To enhance the convenience of human body 3D modelling, this study proposes a low-cost method for 3D body reconstruction under limited views, aiming to easily acquire client body size information through smart phone photography. The human body photos of the front, side and back view are captured, and background removal is performed using the U-Net human segmentation model. The PIFuHD model is utilised to obtain single-view point cloud patches, which are then mapped onto 2D images. A point cloud registration approach that incorporates regional segmentation and contour supervision is employed to reconstruct a complete human body model. B-spline curves are employed to fit key girths for obtaining perimeter measurements, and the effectiveness of girth measurements is validated using body data from 80 subjects. The results indicate that the proposed method exhibits closer proximity to manual measurements compared to 3D scanning, with average absolute errors within 2 cm.

This study investigated whether bidirectional transparency, compared to agent-to-human transparency, improved human-agent collaboration. Additionally, we examined the optimal transparency levels for both humans and agents. We assessed the impact of transparency direction and level on various metrics of a human-agent team, including performance, trust, satisfaction, perceived agent's teaming skills, and mental workload. A total of 30 participants engaged in a human-agent collaborative game in a within-subject experiment with five conditions: a 2 (transparency directions: agent-to-human transparency vs. bidirectional transparency) × 2 (transparency levels: reasoning transparency vs. reasoning + projection transparency) factorial design, plus an additional action transparency condition as a control condition. The findings indicated that bidirectional transparency improved task performance without increasing the mental workload. This study recommends a bidirectional transparency mechanism, in which the agent provides transparency to humans regarding its reasoning and predictions, whereas humans offer transparency to the agent regarding their reasoning. Practitioner Summary: This study highlights the importance of bidirectional transparency in human-agent collaboration, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing task performance without increasing mental workload. It recommends implementing a mechanism where both humans and agents share transparency information, optimising collaboration outcomes.

A critical metaphor for the development, implementation and penetration of autonomous machine systems into the world of human work is presented. Most especially, the ' concept is articulated which argues that the expropriation of human pre-eminence will be marked by a series of threshold events, some of which are, even now becoming evident. In particular, it indicates that there will be a watershed event in which differing and distinct expressions of applied autonomous systems will spontaneously coalesce to produce an emergent, general artificial intelligence. The latter may well be unrelated to the original goals, aims and constraints of the disparate entities that have joined together. This threshold will be a harbinger of cascading unifications in which an unrestrained aggregate will assume control over disparate work domains. The nature of such a development, most especially in light of associated human roles, is here evaluated. While emergent systems possess no necessary privilege, neither are their non-linear properties and behaviours directly inferable from their componential elements. The demi-sesquicentennial (75th) marking of the future of a science that is focused most especially on the predominance of human, work, is considered in light of these impending forces of change.

The use of exoskeletons is increasingly considered as a solution to reduce workers' exposure to physical risk factors, such as low-back disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the CORFOR occupational soft-back exoskeleton on trunk muscle activity and kinematics during an order picking manual task performed in the field. 10 workers, with at least 4 weeks' experience using the exoskeleton, performed a 1.5-hour order picking task with and without the exoskeleton. Trunk muscle activity, upper-body kinematics and the exoskeleton's acceptance were assessed. muscle activity was significantly reduced by 7.5% with the use of the exoskeleton. Moreover, trunk flexor muscles activity, trunk kinematics, or low-back pain were not affected. Further, the acceptance of the exoskeleton was rated as favourable. Thus, at least in the test company, the integration of the CORFOR exoskeleton for order picking tasks is promising.

Ergonomics and Human Factors (E/HF) practitioners are increasingly engaged in projects meant to centre underserved communities and reduce inequities. The subdiscipline of E/HF that has emerged to explore the application of E/HF in this way is called community ergonomics. In this qualitative-descriptive study, we reflect on the progress made in the field of community ergonomics since its original conceptualisation in 1994. We present six E/HF case studies carried out in North America, South America, and Africa in a variety of community contexts to highlight the challenges of conducting community-based work. From those case studies, we synthesise six lessons learned that can be used to guide future community ergonomics projects. Finally, we provide methodological and epistemological recommendations for doing ethical community-based work, calling for E/HF practitioners to consider how their own ideologies are shaping their interactions with the communities they aim to serve.

