Musculoskeletal computational analysis on muscle mechanical characteristics of drivers’ lumbar vertebras and legs in different sitting postures

Abstract

SUMMARY Using computer-aided engineering (CAE) in the concept design stage of automobiles has become a hotspot in human factor engineering research. Based on human musculoskeletal biomechanical computational software, a seated human-body musculoskeletal model was built to describe the natural sitting posture of a driver. The interaction between the driver and car in various combinations of seat-pan/back-rest inclination angles was analyzed using an inverse-dynamics approach. In order to find out the “most comfortable” driving posture of the seat-pan/back-rest, the effect of seat-pan/back-rest inclination angles on the muscle activity degree, and the intradiscal L4-L5 compression force were investigated. The results showed that a much larger back-rest inclination angle, approximately 15°, and a slight backward seat-pan, about 7°, may relieve muscle fatigue and provide more comfort while driving. Subsequently, according to the findings above, a preliminary driving-comfort function was constructed.

Comment on “Musculoskeletal computational analysis on muscle mechanical characteristics of drivers’ lumbar vertebras and legs in different sitting postures”

“…Dear Editor, We read with great interest the study by Gao et al 1 in which they demonstrated that a much larger back-rest inclination angle, approximately 15°, and a slight backward seat-pan, about 7°, may relieve the muscle fatigue and make driving more comfortable. In our opinion, there are some issues that should be addressed.…”