Exchanging data between Digital Human Modelling systems - A review of data formats

Digital human modeling (DHM) systems underwent significant development within the last years. They achieved constantly growing importance in the field of ergonomic workplace design, product development, product usability, ergonomic research, ergonomic education, audiovisual marketing and the entertainment industry. They help to design ergonomic products as well as healthy and safe socio-technical work systems. In the domain of scientific DHM systems, no industry specific standard interfaces are defined which could facilitate the exchange of 3D solid body data, anthropometric data or motion data. The focus of this article is to provide an overview of requirements for a reliable data exchange between different DHM systems in order to identify suitable file formats. Examples from the literature are discussed in detail.

Methods: As a first step a literature review is conducted on existing studies and file formats for exchanging data between different DHM systems. The found file formats can be structured into different categories: static 3D solid body data exchange, anthropometric data exchange, motion data exchange and comprehensive data exchange. Each file format is discussed and advantages as well as disadvantages for the DHM context are pointed out. Case studies are furthermore presented, which show first approaches to exchange data between DHM systems. Lessons learnt are shortly summarized.

Results: A selection of suitable file formats for data exchange between DHM systems is determined from the literature review.

The complete article "Exchanging data between Digital Human Modelling systems" can be downloaded at the website of the Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.

Bibliographic information

Title:  Exchanging data between Digital Human Modelling systems - A review of data formats. 

Written by:  D. Bonin, S. Wischniewski, H.-J. Wirsching, A. Upmann, J. Rausch, G. Paul

in: In 3rd International Digital Human Modeling Symposium, May 20-22 2014, Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan. Symposium Program and Paper Abstracts, AIST, Tokyo, 2014.  pages: 9, Project number: F 2348, PDF file

Further Information

Research Project

Project numberF 2348 StatusCompleted Project Ergonomic navigator for aging- and age-friendly production (EngAge4Pro) - Digital recording and assessment of physical work loads in industrial work systems

To the Project

Research completed