An Experimental Protocol for Human Stress Investigation in Manufacturing Contexts: Its Application in the NO-STRESS Project

Abstract

Stress is a critical concern in manufacturing environments, as it impacts the well-being and performance of workers. Accurate measurement of stress is essential for effective intervention and mitigation strategies. This paper introduces a holistic and human-centered protocol to measure stress in manufacturing settings. The three-phased protocol integrates the analysis of physiological signals, performance indicators, and the human perception of stress. The protocol incorporates advanced techniques, such as electroencephalography (EEG), heart rate variability (HRV), galvanic skin response (GSR), and electromyography (EMG), to capture physiological responses associated with stress. Furthermore, the protocol considers performance indicators as an additional dimension of stress measurement. Indicators such as task execution time, errors, production rate, and other relevant performance metrics contribute to a comprehensive understanding of stress in manufacturing environments. The human perception of stress is also integrated into the protocol, recognizing the subjective experience of the individual. This component captures self-assessment and subjective reports, allowing for a more nuanced evaluation of stress levels. By adopting a holistic and human-centered approach, the proposed protocol aims to enhance our understanding of stress factors in manufacturing environments. The protocol was also applied in the automotive industry and plastic component manufacturing. The insights gained from this protocol can inform targeted interventions to improve worker well-being, productivity, and overall organizational performance.

On-site analysis of work-related stress to design workers-friendly manufacturing systems

“…This validation is conducted through an experimental campaign in a real on-site industrial environment, to ensure the reliability required by the literature (as stated in section 2.3), but it represents almost a unique case in the literature. The adopted experimental protocol (Apraiz et al, 2023;Blandino et al, 2023) was chosen since it is suitable for real manufacturing contexts and integrates different physiological measures. Heart Rate (HR) for heart activity, Skin Conductance Response (SCR) for EDA, Respiration Rate (RSP) and Mean frequency (MNF) of the EMG signal were extrapolated as stress indicators.…”

“…Only real settings (Blandino et al, 2023) and the combination of such psychological, physical, and physiological techniques with cross-analysis of evidence may improve the reliability of stress detection since it helps researchers to get a clearer picture of humans' activations and responses (Abd Elgawad et al, 2023). Apraiz et al (2023) developed the protocol adopted for this contribution within the NO-STRESS Manufacturing project funded by EITM. It combines stress measures for real manufacturing context, representing one of the first methodological attempts in the literature.…”

“…To answer RQ1, the paper presents a case study in which electrocardiogram (ECG), electrodermal activity (EDA), electromyography (EMG) and respiration rate (RSP) were monitored. The adopted experimental protocol for the case study was validated by Apraiz et al (2023) within the EITM-funded NO-STRESS project. This choice is justified because it represents a unique case in the literature of stress investigation in real manufacturing contexts.…”

Health, Stress and Technologies: Integrating Technology Acceptance and Health Belief Models for Smartphone-Based Stress Intervention

“…In recent years, companies have increasingly recognized the importance of promoting employee health [5]. Such an analysis is critical for the creation of solutions that effectively reduce stress while also increasing a company's productivity and efficiency [6]. From a preventive perspective, interventions should be implemented before stress-related health problems develop that can contribute to chronic disease.…”