19 research outputs found

    Nuevas tecnologías aplicadas a la ergonomía ocupacional. Empleo de sensores RGBD y EyeTracking en la mejora ergonómica de puestos de trabajo

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    Tesis por compendio[ES] A mediados del siglo XX inició en el continente europeo, especialmente en Francia y Bélgica, una nueva disciplina denominada Ergonomía Centrada en la Actividad. Esta disciplina está enfocada en el análisis del trabajo con el fin de optimizar las condiciones laborales. El propósito de la intervención ergonómica es mejorar componentes que interactúan en el sistema o en la actividad del trabajo (las personas, la organización, la tecnología y el ambiente), interrelacionando aspectos de salud, seguridad, productividad y calidad. En investigaciones anteriores a la presente el doctorando identificó la necesidad de mejora de las herramientas empleadas por los profesionales para la evaluación de factores de riesgo ergonómico, motivando así el desarrollo de la presente investigación. Inicialmente se analizaron métodos generales empleados por los diseñadores para establecer aquellos susceptibles de mejora con la introducción de nuevas tecnologías. En una segunda fase se identificaron y analizaron dispositivos tecnológicos orientados al rastreo de la actividad humana aplicables en el ámbito de las metodologías de la ergonomía ocupacional para los sectores productivos. Como resultado se concluyó que los sensores RGB-D y el Eye-Tracking (rastreo ocular) son dispositivos aplicables para ayudar a mejorar las condiciones en los puestos de trabajo, el primero para distribuir las áreas de trabajo y el segundo para la mejora de las interfaces del usuario. En esta TD se desarrollaron técnicas y métodos para el empleo de estos dispositivos logrando el diseño ergonómico de puestos de trabajo con aplicación práctica (artículos 2 y 3). Durante la realización de esta TD, bajo las directrices del Programa de Doctorado en Tecnologías para la Salud y el Bienestar de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, se publicaron tres artículos en revistas que durante el año de su publicación estuvieron indexadas en el primer cuartil de su categoría en el Journal Citation Report, las cuáles sustentan los resultados de la investigación. En ellos se evidenció cómo los avances tecnológicos implementados en Ergonomía producen cambios importantes en el diseño de los puestos de trabajo, y minimizan los tiempos y los movimientos que se requieren en las diferentes actividades laborales, garantizando así una ubicación óptima del recurso humano en los sistemas de producción y generando a su vez estrategias que disminuyen los Trastornos Músculo Esqueléticos (TMEs).[CA] A mitjan segle XX es va desenvolupar en el continent europeu, especialment a França i Bèlgica, una nova disciplina denominada Ergonomia Centrada en l'Activitat. Aquesta disciplina està enfocada en l'anàlisi del treball amb la finalitat d'optimitzar les condicions laborals. El propòsit de la intervenció ergonòmica és millorar els components que interactuen en el sistema o en l'activitat del treball (les persones, l'organització, la tecnologia i l'ambient), interrelacionant els aspectes de salut, seguretat, productivitat i qualitat. En investigacions anteriors a la present el doctorand va identificar la necessitat de millora de les eines emprades pels professionals per a l'avaluació de factors de risc ergonòmic, motivant així el desenvolupament de la present investigació. Inicialment es van analitzar els mètodes habituals empleats pels ergónoms per a establir aquells susceptibles de millora amb la introducció de noves tecnologies. En una segona fase es va identificar i analitzar els dispositius tecnològics orientats al monitoratge de l'activitat humana aplicables en l'àmbit de les metodologies de l'ergonomia ocupacional per als sectors productius. Com a resultat es va concloure que els sensors RGB-D i el Eye-Tracking són dispositius aplicables per a ajudar a millorar les condicions en els llocs de treball, el primer per a distribuir les àrees de treball i el segon per a la millora de les interfícies de l'usuari. En aquesta TD es van desenvolupar tècniques i procediments per a l'ús d'aquests dispositius aconseguint el disseny ergonòmic de llocs de treball amb aplicació pràctica (articles 2 i 3). Durant la realització d'aquesta TD, sota les directrius del Programa de Doctorat en Tecnologies per a la Salut i el Benestar de la Universitat Politècnica de València, es van publicar tres articles en revistes, que durant l'any de la seua publicació, van estar indexades en el primer quartil de la seua categoria en el Journal Citation Report, les quals sustenten els resultats de la investigació. En ells es va evidenciar com els avanços tecnològics implementats en Ergonomia produeixen canvis importants en el disseny dels llocs de treball, minimitzen els temps i els moviments que es requereixen en les diferents activitats laborals, garantint així una ubicació òptima del recurs humà en els sistemes de producció i generant al seu torn estratègies que disminueixen els Trastorns Músculesquelètics.[EN] Around the middle of XX century in Europe, especially in France and Belgium, a new discipline named Activity Focused Ergonomics was developed. This concept is based on the task analysis aiming to optimize working conditions. The purpose of the ergonomic intervention is to improve the components interacting within the system or the work activities (people, organization, technology and environment), correlating all health, safety, productivity and quality facts. In previous research, the ergomists identified the improvement need of those tools used by professionals to assess ergonomic risk factors, enhancing therefore the development of this present research. In the beginning, regular methods used by ergonomics specilists were analized in order to define those that could be improved with the introduction of new technologies. In a second phase, technological devices aimed to monitorize human activity, as well as those applicable for the occupational ergonomics methodologies in productive sectors were identified and analyzed. The conclusion that came as a result was that RGB-D sensors and Eye-Tracking are actual workstations conditions' improving devices, the first one is used to better organize working areas and the second one to optimize the user's interfaces. This Doctoral Thesis develops techniques and procedures to correctly use these devices obtaining workstations ergonomic designs with practical applications (articles 2 and 3). Along the development of this Doctoral Thesis, under the Polytechnic University of Valencia Doctoral School for Health and Wellbeing Technologies program directions, three articles were published in magazines which, throughout their publication year were indexed within its cathegory's first quartile at the Journal Citation Report, supporting the research results. The articles evidenced how the technological progress implemented in Ergonomics produce important changes in the workstations design and minimize times and movements required in different working activities, ensuring human resources' optimal location within the production systems and also developing Musculoskeletal Disorders reduction strategies.Garzón Leal, DC. (2020). Nuevas tecnologías aplicadas a la ergonomía ocupacional. Empleo de sensores RGBD y EyeTracking en la mejora ergonómica de puestos de trabajo [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/156052TESISCompendi

