Title: Semiautomatic rapid upper limb assessment methods: validation of AzKRULA

Authors: Francesco Lolli; Antonio Maria Coruzzolo; Chiara Forgione; Mirco Peron; Fabio Sgarbossa

Addresses: Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, 42122– Reggio Emilia, Italy; EN&TECH Interdepartmental Centre, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Piazzale Europa 1, 42100 Reggio Emilia, Italy ' Department of Sciences and Methods for Engineering, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola 2, 42122– Reggio Emilia, Italy ' Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Giuseppe Campi 287, 41125 – Modena, Italy ' Department of Information Systems, Supply Chain Management and Decision Support, NEOMA Business School, 76130, Mont-Saint-Aignan, France ' Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

Abstract: In the Industry 5.0 era, optimising working posture is crucial to reduce musculoskeletal disorder risks. Rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) is a common evaluation method, but traditional approaches are often subjective, and wearable sensors can be costly and intrusive. Optical sensors offer a more practical alternative for industrial environments. This study compares the effectiveness of an in-house application, AzKRULA based on Microsoft Azure Kinect, with Siemens Jack Tat Suit software for RULA assessment. We evaluated 15 static postures with both AzKRULA and the Jack Tat Suit software, using expert assessments as a reference. The results showed a high level of agreement between AzKRULA, expert evaluations, and the commercial software, highlighting AzKRULA as a cost-effective, rapid tool for ergonomic assessment. Thus, AzKRULA can support ergonomists and health and safety managers in assessing upper-body ergonomic risks in repetitive tasks.

Keywords: motion capture; ergonomics; Kinect; rapid upper limb assessment; RULA; human factors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHFE.2024.143266

International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 2024 Vol.11 No.3, pp.309 - 330

Received: 27 Jun 2024
Accepted: 25 Oct 2024
Published online: 11 Dec 2024 *

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