Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain

Motorcycles are a primary mode of transportation in Malaysia, widely used for daily activities and work. The well-being of motorcyclists is crucial, especially regarding comfort during prolonged rides. This study evaluates the effectiveness of an armrest prototype in reducing muscle activity, measur...

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Main Authors: Ayuni Nabilah, Alias, Nurulain Mustafa, Udin, Norwahida, Yaakub
Format: Article
Language:English
English
Published: Penerbit UTM Press 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/
http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/1/Sustainable%20design%20for%20motorcyclist%20ergonomics.pdf
http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/2/Sustainable%20design%20for%20motorcyclist%20ergonomics_Evaluating%20a%20novel%20armrest%20to%20reduce%20muscle%20strain_ABS.pdf
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author Ayuni Nabilah, Alias
Nurulain Mustafa, Udin
Norwahida, Yaakub
author_facet Ayuni Nabilah, Alias
Nurulain Mustafa, Udin
Norwahida, Yaakub
author_sort Ayuni Nabilah, Alias
building UMP Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Motorcycles are a primary mode of transportation in Malaysia, widely used for daily activities and work. The well-being of motorcyclists is crucial, especially regarding comfort during prolonged rides. This study evaluates the effectiveness of an armrest prototype in reducing muscle activity, measured by surface electromyography (sEMG), thereby alleviating discomfort. In two sessions (with and without the armrest), 102 participants rode a motorcycle for two hours using a laboratory riding simulator. The simulator projected a road scenery video, simulating daytime riding conditions. EMG signals were recorded to assess muscle activity in the right and left arms, with electrodes attached to the skin. The findings revealed a reduction in sEMG levels for both arms when using the armrest prototype for the flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris muscles. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in exertion muscles levels (X2 (63) = 757.76, p<0.001) between the experimental group and the control group during the two-hour riding process. This study demonstrates that the armrest prototype can effectively reduce muscle activity and improve comfort for motorcyclists. By promoting better posture, this innovation could enhance rider safety and health, potentially reducing the risk of accidents.
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format Article
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institution Universiti Malaysia Pahang
institution_category Local University
language English
English
last_indexed 2025-11-15T03:53:34Z
publishDate 2024
publisher Penerbit UTM Press
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spelling ump-439122025-02-25T08:56:26Z http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/ Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain Ayuni Nabilah, Alias Nurulain Mustafa, Udin Norwahida, Yaakub HD Industries. Land use. Labor Q Science (General) T Technology (General) Motorcycles are a primary mode of transportation in Malaysia, widely used for daily activities and work. The well-being of motorcyclists is crucial, especially regarding comfort during prolonged rides. This study evaluates the effectiveness of an armrest prototype in reducing muscle activity, measured by surface electromyography (sEMG), thereby alleviating discomfort. In two sessions (with and without the armrest), 102 participants rode a motorcycle for two hours using a laboratory riding simulator. The simulator projected a road scenery video, simulating daytime riding conditions. EMG signals were recorded to assess muscle activity in the right and left arms, with electrodes attached to the skin. The findings revealed a reduction in sEMG levels for both arms when using the armrest prototype for the flexor carpi radialis and flexor carpi ulnaris muscles. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in exertion muscles levels (X2 (63) = 757.76, p<0.001) between the experimental group and the control group during the two-hour riding process. This study demonstrates that the armrest prototype can effectively reduce muscle activity and improve comfort for motorcyclists. By promoting better posture, this innovation could enhance rider safety and health, potentially reducing the risk of accidents. Penerbit UTM Press 2024-12 Article PeerReviewed pdf en http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/1/Sustainable%20design%20for%20motorcyclist%20ergonomics.pdf pdf en http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/2/Sustainable%20design%20for%20motorcyclist%20ergonomics_Evaluating%20a%20novel%20armrest%20to%20reduce%20muscle%20strain_ABS.pdf Ayuni Nabilah, Alias and Nurulain Mustafa, Udin and Norwahida, Yaakub (2024) Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain. Jurnal Mekanikal, 47. pp. 20-27. ISSN 2289-3873. (Published) https://doi.org/10.11113/jm.v47.547 https://doi.org/10.11113/jm.v47.547
spellingShingle HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Q Science (General)
T Technology (General)
Ayuni Nabilah, Alias
Nurulain Mustafa, Udin
Norwahida, Yaakub
Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain
title Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain
title_full Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain
title_fullStr Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain
title_short Sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: Evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain
title_sort sustainable design for motorcyclist ergonomics: evaluating a novel armrest to reduce muscle strain
topic HD Industries. Land use. Labor
Q Science (General)
T Technology (General)
url http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/
http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/
http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/
http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/1/Sustainable%20design%20for%20motorcyclist%20ergonomics.pdf
http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/43912/2/Sustainable%20design%20for%20motorcyclist%20ergonomics_Evaluating%20a%20novel%20armrest%20to%20reduce%20muscle%20strain_ABS.pdf