The new 3D model for motion capture launches an era of enhanced risk assessment for musculoskeletal disorders, the leading cause of workplace injuries.
Chicago (July 10, 2024) – VelocityEHS®, the global leader in enterprise EHS & ESG software solutions, today launched the next generation of its patented and award-winning Industrial Ergonomics Solution, featuring the new 3-dimensional (3D) model for motion capture. The update utilizes cutting edge research, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and neural network technology to assess musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) risk in 3D with the highest accuracy and effectiveness in the market.
In 2018, Velocity acquired Humantech®, the leader in industrial ergonomics and pioneer of the industry’s first sensorless 2D motion capture technology. This transformation from a 2D to 3D model for motion capture breaks new ground in the battle against MSDs, the leading cause of workplace injuries, robbing people of their livelihoods and costing businesses billions of dollars a year.
“Your people work in a 3D world, your ergonomics solutions should too,” said Dr. Julia Penfield, VP of Research & Machine Learning at VelocityEHS. “The new 3D model for motion capture was purpose-built using our proprietary dataset to train the technology. Combining AI and ML capabilities with ergonomics expertise improves accuracy and reliability and enhances the efforts of experienced ergonomics professionals. Now ergonomics team members of all experience levels can quickly and easily achieve expert-level results.”
The new model is the culmination of years long collaboration between Machine Learning experts from Velocity and the University of Michigan, Rutgers University and the University of Toronto, biomechanical academic researchers from the University of Cincinnati, and Velocity’s team of the most trusted certified professional ergonomists (CPEs) in the industry. Bringing it to market involved:
- Analyzing 500+ videos, 7 million images
- 1000+ hours of manual testing for accuracy
- Conducting quality review by Velocity’s 20+ certified professional ergonomists
- Extensive real-world testing with customers
Modeling the movements of the human body in 3D means Velocity’s already best-in-class MSD risk assessment sets a new standard for quality and comprehensiveness. It incorporates the automated scoring of wrist postures, side bending, back twisting, and data for body regions that are blocked or obstructed from view. The new model was trained on an internally developed dataset of the most common occupation tasks, including assembly, lifting, lowering, pushing, and pulling.
“MSDs in the wrists are among the most common and costly. Accurately measuring this risk is difficult, even for trained ergonomists, and until now had to be done manually. Automating this process ensures consistently high-quality data and reduces the need for long hours of training your ergonomics team members to quantify difficult and highly variable tasks,” said Blake McGowan, CPE, and Solution Executive for Ergonomics at Velocity. “It is 50% more accurate at quantifying body segment angles than the previous version and captures 100% of data and scoring for elbows, shoulders, back, and neck, even when segments are temporarily hidden.”
Velocity’s update includes an Interactive Posture Risk Timeline that visualizes the moments of highest risk to ensure more effective analysis of the direct causes of MSD risk. Expertise embedded in the software helps users choose the right controls to address issues before they contribute to an MSD. Now EHS managers and ergonomics teams can more efficiently and effectively engage employees in the job improvement process and ensure accountability for implementing corrective actions.
“If a company is serious about reducing MSD risk, this is where you start,” said Matt Airhart, CEO of Velocity. “Our first 2D model allowed customers to assess MSD risk at scale using AI Computer Vision, so you could identify and mitigate risk faster and more accurately than ever before. This update blows our first iteration away. For people on the front lines, it has the potential to be life changing.”
Current Velocity Ergonomics customers will have the same easy work flow they are accustomed to, with the updates taking effect automatically. Users simply upload a video of a worker doing a task, taken with any digital device, and the software takes care of the rest.
To learn more about Velocity’s Research Team, their critical breakthroughs with ML, recent patents and publications, check out the May 2024 press release entitled VelocityEHS Earns 5 AI Patents and Publishes in Nature. For more information about Velocity’s new 3D model for motion capture and Industrial Ergonomics Solutions, visit www.ehs.com/solutions/ergonomics.
About VelocityEHS
Relied on by more than 10 million users worldwide to drive operational excellence and achieve outstanding outcomes, VelocityEHS is the global leader in true SaaS enterprise EHS & ESG technology. The VelocityEHS Accelerate® Platform is the definitive gold standard, delivering best-in-class software solutions for managing Safety, Ergonomics, Chemical Management, Contractor Management, Operational Risk, ESG and Environmental Compliance.
The VelocityEHS team includes unparalleled industry expertise, with more certified experts in health, safety, industrial hygiene, ergonomics, sustainability, the environment, AI, and machine learning than any other EHS software provider. Recognized by the EHS industry’s top independent analysts as a Leader in the Verdantix 2023 Green Quadrant Analysis, VelocityEHS is committed to industry thought leadership and to accelerating the pace of innovation through its software solutions and vision. Its privacy and security protocols, which include SOC2 Type II attestation, are among the most stringent in the industry.
VelocityEHS is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with locations in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Tampa, Florida; Oakville, Ontario; London, England; Perth, Western Australia; and Cork, Ireland. For more information, visit www.EHS.com.
### VelocityEHS Media Contact
Brad Harbaugh
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