    An integrated system to design machine layouts for modular special purpose machines

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    This thesis introduces the development of an integrated system for the design of layouts for special purpose machines (SPMs). SPMs are capable of performing several machining operations (such as drilling, milling, and tapping) at the same time. They consist of elements that can be arranged in different layouts. Whilst this is a unique feature that makes SPMs modular, a high level of knowledge and experience is required to rearrange the SPM elements in different configurations, and also to select appropriate SPM elements when product demand changes and new layouts are required. In this research, an integrated system for SPM layout design was developed by considering the following components: an expert system tool, an assembly modelling approach for SPM layouts, an artificial intelligence tool, and a CAD design environment. SolidWorks was used as the 3D CAD environment. VisiRule was used as the expert system tool to make decisions about the selection of SPM elements. An assembly modelling approach was developed with an SPM database using a linked list structure and assembly relationships graph. A case-based reasoning (CBR) approach was developed and applied to automate the selection of SPM layouts. These components were integrated using application programing interface (API) features and Visual Basic programming language. The outcome of the application of the novel approach that was developed in this thesis is reducing the steps for the assembly process of the SPM elements and reducing the time for designing SPM layouts. As a result, only one step is required to assemble any two SPM elements and the time for the selection process of SPM layouts is reduced by approximately 75% compared to the traditional processes. The integrated system developed in this thesis will help engineers in design and manufacturing fields to design SPM layouts in a more time-effective manner

    An Intelligent Expert System for Decision Analysis and Support in Multi-Attribute Layout Optimization

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    Layout Decision Analysis and Design is a ubiquitous problem in a variety of work domains that is important from both strategic and operational perspectives. It is largely a complex, vague, difficult, and ill-structured problem that requires intelligent and sophisticated decision analysis and design support. Inadequate information availability, combinatorial complexity, subjective and uncertain preferences, and cognitive biases of decision makers often hamper the procurement of a superior layout configuration. Consequently, it is desirable to develop an intelligent decision support system for layout design that could deal with such challenging issues by providing efficient and effective means of generating, analyzing, enumerating, ranking, and manipulating superior alternative layouts. We present a research framework and a functional prototype for an interactive Intelligent System for Decision Support and Expert Analysis in Multi-Attribute Layout Optimization (IDEAL) based on soft computing tools. A fundamental issue in layout design is efficient production of superior alternatives through the incorporation of subjective and uncertain design preferences. Consequently, we have developed an efficient and Intelligent Layout Design Generator (ILG) using a generic two-dimensional bin-packing formulation that utilizes multiple preference weights furnished by a fuzzy Preference Inferencing Agent (PIA). The sub-cognitive, intuitive, multi-facet, and dynamic nature of design preferences indicates that an automated Preference Discovery Agent (PDA) could be an important component of such a system. A user-friendly, interactive, and effective User Interface is deemed critical for the success of the system. The effectiveness of the proposed solution paradigm and the implemented prototype is demonstrated through examples and cases. This research framework and prototype contribute to the field of layout decision analysis and design by enabling explicit representation of experts? knowledge, formal modeling of fuzzy user preferences, and swift generation and manipulation of superior layout alternatives. Such efforts are expected to afford efficient procurement of superior outcomes and to facilitate cognitive, ergonomic, and economic efficiency of layout designers as well as future research in related areas. Applications of this research are broad ranging including facilities layout design, VLSI circuit layout design, newspaper layout design, cutting and packing, adaptive user interfaces, dynamic memory allocation, multi-processor scheduling, metacomputing, etc

