Ergonomic Design and Evaluation of a Pilot Oxygen Mask for Korea Air Force Pilots

Abstract

The present study developed a virtual fit analysis (VFA) method to design an oxygen mask which fits Korean Air Force (KAF) pilots. The VFA method used 3D face scan data of 336 KAF pilots to find the most proper shape of an oxygen mask for KAF pilots. The oxygen mask design revised in the study showed a 27% design improvement effect on average in terms of fit evaluated by the VFA method. Additionally, this study evaluated the revised oxygen mask prototypes with 88 KAF pilots to experimentally verify the design improvement effect in terms of discomfort, pressure, and suitability for military equipment (slippage and stability in flight-like situations). The discomfort of the revised mask was 33 ~ 56% lower on average than the existing oxygen mask. In terms of the pressure, the revised mask showed 11 ~ 33% of improvement on average compared to the existing mask. Furthermore, on high gravity situation, the slippage distance of the revised mask was 24% shorter on average than the existing mask. The proposed VFA method can be applied to the design and evaluation of wearable products that require an ergonomically better fit for a target population.

3D Scan to Product Design: Methods, Techniques, and Cases

“…Computerized systems and software which can provide useful anthropometric information (e.g., measurements, shape, sizing system, representative models) and systematic analyses (e.g., automatic measurement, shape analysis, fit analysis, sizing system development) were developed for the efficient progress in the product design process. Once the designs were proposed through our technical process, we have manufactured working prototypes for a design validation by applying a usability evaluation [4,19,20,26]. Also advanced methods and techniques such as finite element modeling, morphing, and skin deformation have been applied to 3D scanned images for an advanced design and evaluation of the product shapes in further researches.…”

“…First, 336 Korean Air Force pilots' face (male: 278, female: 58, age: 20s ~ 40s) were 3D scanned and measured for the design of mask-related products (e.g., pilot oxygen mask) [3,4]. Second, 200 Koreans (male: 100, female: 100) and 96 Caucasians (male: 46, female: 50) aged 20 to 59 were 3D scanned for the design of ear-related products.…”

“…determination of a distributed method, S5. Generation of a sizing system) for the exploration of an optimal sizing system was applied to the design of flight suit [26] and pilot oxygen mask [4] for Korean Air Force pilots, hip protector [20], earphone [21], gloves [27], dust-proof mask, and so on. Once candidates of a sizing system are generated through the protocol based on statistic techniques, the candidates are compared in terms of accommodation percentage, number of sizes, and coverage ratio in non-key-dimensions [25].…”

“…Based on the 3D scan, not only simple dimensions (e.g., length, circumference) also complex dimensions such as section curve, surface shape, area, and volume which can provide useful information for the product design can be measured [1,2,3,4,5]. Furthermore, 3D scanned images have been applied to development of sizes of a product (e.g., small, medium, and large), generation of representative human models, and 3D printing of body parts (e.g., headform, torso) for the efficient progress in the product design process [6,7,8,9].…”

“…A digital or 3D printed representative model provides the anthropometric characteristics (e.g., size, shape in 3D) of the target population of a product. Recently, advanced computer techniques such as automatic measurement of anthropometric dimensions, skin deformation, posture change, virtual fitting, prediction of contact pressure, or estimation of muscle force have been applied to the 3D scan data [4,10,11,12,13,14].…”