Situation awareness (SA) is the ability to perceive, comprehend and project environmental information. Neural activity is closely associated with SA. However, it remains unclear how neural activity represents SA at different levels. Here, three tasks were used to assess SA at three levels, behavioural and electroencephalogram data were collected. Relationships between SA and neural activity were explored through comparisons of EEG power between high and low SA. For each SA level, EEG power significantly differed between high and low SA. Brain region-based analyses further revealed neural activities originating from distinct brain regions were recruited to represent SA at different levels. These EEG pattern features differed between high and low SA could be used to decode SA with the KNN (k-nearest neighbour) classifier. The present study marked a significant step in augmenting our understanding of the neural mechanism that characterise SA.

This study simulates the natural movement of plants in indoor environments to investigate whether these plants can effectively facilitate psychological, physiological, and emotional recovery from fatigue caused by short vigilance tasks. A total of 63 participants completed baseline assessments of emotional and physiological stress as well as attention and memory (including the POMS-SF, blood pressure, pulse, and Digit Span Backward). They then performed a vigilance task to induce fatigue, followed by a second measurement of stress and cognition. After random assignment to dynamic plant, static plant, or no-plant conditions for a rest intervention, participants underwent a final assessment. The results showed that all three conditions experienced significant fatigue induced by the vigilance task, with increases in stress and reductions in cognition. Following the intervention, those in the dynamic plant condition exhibited notably greater recovery across multiple indices-particularly in emotional stress and pulse-than those in the other conditions.

In a novel, on-road study, using a 'Ghost Driver' to emulate an automated vehicle (AV), we captured over 10 hours of video (n = 520) and 64 survey responses documenting the behaviour and attitudes of pedestrians in response to the AV. Three prototype external human-machine interfaces (eHMIs) described the AV's behaviour, awareness and intention using elements of anthropomorphism: High (human face), Low (car motif), Abstract (partial representation of human features that lacked precise visual reference); these were evaluated against a (no eHMI) baseline. Despite many pedestrians reporting that they still relied on vehicular cues to negotiate their crossing, there was a desire/expectation expressed for explicit communication with future AVs. High and Low anthropomorphism eHMIs received the most positive responses for clarity, confidence and trust, with High also attracting significantly more/longer glances and the highest preference rating. In contrast, Abstract was considered least clear and subsequently invited the lowest confidence and trust ratings.

Time spend using smartphones is constantly increasing. Portability leads to postures that expose them to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The aim was to study the effect of time of day (morning, afternoon, evening and night) on university students' postures when using their smartphones over the weekend and their link with MSD risk. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 277 university students (25.3% female, 74.7% male, 17-24 years). SmarTaxo with 41 postures (sitting, standing, lying, walking) and their relative RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) scores were considered. The overall distribution of postures was: 36.22% sitting, 17.53% standing, 37.67% lying down and 8.57% walking. Six lying and one standing posture observed in the evening and at night are at high MSD risk (RULA score = 6, 23% of total time). The survey highlighted that university students are exposed to MSDs during the weekend day due to awkward postures, especially when lying down at night.

Despite recent advances in technology use for education and training, the approach to pilot training over the past several decades has largely remained unchanged. Student pilots complete their training in actual aircraft, with very few flight hours conducted in flight training devices. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of various levels of simulator fidelity on ab initio pilot training. Thirty student pilots were invited to train using a virtual reality simulator, desktop simulator, or flight training device. Performance was evaluated using a modified Transport Canada Flight Test Guide alongside the NASA Task Load Index, Subjective Stress Scale, and Simulator Sickness Questionnaire, giving insight into mental workload, stress, and experience of simulator sickness, respectively. Findings show potential for virtual reality and desktop simulators regarding training procedural tasks; however, trainees must be aware of the limitations virtual reality and desktop simulators have concerning the training of aircraft handling tasks.

