SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ERGONOMIC MONITORING IN AN INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT

1 . A method comprising:

tracking task properties of tasks performed by a worker;

for a set of tasks, tracking kinematic activity of a worker during each task instance, comprising:

at an inertial measurement unit attached to the worker, collecting kinematic data;

processing the kinematic data and thereby generating at least one biomechanical measurement of a task associated kinematic activity; and

generating an ergonomic model that associates task properties and kinematic activity.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising tracking location of the worker through a positioning system; associating the biomechanical measurement with the location; and wherein generating an ergonomic model comprises generating an ergonomic risk map presenting an ergonomic analysis of biomechanical measurements plotted by location.

3 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising triggering preemptive feedback for the worker on initializing a task assignment based on current location of the worker relative to the ergonomic risk map.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein tracking location of the worker comprises tracking a location of the worker within a defined environment through a local positioning system.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein tracking location of the worker comprises tracking a location of the worker within a global positioning system.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein tracking task properties comprises retrieving a task assignment from a work assignment system, the task assignment comprising task attributes.

7 . The method of claim 6 , predicting a biomechanical measurement of a task by analyzing tasks of similar task attributes in the ergonomic model.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising triggering preemptive feedback for the worker on initializing a task assignment, the triggering of the preemptive feedback being based on analysis of tasks of similar attributes in the ergonomic model.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising presenting coaching feedback after completion of a task when the biomechanical measurement of a task satisfies a coaching condition; and disabling preemptive feedback and coaching feedback when the worker completes a training condition.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising delivering a task assignment to a second worker, wherein an ergonomic risk assessment accompanies the task assignment based on the ergonomic model.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting coaching feedback after completion of a task when the biomechanical measurement satisfies a coaching condition.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the kinematic data and thereby generating at least one biomechanical measurement comprises generating a posture measurement, generating a gait biomechanical signals, and detecting a lifting action and generating a lifting measurement.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein tracking kinematic activity of a worker during a task instance further comprises selecting at least one of a set of kinematic activities, the selection based in part on the task properties; and wherein processing the kinematic data comprises selectively processing the kinematic data according to the selected kinematic activities.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising tracking location of the worker with a positioning system; and wherein the selection of at least one of a set of kinematic activities comprises selecting a kinematic activity based on a current location of the worker.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inertial measurement system comprises a three-axis accelerometer.

16 . A method for ergonomic monitoring of a workforce comprising:

tracking task properties of tasks performed by workers of the workforce;

for a set of tasks performed by workers of the workforce, tracking kinematic activity of the set of workers during tracked task instances, where the tracking of kinematic activity for a task instance of a particular worker comprises:

at an inertial measurement unit attached to the worker, collecting kinematic data;

processing the kinematic data and thereby generating at least one biomechanical measurement of a task-associated kinematic activity; and

generating an ergonomic model that associates task properties and kinematic activity across a workforce.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising, tracking location of the workers;

associating the biomechanical measurements with the location of a worker at the time of the biomechanical measurement; and wherein generating an ergonomic model comprises generating an ergonomic risk map presenting an ergonomic assessment of biomechanical measurements plotted by location.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising triggering preemptive feedback for a worker on initializing a task assignment based on current location of the worker relative to the ergonomic risk map.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein processing the kinematic data and thereby generating at least one biomechanical measurement comprises generating a posture measurement, generating a gait biomechanical signals, and detecting a lifting action and generating a lifting measurement.

20 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising predicting safety across the workforce from the ergonomic model; and individually directing tasks of workers according to predicted safety.

21 . A system comprising:

worker activity system that includes an inertial measurement system with at least a three-axis accelerometer, the inertial measurement system configured to collect kinematic data, the worker activity system attached to a worker;

processor module that is configured to for a plurality of tasks performed by a worker:

track task properties of tasks performed by a worker,

process the kinematic data and thereby generate at least one biomechanical measurement of a task associated kinematic activity, and

generate an ergonomic module that associates task properties and kinematic activity; and

a user application configured to deliver feedback to the worker.