Mobile Solution for Ergonomic Training in Industry: A HoloLens 2 Mixed Reality Approach

Abstract

In industry, many employees suffer from limb and spine ailments. These physical disorders lead to long-term pain syndromes and musculoskeletal issues. As a proactive measure, Augmented Reality can aid in conducting interactive ergonomic training sessions for employees and provide real-time support for monitoring individual workers on the shop floor. Existing setups for ergonomic evaluations limit the user’s mobility because these are typically stationary and require external motion-capturing systems. Here, we address Musculoskeletal Disorders using Head-Mounted Displays as a standalone, hands-free, and mobile tool for real-time ergonomic evaluation. We selected the Microsoft HoloLens 2 as a Head-Mounted Display and Rapid Upper Limb Assessment as the ergonomic analysis method. We implemented parts of this system using the Unity development environment. Our Proof of Concept shows that a hands-free Mixed Reality application with the HoloLens 2 can support ergonomic evaluations without requiring stationary setups or additional camera or sensor systems. In the current setup, the live feed from the camera of the HoloLens 2 captures the observed person. A local computer analyzes the posture via a wireless network connection, and the results are sent back to the Unity application, where they are visualized with a 3D model. Our work offers a comprehensive perspective on the components used and provides an implementation for the suggested system. It also serves as a foundation for future work, including testing the system’s efficiency in practical use and expanding the user interface, specifically for training in a working environment.

Keywords: Ergonomic Training, Industry, HoloLens 2, Mixed Reality

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1004985