Real Time Ergonomic Assessment for Assembly Operations Using Kinect

Ergonomic assessments assist in preventing work related musculoskeletal injuries and provide safer workplace environments. The 3D motion capture environments are not suitable for many work places due to space, cost and calibration limitations. The Kinect sensor, which was introduced in the Xbox game console, provides a low-cost portable motion capture system. This sensor is capable of capturing and tracking 3D coordinates of a moving target with an accuracy comparable to state of the art commercial systems. This paper investigates the application of Kinect for real time rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) to aid in ergonomic analysis for assembly operations in industrial environments. A framework to integrate various motion capture technologies as well as different assessment methods is presented.