This study investigates the impact of the weight and centre of mass (COM) position of Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) on the subjective evaluation of users during prolonged wearing tasks. This study involved 88 participants completing 1860 sets of experiments under three conditions: sitting still, turning the head, and moving, providing subjective evaluations of wearing HMDs. A static torque testing device was used to simulate neck torque under flexion states. Using Aligned Rank Transform (ART) data, A Multifactor Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to analyse the relationship between subjective comfort and the weight and centre of mass (COM) of HMDs. Using cluster analysis to classify head length and identify the relationship between head length and comfort. A Support Vector Regression (SVR) model was ultimately established, providing detailed weight range references for the engineering design of HMDs.

Age is associated with increased tissue stiffness and a higher risk of low back pain, particularly in older, sedentary workers who spend long periods sitting. This study explored how trunk stiffness changes with age and its relationship with posture during prolonged sitting in a sample of 37 women aged 20-65 years. Age was assessed as both Chronological Age and Fitness Age, with trunk stiffness measured using a passive trunk flexion apparatus. Participants sat at a computer workstation for 60 minutes, and spine posture was recorded every 10 minutes. The study found that trunk stiffness significantly increased with age, especially when considering Fitness Age (r = 0.517, p = 0.003). Additionally, trunk stiffness was negatively correlated with spine motion during sitting (r = -0.435, p = 0.023). These findings suggest that workers with poorer health move less while sitting and could be more susceptible to the deleterious effects of sedentary work.

In operational tasks involving cognitive processes and visual guided pointing activities, this paper investigated the effects of icon layout types, visual features and text labels on the performance of visual search through eye tracking technology, taking the layout types of the icon (single row, double row, matrix and circular), visual features (round icon, round inverse colour icon, chamfered square icon, chamfered square inverse colour icon and borderless icon) and text labels (with or without text labels) as experimental variables. The task completion time, the total duration of fixation in AOI (Area of Interest) and the number of fixations in AOI were statistically analysed. Experimental results revealed that the combination of without text label, matrix layout and chamfered square icons could help improve interaction efficiency. The research results were helpful in providing a basis for designers to improve the usability of human-computer interfaces during the prototype design stage of software and other related fields.

Initial trust is one of the critical factors that influence the acceptance of and reliance on autonomous cars (ACs). This study identified the determinants of the initial trust in ACs and explored the relationships between them using structural equation modelling. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire to obtain demographic information, personality traits, design features, task scenarios, and human perception factors from 101 participants without prior interactions with ACs. The results showed that the perceived safety (0.716), capability (0.222), and external locus of control (0.101) are the main positive factors fostering initial trust in ACs, while task risk (-0.349) was the main negative factor. Multigroup analysis demonstrated that the respondents' previous experience with driver-assistance systems encouraged the development of initial trust. The results of this study can provide guidelines for the design and promotion of ACs to develop individuals' initial trust in ACs.

Grounded on the Affective Event Theory and the Quality of Telework Model, this cross-sectional study examined the impact of perceived advantage of remote workstation on remote work performance and if this relationship is mediated through remote work intensity and moderated by worktime autonomy. The perceived advantage of remote workstation was operationalised as the arithmetical difference between perceived home office and in-site office workstation quality. A sample of 349 Italian researchers involved in hybrid work arrangements completed an online questionnaire. Results show that employees who preferred their home office than in-office workplace tended to perform better remotely; the mediating effect of remote work intensity was not observed; finally, worktime autonomy positively moderated the relationship between perceived advantage of remote workstation and remote work intensity. This study offers theoretical and practical insights for designing effective hybrid workplaces, emphasising the importance of workstation quality and worktime autonomy in determining remote work performance.

Our study was carried out in winegrowing in France and relates to the prevention of pesticide exposure situations. During treatments, the sprayer is a technical determinant directly responsible for these situations because of its design. The objective of our study is to gain a better understanding of pesticide exposure situations during the use of sprayers, by identifying the design of these machinery and the regulations that apply to it as a chain of determinants. Focusing on activity-centred ergonomics, this qualitative study formulates ergonomic (video recorded observations and interviews) and legal (content regulation) analyses at each level of this chain (treatments activities, sprayer design activities, regulation, and regulation development activities). The results highlight the role of design and regulation in the emergence of pesticide exposure situations, due to a little consideration of the real work of winegrowers. This means that design and regulation are relevant change levers for sustainable preventive action.

