Many 3D digital models are designed and created as digital prototypes of vehicles, devices, or spaces intended for human use. However, to digitally validate or test these designs, an advanced digital human model is needed. This project explores the possibilities of extending the reach of digital prototyping beyond design into testing via an advanced digital human biomechanical model.
Human beings are experts at recognizing the identity of their fellow humans due to their ability to discriminate based on our varying shapes, colors, and sizes. Although most of the variation we use to recognize each other is found in external features of the body, such as height, weight, eye color, hair length, and skin tone, a large portion of human variation is contained in the skeleton. These variations originate from the person's age, geographic origin, sex, or simply the idiosyncrasies of an individual's genetics and environment.
Currently, when designers build objects or tools with which humans interact, the digital prototypes they create cannot easily be tested against known human factors needs. By providing a digital human model to designers, the ergonomics of the digital prototypes can be tested and refined through simulation, thereby reducing the need to fabricate many iterations of physical prototypes late in the design process. Furthermore, if the digital human model is parametric and can represent a number of real human sizes, shapes, and motions, designs could be tested against entire target market segments.
All Text and Imagery Copyright © 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All Rights Reserved.