    The development of an intelligent decision support framework in the contact centre environment

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    In a time of fast growing technology and communication systems, it is very important for the industry and the corporations to develop new contact centre environment technologies for better customer contact requirements. The integration of contact centre (CC) into day-to-day organisational operations represents one of the most promising trends in the 21 st century economy. Whatever the nature or point of contact, customers want a seamless interaction throughout their experience with the company. Customers receive more personalised experience, while the company itself can now provide a consistent message across all customer interactions. Based on the literature studies and the research carried out within the contact centre industry through the case studies, the author identified the customer and advisor behavioural attributes along with demographic, experience and others that later are used to derive the categories. Clustering technique identified the categories for customers and advisors. From the initial set of categories, fuzzy expert system framework was derived which assigned a customer or advisor with the pre-defined set of categories. The thesis has proposed two novel frameworks for categorisation of customer and advisor within contact centres and development of intelligent decision support framework that displays the right amount of information to the advisor at the right time. Furthermore, the frameworks were validated with qualitative expert judgement from the experts at the contact centres and through a simulation approach. The research has developed a novel Soft Computing based fuzzy logic categorisation framework that categorises customer and advisor on the basis of their demographic, experience and behavioural attributes. The study also identifies the behavioural aspects of customer and advisor within CC environment and on the basis of categorisation framework, assigns each customer and advisor to that of a pre-defined category. The research has also proposed an intelligent decision support framework to identify and display the minimum amount of information required by an advisor to serve the customer in CC environment. The performance of the proposed frameworks is analysed through four case studies. In this way this research proposes a fully tested and validated set of categorisation and information requirement frameworks for dealing with customer and advisor and its challenges. The research also identifies future research directions in the relevant areas.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

    Benchmarking the behaviour and characteristics of wine tourists in an emerging wine region

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    Exploratory research was undertaken to benchmark the profiles and preferences of regional wine tourists in Nova Scotia. This paper describes the consumer profiles of three wine tourist segments in the region: Wine Lovers; Wine Interested; and Curious Tourists. The data (n = 780) were collected over an eighteen-month period at wineries, winery events, farmers markets, and on the tour bus of a popular wine tour operator. Results provide evidence supporting the wine tourist typology found in the literature and give insights for tourism bodies as well as individual businesses

    Financial constraints, R&D investment, and the value of cash

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    This paper investigates whether the relationship between financial constraints and the marginal value of corporate cash holdings varies across firms with and without R&D investment. We find that among firms with positive R&D investment the marginal value of cash is higher in financially constrained firms than unconstrained ones, whereas this difference is not significant among firms without R&D investment

    Fifty shades of play: Monopoly[supercript TM] and the spirit of capitalism

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    While the recent trend towards the ‘gamification’ of business and organization is forging a new intersectionality between play and games with work and organization, play and games as a subject of research within the MOS literature is limited. While games, as a sub-domain of play, have been an area of study it is normatively approached from a narrow and instrumental perspective. This paper takes an historical look at the intersectionality of games and work from a historical and socio-cultural perspective. ANTi-History is first used to re-assemble a history of the board game Monopoly™. A mediological analysis is then used to investigate the material, ideational, and ideological elements of board games in general and to surface the relationship of Monopoly™ and its direct antecedents with work and organization in particular

    How many days equal a year? A note on the mean-variance model

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    In portfolio management, the means and variances of stock returns are usually estimated on a daily basis and then converted to longer periods of time. This paper examines the issue of how to convert 1-day means for longer periods and investigates the impacts of this conversion on capital allocation decisions and portfolio performance evaluations

    New Brunswick model of shared risk pension plan: human resource implications in an academic setting

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    The province of New Brunswick has introduced changes to the Pension Benefit Act that facilitates the conversion of Defined Benefit Plans to a shared Risk Plan. This paper highlights the implications of one of the key provisions, career average pension, for recruitment retention and other aspects of human resource management in a university setting

    Hop-portunity lost? Spetz Brewery considers a pale future

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    Small enterprises often struggle with determining the profitability of its product offerings. In some circumstances this may be complicated by the feelings / intuits of the founder of the business. Hop-portunity Lost? is a case study that examines challenges faced by Moncton, NB based Spetz Brewery and sister operation Winexpert, and seeks to provide opportunity to evaluate a business from a managerial accounting perspective to determine whether the business is profitable (and should continue) or unprofitable (and should be shut down)
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