Real-Time Ergonomic Assessment with Fuzzy Logic and RGB-D Sensors
Received: 12 August 2025 | Revised: 2 October 2025, 6 November 2025, and 24 November 2025 | Accepted: 26 November 2025 | Online: 9 February 2026
Corresponding author: Horacio Bautista Santos
Abstract
The integration of the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method with fuzzy logic and RGB-D sensing technology (Kinect v1) enables greater precision and objectivity in identifying postural risks within occupational environments. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a fuzzy system for ergonomic risk assessment in a sample of 24 workers engaged in the assembly of denim trousers. The average age of the participants from the textile sector was 27.4 years (SD ± 12.4). The proposed methodology combined the traditional REBA framework with fuzzy inference systems and real-time postural tracking via Kinect v1. Among the 24 cases assessed, 38% of workers reported no musculoskeletal discomfort, 25% reported dorsal pain, 13% experienced lower back pain, 13% reported discomfort in the neck, upper and lower limbs, and 13% also reported hand discomfort. Although statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the manual REBA scores and those generated by the fuzzy system, the proposed method is considered a complementary tool rather than a replacement for manual assessment. The use of Kinect as a non-invasive motion tracking device allowed for real-time data acquisition without interfering with task performance, offering a significant advantage over manual goniometric measurements, which are prone to parallax error, evaluator variability, and limitations in dynamic tasks.
Keywords:
fuzzy logic, REBA method, Kinect sensor, ergonomic assessmentDownloads
References
J. O. Crawford et al., "Musculoskeletal Health in the Workplace," Best Practice & Research Clinical Rheumatology, vol. 34, no. 5, Oct. 2020, Art. no. 101558. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.berh.2020.101558
"Musculoskeletal Health," World Health Organization, Sept. 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/musculoskeletal-conditions.
M. Zare, N. Black, J.-C. Sagot, G. Hunault, and Y. Roquelaure, "Ergonomics Interventions to Reduce Musculoskeletal Risk Factors in a Truck Manufacturing Plant," International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, vol. 75, Jan. 2020, Art. no. 102896. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2019.102896
J. Hutabarat, J. Alfian Pradana, F. Achmadi, and D. Wilis Lestarining Basuki, "Intervention of Musculoskeletal Discomfort Risk: A Cross-Sectional Study," KnE Social Sciences, Mar. 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v9i10.15730
Y. Fu, W. Lu, and J. Chen, "A Virtual Reality-Based Ergonomic Assessment Approach for Human-Robot Collaboration Workstation Design in Modular Construction Manufacturing," Advanced Engineering Informatics, vol. 64, Mar. 2025, Art. no. 103054. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aei.2024.103054
M. J. Jorgensen, A. Martinez, and N. A. Hakansson, "Comparison of Multi-Task Ergonomic Assessment Methods for Risk of Upper Extremity and Low Back Musculoskeletal Disorders," Applied Ergonomics, vol. 119, Sept. 2024, Art. no. 104313. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2024.104313
S. Asensio-Cuesta, M. J. B. Ceca, and J. A. D. Más, Evaluación Ergonómica de Puestos de Trabajo. Madrid, Spain: Ediciones Paraninfo, 2012.
B. D. Lowe, P. G. Dempsey, and E. M. Jones, "Ergonomics Assessment Methods used by Ergonomics Professionals," Applied Ergonomics, vol. 81, Nov. 2019, Art. no. 102882. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2019.102882
A. H. Schwartz, T. J. Albin, and S. G. Gerberich, "Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the rapid entire body assessment (REBA) tool," International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, vol. 71, pp. 111–116, May 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2019.02.010
S. Hignett and L. McAtamney, "Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA)," Applied Ergonomics, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 201–205, Apr. 2000. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-6870(99)00039-3
Y. Tao, H. Hu, J. Xue, Z. Zhang, and F. Xu, "Evaluation of Ergonomic Risks for Construction Workers Based on Multicriteria Decision Framework with the Integration of Spherical Fuzzy Set and Alternative Queuing Method," Sustainability, vol. 16, no. 10, p. 3950, May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su16103950
V. Kamala and T. P. Robert, "Fuzzy-Logic-Based Ergonomic Assessment in an Automotive Industry," South African Journal of Industrial Engineering, vol. 33, no. 4, 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7166/33-4-2593
L. Fritzsche, "Ergonomics Risk Assessment with Digital Human Models in Car Assembly: Simulation Versus Real Life," Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing & Service Industries, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 287–299, Jul. 2010. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hfm.20221
