SAMMIE computer aided ergonomics

Human modelling systems can be powerful tools for the design team as they enable predictions to be made of the percentage of future users of the product who may have problems with clearances, reaching, seeing or the combination of all these requirements may force unnatural and damaging postures. When problems are identified, it is possible for all of the design team to scrutinise the data and the assumptions used. The ergonomics problems with a proposed design can be presented visually thereby supporting efficient communication within the design team and solution-orientated action. SAMMIE (System for Aiding Man Machine Interaction Evaluation) is a human modelling computer aided ergonomics design system that was conceived in the late 1960s and by 1978 the system was being used on a daily basis as a consultancy tool. This paper will describe and discuss some of the more important issues that we have had to deal with during the development and application of SAMMIE.