and environment monitoring system (ErgoPEM) was developed. The analysis of worker posture on right upper limb assessment (RULA) was applied to ErgoPEM. Reviewing the experimental results using ErgoPEM in a manufacturing industry, this paper discusses the feasibility of this idea as a solution to the ergonomics issues in manufacturing industries.

Keywords: TMAC; international collaboration; ergonomics risk factor; ergonomics monitoring system; working posture; working environment.

DOI: 10.1504/IJASM.2019.104596

International Journal of Agile Systems and Management, 2019 Vol.12 No.4, pp.437 - 452

Received: 23 Oct 2018
Accepted: 28 Aug 2019
Published online: 21 Jan 2020 *

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