S. Pavlovic-Veselinovic, A. Hedge, and M. Veselinovic, "An Ergonomic Expert System for Risk Assessment of Work-Related Musculo-Skeletal Disorders," International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, vol. 53, pp. 130–139, May 2016. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2015.11.008
S. -H. Liao, "Expert System Methodologies and Applications—a Decade Review From 1995 to 2004," Expert Systems with Applications, vol. 28, no. 1, pp. 93–103, Jan. 2005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2004.08.003
T. Caymaz, S. Çalişkan, and A. R. Botsali, "Evaluation of Ergonomic Conditions using Fuzzy Logic in a Metal Processing Plant," International Journal of Computational and Experimental Science and Engineering, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 19–24, Mar. 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.932994
A. Jamshidi, A. Yazdani-Chamzini, S. H. Yakhchali, and S. Khaleghi, "Developing a New Fuzzy Inference System for Pipeline Risk Assessment," Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 197–208, Jan. 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlp.2012.10.010
A. Pinto, I. L. Nunes, and R. A. Ribeiro, "Occupational Risk Assessment in Construction Industry – Overview and Reflection," Safety Science, vol. 49, no. 5, pp. 616–624, Jun. 2011. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2011.01.003
G. S. Beriha, B. Patnaik, S. S. Mahapatra, and S. Padhee, "Assessment of Safety Performance in Indian Industries using Fuzzy Approach," Expert Systems with Applications, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 3311–3323, Feb. 2012. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2011.09.018
I. L. Nunes, "FAST ERGO_X – A Tool for Ergonomic Auditing and Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders Prevention," WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 133–148, Oct. 2009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-2009-0912
A. Azadeh, I. M. Fam, M. Khoshnoud, and M. Nikafrouz, "Design and Implementation of a Fuzzy Expert System for Performance Assessment of an Integrated Health, Safety, Environment (HSE) and Ergonomics System: The Case of a Gas Refinery," Information Sciences, vol. 178, no. 22, pp. 4280–4300, Nov. 2008. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ins.2008.06.026
P. McCauley-Bell and A. B. Badiru, "Fuzzy Modeling and Analytic Hierarchy Processing-means to Quantify Risk Levels Associated with Occupational Injuries. II. The Development of a Fuzzy Rule-based Model for the Prediction of Injury," IEEE Transactions on Fuzzy Systems, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 132–138, May 1996. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/91.493907
A. Ramaswamy Govindan and X. Li, "Fuzzy Logic-Based Decision Support System for Automating Ergonomics Risk Assessments," International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, vol. 96, Jul. 2023, Art. no. 103459. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2023.103459
F. Rybnikár, I. Kačerová, P. Hořejší, and M. Šimon, "Ergonomics Evaluation Using Motion Capture Technology—Literature Review," Applied Sciences, vol. 13, no. 1, Dec. 2022, Art. no. 162. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010162
Z. Wang, W. Wang, J. Chen, X. Zhang, and Z. Miao, "Posture Risk Assessment and Workload Estimation for Material Handling by Computer Vision," International Journal of Intelligent Systems, vol. 2023, no. 1, Jan. 2023, Art. no. 2085251. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/2085251
B. A. Ayutatila and M. C. P. A. Islami, "Analisis Postur Pekerja Welding Bengkel Pipa Menggunakan Metode RULA dan REBA dengan Pendekatan Fuzzy Logic," JiTEKH, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 1–14, Mar. 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.35447/jitekh.v13i1.1044
G. P. Moynihan, D. J. Fonseca, T. W. Merritt, and P. S. Ray, "An Object‐oriented System for Ergonomic Risk Assessment," Expert Systems, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 149–156, May 1995. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0394.1995.tb00047.x
M. M. Savino, D. Battini, and C. Riccio, "Visual Management and Artificial Intelligence Integrated in a New Fuzzy-based Full Body Postural Assessment," Computers & Industrial Engineering, vol. 111, pp. 596–608, Sept. 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2017.06.011
H. P. H. Shum, E. S. L. Ho, Y. Jiang, and S. Takagi, "Real-Time Posture Reconstruction for Microsoft Kinect," IEEE Transactions on Cybernetics, vol. 43, no. 5, pp. 1357–1369, Oct. 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/TCYB.2013.2275945
G. Kurillo, A. Chen, R. Bajcsy, and J. J. Han, "Evaluation of upper extremity reachable workspace using Kinect camera," Technology and Health Care, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 641–656, Nov. 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3233/THC-130764