The advantages of two-stage warnings have been validated. This study investigated how drivers' expectations of automated driving system capabilities and cognitive load affect their attention allocation and takeover performance when using a two-stage warning system in a Level 3 automated driving system. Thirty-two drivers participated in a driving simulation study. The results showed that drivers under high cognitive load had longer and more frequent fixation on the road, which suggested a cautious attention strategy. The high-expectation group gazed less on the road and got greater lateral deviation and maximum acceleration. Attention allocation of the high-expectation group was similar between warning stages but was more susceptible to cognitive load within the same stage. The two-stage warnings need to be designed to direct drivers' attention effectively.

Sitting time (ST) in the occupational domain has been linked to reduced wellbeing and quality-of-life. However, studies investigating the impact of reducing ST in these outcomes are scarce. An ancillary analysis using data from a RCT containing a 6-month sit-stand desk-based intervention, evaluated workers' changes in ST (objectively measured), and subjective wellbeing and quality-of-life. Two groups were created based on changes in ST. Independent and paired-sample T-tests were used to evaluate the differences between and within groups, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted to evaluate the effects of ST reduction in the outcomes. Our analyses indicated that 13 participants out of 38 reduced ST (-72min/day [±40.0;  < 0.001], while 25 participants slightly reduced or increased ST (+36.7 min/day [±40.3;  < 0.001]). Both groups had an improvement in quality-of-life scores, but only those who reduced ST improved subjective wellbeing ( = 0.028). Despite these results, no time*group interaction was found.

This paper presents a constructive view of Human Factors/Ergonomics (HFE) and its implications regarding work, organisations and HFE interventions. In contrast to a defensive approach to HFE, which would view work mostly as a source of constraints, and the role of HFE as reducing these constraints, the goal of constructive ergonomics is to eliminate obstacles hindering success and development and to maximise opportunities for acting and learning. After having developed the concept and the methods of enabling interventions, as well as their consequences on the role of ergonomists, two enabling interventions are presented to illustrate the implementation of the constructive approach in real work settings. The discussion advocates a conception of development as a fact, a means and a goal of HFE interventions, and emphasises the maieutic role of ergonomists.

Supine postures are increasingly adopted in medical transport, long-duration flights, and other healthcare environments. This study is aimed to identify the effect of vibration direction and magnitude on the objective and subjective responses of the human body in a supine posture. The transmissibilities to the head, chest, abdomen, and thighs of 12 male subjects were measured with single-axis random vibrations in longitudinal ( axis), lateral ( axis), and vertical ( axis) direction at 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.8 ms r.m.s. Subjective discomfort was determined using the absolute magnitude estimation method. It was found factors of 1.0, 1.5 and 1.0 multiplying with the weighted r.m.s. of input accelerations in x, y, and z axes, respectively, can predict the discomfort. Alternatively, the unweighted acceleration measured at the body, such as at the chest, which was found to highly correlate with vibration discomfort, can be used to predict vibration discomfort of supine subjects.

The shortfall of seafarers is a constant challenge in the shipping industry. With the development of the world economy and changes in employees' psychological indicators, seafarers' spiritual needs play an increasingly important role in their work intentions. This study proposed that seafarers' work values should be a useful explanation for the shortfall of seafarers. This study investigated the work values of seafarers ( = 368) and college students majoring in navigation technology and marine engineering ( = 322), as well as their relationships with participants' work intentions. The results showed that conservation and self-transcendence had positive influences on (quasi)seafarers' willingness to work onboard. The results also showed that participants' conservation and self-transcendence values decreased generation by generation. Accordingly, researchers and managers should pay enough attention to seafarers' work values. Maritime schools and shipping companies may incorporate work values into the processes of seafarers' recruitment, training and education, and performance management.