Program interface for transfer of posture data from the CUELA system to the "Dortmunder" biomechanical model

Status:

completed 10/2004

Aims:

The biomechanical model "the Dortmunder" developed by the Institute for Occupational Physiology at the University of Dortmund (IfADo) permits estimation of the loading of the lumbar spine, arising for example during the manual handling of loads. The input variables for the biomechanical model are body posture and movement and the forces acting upon the body. The model can be used to compute typical inner load variables upon the spine, such as intervertebral disc forces and torques, from these input data. The objective of the project was the programming of a software interface to the biomechanical model "the Dortmunder" for the high-speed import of external load data. These external load data are recorded by the CUELA measurement system and are available in the corresponding format.

Activities/Methods:

A software application was first developed by which the CUELA measured data can be converted into the input files (so called Taet files) required by "the Dortmunder" biomechanical model. The CUELA measurement files obtained from laboratory measurements of the pulling and pushing of trolleys are then converted into Taet files. The characteristic load variables (forces and moments) for the lumber spine could now be computed with the aid of the model.

Results:

The project developed an interface, sufficiently powerful for larger volumes of data, between the CUELA measurement system and "the Dortmunder" biomechanical model. This interface was used for the routine biomechanical analysis of tasks involving the pushing and pulling of trolleys by cabin crew on board airlines in the context of corresponding studies (cf. BIA Report 5/2004). The software interface produced by the project is available for use in future studies for calculation of loading upon the lumbar spine from CUELA force and motion measurement data.

Further informations:

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