T. Dutta, "Evaluation of the KinectTM Sensor for 3-d Kinematic Measurement in the Workplace," Applied Ergonomics, vol. 43, no. 4, pp. 645–649, Jul. 2012. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2011.09.011
H. Haggag, M. Hossny, S. Nahavandi, and D. Creighton, "Real Time Ergonomic Assessment for Assembly Operations Using Kinect," in 2013 UKSim 15th International Conference on Computer Modelling and Simulation, Cambridge, Apr. 2013, pp. 495–500. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/UKSim.2013.105
B. F. Mentiplay, R. A. Clark, A. Mullins, A. L. Bryant, S. Bartold, and K. Paterson, "Reliability and Validity of the Microsoft Kinect for Evaluating Static Foot Posture," Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, vol. 6, no. 1, Jan. 2013, Art. no. 14. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-1146-6-14
C. C. Martin et al., "A Real-time Ergonomic Monitoring System Using the Microsoft Kinect," in 2012 IEEE Systems and Information Engineering Design Symposium, Charlottesville, VA, Apr. 2012, pp. 50–55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/SIEDS.2012.6215130
P. R. Diaz-Monterrosas, R. Posada-Gomez, A. Martinez-Sibaja, A. A. Aguilar-Lasserre, U. Juarez-Martinez, and J. C. Trujillo-Caballero, "A Brief Review on the Validity and Reliability of Microsoft Kinect Sensors for Functional Assessment Applications," Advances in Electrical and Computer Engineering, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 131–136, 2018. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4316/AECE.2018.01016
B. F. Mentiplay et al., "Gait Assessment Using the Microsoft Xbox One Kinect: Concurrent Validity and Inter-day Reliability of Spatiotemporal and Kinematic Variables," Journal of Biomechanics, vol. 48, no. 10, pp. 2166–2170, Jul. 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2015.05.021
Y. Yang, F. Pu, Y. Li, S. Li, Y. Fan, and D. Li, "Reliability and Validity of Kinect RGB-D Sensor for Assessing Standing Balance," IEEE Sensors Journal, vol. 14, no. 5, pp. 1633–1638, May 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/JSEN.2013.2296509
M. Bortolini, M. Faccio, M. Gamberi, and F. Pilati, "Motion Analysis System (MAS) for Production and Ergonomics Assessment in the Manufacturing Processes," Computers & Industrial Engineering, vol. 139, Jan. 2020, Art. no. 105485. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2018.10.046
J. A. Diego-Mas and J. Alcaide-Marzal, "Using KinectTM Sensor in Observational Methods for Assessing Postures at Work," Applied Ergonomics, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 976–985, Jul. 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2013.12.001
V. M. Manghisi, A. E. Uva, M. Fiorentino, V. Bevilacqua, G. F. Trotta, and G. Monno, "Real Time RULA Assessment using Kinect v2 Sensor," Applied Ergonomics, vol. 65, pp. 481–491, Nov. 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2017.02.015
I. Aslan, "Exploring the Appropriate Ergonomic Risk Assessment Method," in 8th International Conference on Health, Engineering and Applied Sciences, Rome, Italy, Nov. 2024, pp. 509–520.
M. R. Contreras-Valenzuela, D. Seuret-Jiménez, A. M. Hdz-Jasso, V. A. León Hernández, A. N. Abundes-Recilla, and E. Trutié-Carrero, "Design of a Fuzzy Logic Evaluation to Determine the Ergonomic Risk Level of Manual Material Handling Tasks," International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 11, p. 6511, May 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19116511
S. Salisu, N. I. R. Ruhaiyem, T. A. E. Eisa, M. Nasser, F. Saeed, and H. A. Younis, "Motion Capture Technologies for Ergonomics: A Systematic Literature Review," Diagnostics, vol. 13, no. 15, Aug. 2023, Art. no. 2593. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics13152593
W. S. Sahito, R. W. Bazuhair, and H. Mimesh, "Workstation Evaluation Regarding Ergonomic Awareness and Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Coal Mine Workers," Engineering, Technology & Applied Science Research, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 8284–8288, Apr. 2022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.48084/etasr.4668
S. Grewal, V. Vos, R. Theijse, R. Klautz, and N. Grewal, "An in-Hospital Physiotherapy Clinic Improves Symptoms and Absenteeism Among Healthcare Professionals with Musculoskeletal Conditions," Frontiers in Environmental Health, vol. 3, Jun. 2024, Art. no. 1390764. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvh.2024.1390764
Downloads
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Celia Francisco Martinez, Fabiola Sanchez Galvan, Horacio Bautista Santos, Omar Vazquez Estrada, Dany Ivan Martinez De La Cruz, Francisco Gerardo Ponce del Angel
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) after its publication in ETASR with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
