Abstract
Human performance during a low-frequency vibratory environment was investigated. The performance measures of interest were the accuracy and total time of a whole-body orientation task. A zero vibration condition as well as frequencies of 2, 5, and 8 Hz. were studied. Amplitude was held constant at 0.09 in., resulting in acceleration intensities from 0.04 to 0.58 g. Performance was studied before, during, and after exposure to the vibration environment. Twenty male subjects participated in the investigation in both sitting and standing body positions. Vibration exposure times were 20 min. for all sessions. The task used in this investigation was a body orientation task that required subjects to orient their bodies as quickly and as accurately as possible toward one of a series of colored lights located at angles of 15, 30, and 60° on either side of a zero reference plane. The results indicated that the shortest travel time was obtained under zero vibration conditions but that most accurate performance was obtained under vibrations of 2 Hz. Differences in performance were also found between the two body positions and direction of orientation.
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