Ergonomic Risk Assessment of Manufacturing Works in Virtual Reality Context

Abstract

Industry 4.0 is potentially innovative in the workers’role, which is becoming increasingly involvedin smart activities. In this situation, it is necessary to improve highly repetitive uncomfortableworking postures to reduce physical risks. This study intends to assess physical risks during VRinteraction for manufacturing work. Posture-related physical risk levels were calculated using ergo-nomic risk assessment tools RULA, REBA, and OWAS. Three task conditions were considered forthe experiment in a VR-based car-assembly environment. An analysis of variance was applied toinvestigate significant differences between task conditions, and it suggested that a higher risklevel was obtained while working in the overhead position for RULA and REBA, whereas the squat-ting position obtained a higher risk level for OWAS. Sensitivity analysis identified that the upperarm and neck were responsible for the highest risk level for RULA, the upper arm, neck, and trunkfor REBA, and the back posture parameter for OWAS.