Ergonomics and VR

The kitchen is one of the most important and intensively used spaces in the home, serving many purposes, both functional and social. Proper design of the kitchen not only ensures that the occupant’s functional requirements are fulfilled, but also ensures the safety and physical suitability for users while adding aesthetic value to a home. Typically, “kitchen design” refers to layout design, fixture selection (i.e., faucet, sinks, appliances), cabinet design, finishing material selection, as well as lighting design. However, in North America, many homebuyers are left unsatisfied with their kitchen design and with the design process, which typically consists of a series of choices over standard or upgrade options of kitchen fixtures with budget limits, with little consideration given to cultural differences or lifestyle choices (e.g., minimalist living). To fill this gap, this study applies immersive virtual reality (IVR) and serious games to investigate homebuyer characteristics and needs in relation to functional, physical, and psychological requirements for kitchen design.

Meanwhile, a dynamic knowledge management system is constructed using data collected from user experiments to facilitate an efficient user-centric kitchen design process. First, a VR–BIM-based prototype system is developed to enable data exchange between the BIM software and the VR platform. In this regard, two novel approaches are introduced corresponding to the tasks of finishing material selection (use of algorithms to find the optimal finishing material based on customer preferences) and lighting design (use of a multi-criterion decision analysis method to search the lighting design plan based on design guidelines). These two approaches function as the “brain” of the system to assist the user in making better design decisions based on the embedded rules acquired from design guides and previous research. Also, several multi-criteria decision-making methods and an optimization algorithm are implemented to facilitate the rule-application process. The results from the case studies conducted in this research indicate that the proposed framework can improve the data management of interior design, and that it is capable of assisting the user in performing the design task based on their actual requirements without the need for a background/experience in interior design.

In the next stage, the lifestyle choices, cultural differences, and wellness factor of homebuyers are taken into consideration to expand the dynamic knowledge map with respect to kitchen design. For instance, we investigate how the lifestyle choices of homebuyers, i.e., the type of dinnerware or kitchen appliances used, might influence the kitchen design, and how this knowledge could be utilized to facilitate an efficient design that encourages homebuyer engagement in the design process.

Although advanced technologies are used in many construction industries, physical operations are still essential. These physical operations are strongly affected by workplace design. Ergonomic-centric workplace design may enhance the quality and productivity in the industry, while workplaces with inherently poor ergonomic design may lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) for workers, resulting in an increase in compensation costs and schedule overruns due to work absenteeism. Reliable analysis that identifies and evaluates the ergonomic risks of physical operations from the perspective of workplace design, leads not only to enhanced occupational health practices, but also improved overall project quality and productivity.

Most of the operational tasks in the manufacturing process entail extensive physical involvement despite the introduction of automated equipment. Due to the high physical demand in manufacturing, the need for proactive risk assessment to decrease potential injury cannot be ignored. Physical Demand Analysis (PDA) is a widely used tool recommended to all manufacturers by the Canadian Workers’ Compensation Board to document the physical, cognitive, and environmental demands of essential tasks. However, limitations exist in utilizing the content generated in current PDA practice to conduct risk identification and risk assessment, and it has limited functionality for providing modified work to proactively mitigate risk. This research summarizes the input requirements of risk assessment tools and proposes an improved PDA form with an integrated framework to facilitate the comprehensive and intelligent use of PDA. This research focuses on three aspects of PDA implementation—risk identification, risk evaluation, and risk mitigation—targeting the development of modified work for the manufacturing industry. The framework is implemented in a window and door manufacturing facility, and a case study of a window glazing station is investigated. Based on the findings of the research, four main ergonomic risk assessments and identifications are recommended.