This page was translated automatically using artificial intelligence (DeepL). The German version is binding. More information about automatic translation
As structural change takes place in Lusatia, there is a growing need to develop new approaches to creating a sustainable world of work. The ‘Perspektive Arbeit Lausitz’ project brings together various key initiatives that address precisely this issue: they promote innovative approaches to making work in the region sustainable, people-centred and competitive.
A project team comprising practitioners and researchers
As part of Key Project 1 of the “PerspektiveArbeit Lausitz” research consortium, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, IMM electronics GmbH and the network partner Silicon Saxony e.V. are jointly developing a smart assistance system for the ergonomic design of assembly workstations. The aim is to reconcile the requirements of Industry 4.0 with the needs of employees. The planned system is designed to use camera-based and data-driven analysis to record movement patterns anonymously and provide real-time feedback on body posture, in order to identify unhealthy postures at an early stage and prevent long-term damage to health. Particular emphasis is placed on data protection: the captured image data is used in a local process to generate a digital representation of body posture, which forms the basis for the real-time analysis.
Participatory development process
To ensure a user-centred design, staff at IMM electronics GmbH are involved in the development process right from the start. Their experiences and feedback are continuously incorporated into the design of the system to ensure a practical solution that meets actual needs. The active involvement of staff ensures that the assistance system is designed with practicality in mind and meets the real-world demands of day-to-day assembly work. This user-centred design enables potential ergonomic challenges to be identified and addressed at an early stage, which increases acceptance of the system and, in the long term, helps to reduce health risks and boost productivity.
Real-world work processes as a basis
Recording the actual work process is essential for planning the digital assistance system, as this data can be used in a 3D simulation of the working environment to test and evaluate various parameters, in particular the number and position of the cameras used.
To create the dataset, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences carried out a detailed analysis at the actual assembly workstations, which included on-site workplace observations and interviews with employees of IMM electronics GmbH. Based on these findings, a reference procedure was drawn up, which documents all work steps, as well as the materials and tools used, in a sort of script.
Practical testing and validation
As part of the project, practical tests were carried out to validate the functionality and effectiveness of the assistance system developed. A motion-capture system was used for this purpose, which recorded the movements of employees whilst carrying out typical assembly tasks. The data obtained is being used to gradually improve the postural analysis of the planned assistance system and to tailor it specifically to the requirements of real-world working environments. As the system is still in the development phase, these findings serve to refine its functionality and ensure its future suitability for practical use.
The tests were carried out in collaboration with the Chemnitz Institute of Mechanical and Plant Engineering (ICM), which possesses the necessary expertise and technical equipment for recording and analysing human movements. Staff from Mittweida University of Applied Sciences carried out standardised assembly tasks, whilst their movements were recorded by both the developed assistance system and an established reference system. The data obtained in this way made it possible to assess the accuracy and practical suitability of the assistance system with regard to the motion data and to make adjustments where necessary.
These practical tests made it possible to verify whether the assistance system not only works in theory but can also meet the demands of real-life working conditions. In addition, a comparison was carried out between markerless and marker-based data capture to assess the extent to which both methods deliver comparable results. The analysis of this comparative data has not yet been fully completed and will continue as the project progresses. However, there are already positive indications that markerless data capture can hold its own against marker-based technology and is suitable for industrial use.
Further information on the PAL project
Contact for enquiries:
Dr Katharina Müller-Eppendorfer, Project
Assistant, PAL | Mittweida University of Applied Sciences
Text and photos: Sarah Gruß/Alexander Engelsberger
