Development of a Portable Data Acquisition System for Human Performance Assessment in the Field - Phase IIB Validation (Mise au Point d'un Systeme Portatif D'Acquisition de Donnees Pour L'Evaluation de la Performance Humaine sur le Terrain Phase IIB Validation)
Abstract
A second module, Module 2 - the Activity Assessment Module (AAM) - has been developed for the portable data acquisition system for human performance evaluation. The main purpose of the AAM is to permit the assessment of the type and intensity of work performed by a subject in the field, e.g. a soldier participating in a training exercise. This is done using two primary measures: upper body accelerations on three axes and heart rate (HR). The AAM was evaluated in an in-door trial. Upper body accelerations and HR were monitored in subjects as they completed a standardized circuit. The subjects carried either a very light load (battle order conditions); or a light, medium or heavy load (marching order conditions). The circuit comprised seven discrete activities: walking, balance beam, boulder hop, over-under barriers and fence climb, slalom run, up-down ramp, and sidehill ramp. The results of the trial revealed the following: 1) metabolic energy cost, estimated from HR, increases with increasing load carried; 2) metabolic energy cost, estimated from HR does not vary with the activity performed; 3) specific tasks can be recognized from recorded upper body accelerations; 4) tasks can be ordered by the magnitude of the root mean square (RMS) value of the acceleration signal, suggesting that there is a relationship between the acceleration of the body and the intensity of the work performed. The AAM performed well in comprehensive testing and promises to be a valuable tool for monitoring soldier activity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA520430
Entities
People
- Evelyn Morin
- J. Tim Bryant
- Joan Stevenson
- Susan Reid
Organizations
- Queen's University