Title: Human simulation for task-based survivability analysis

Authors: Timothy Marler; Nic Capdevila; Jake Kersten; Andrew Taylor; Samantha Wagner; Jim Mackiewicz

Addresses: RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90272, USA ' Rockbot, 1308 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612, USA ' Virtual Soldier Research Program, Centre for Computer-Aided Design, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA ' Virtual Soldier Research Program, Centre for Computer-Aided Design, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA ' Virtual Soldier Research Program, Centre for Computer-Aided Design, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA ' US Naval Health Research Centre, 15 Kansas Street, Natick, MA 01760, USA

Abstract: Personal protective equipment (PPE) is increasingly approached from a systems perspective, and one must consequently consider human systems integration (HSI). However, tools for virtual analysis in this regard are lacking. Few human models have the ability to design or import complex PPE systems and then test them from an HSI perspective. Thus, we propose capabilities that allow for improved balance between mobility and coverage, and thus improved survivability. We contend that the propensity for survivability depends critically on the task being completed and on anthropometry. We present a suite of integrated tools for simulating: 1) war fighter interaction with body armour; 2) mission-critical tasks; 3) internal viscera that scale and move appropriately; 4) ballistic threats with statistical analysis. We have also developed methods for displaying external results within a human modelling framework, for inter-process communication, and for using external data as objective functions with optimal design of PPE-human systems.

Keywords: digital human models; DHM; modelling; body armour; personal protective equipment; PPE; human simulation; survivability analysis; human-system integration; HSI; mobility; coverage; mission-critical tasks; anthropometry; internal viscera; ballistic threats; statistical analysis; optimal design.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFMS.2016.079708

International Journal of Human Factors Modelling and Simulation, 2016 Vol.5 No.3, pp.238 - 262

Received: 31 Aug 2015
Accepted: 12 May 2016

Published online: 10 Oct 2016 *

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