Simulating Human Reaching for Vehicle Design: A Study in

Ride Motion Effects on Seated In-Vehicle Reach

Performance
Lenora Hardee, International Truck & Engine Corp.
R. Wade Allen, Systems Technology, Inc.

The study is a continuation of ongoing research investigating the effects of a dynamic

ride environment on the performance of seated in-vehicle reaching tasks. Occupants of
off-road vehicles, common in military applications, are regularly exposed to whole-body
vibration (WBV) that impairs their ability to quickly and accurately perform in-vehicle
tasks while the vehicle is in motion. This research will characterize and quantify the
nature of this performance degradation, while aiding the development of dynamic
models as well as design standards and strategies for reducing WBV-related errors in
performance. Our research will enable these errors to be mitigated through improved
design of controls, displays, vehicle suspension, and seating systems.

The Australian Army is immersed in the design and evaluation of vehicle workstations
and the results from this study will provide essential information about the extent to
which terrain-induced ride motion adversely affects vehicle occupantsʼ ability to quickly
and accurately complete reaching tasks. The simulation models based on this research
will enable the Australian Army and commercial vehicle industries, to evaluate current
and future vehicle designs of controls and displays, as well as seating and suspensions
systems. This knowledge will enable designers to test and evaluate designs that
mitigate effects of vibration before spending limited capital towards the completed
vehicle design.

Publications:

• Heon-Jeong Kim, Bernard J Martin, "Effects of Posture and Movement on Vibration Transmissibility Affecting
Human Reach Performance under Vehicle Vibration", Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 53rd Annual
Meeting, 19-23 October 2009.
• Heon-Jeong Kim, Bernard J Martin, "Three-Dimensional Joint Kinematics of the Upper Extremity in Reach
Movements under Whole-Body Vibration Exposure", Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 52nd Annual
Meeting, 22-26 September 2008.
• Heon-Jeong Kim, Bernard J Martin, "Vibration Transmissibility of Multi-Body Segments in Reach Movements
under Whole-Body Vibration Exposure", North American Congress on Biomechanics, 5-9 August 2008.
• Heon-Jeong Kim, Bernard J Martin, "Three-Dimensional Reach Kinematics of the Upper Extremity in a
Dynamic Vehicle Environment", Technical Paper 2008-01-1886. Digital Human Modeling for Design and
Engineering Conference, 17-19 June 2008.

HighRoad Automotive Research

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