Musculoskeletal disorders are some of the most frequent manual work disorders. Employers worldwide pay high costs for their treatment and prevention. We present an innovative method for designing an ergonomic workplace. This method uses new technologies and supports not only ergonomics, but also a general improvement in the designing of the manufacturing process. Although many researchers claim that there is a huge potential for using new disruptive technologies like virtual reality and motion capture in ergonomics, there is still a lack of a comprehensive methodological basis for implementing these technologies. Our approach was designed using the expert group method. We can validate the manufacturing process and the ergonomics using a motion capture (MoCap) suit and a head-mounted display (HMD). There are no legislative restrictions for the tools which are used for ergonomic analyses, so we can use our outputs for workplace scoring. Firstly, we measure the anthropometrics of the proband. Then the proband is immersed in virtual reality and they go through a manufacturing process during which ergonomics data are collected. The design of a particular workplace or multiple workplaces can be validated based on the reactions, measurements, and input in real-time. After processing the data, the workplace can be adjusted accordingly. The proposed method has a time and economic benefit for workplace design, optimisation of workplace ergonomics, and shortens the time required for designing the production line layout. It also includes optional steps for validation using conventional methods. These steps were used for method validation on a representative workplace using on-site experiments. We validated it on a group of 20 healthy operators working in automotive production (age 22 to 35). A comparison study describes the classic methods of workplace ergonomics evaluation, compares the classic evaluation using biomechanical analysis, modern evaluation using a MoCap suit, and connection with virtual reality. We have proved the validity of the method using the comparison study. The results also showed other potential issues which can be further examined: like the role of peripheral vision or haptic feedback.

Due to the increasingly high proportion of manual activities in production processes, there is a constant risk of musculoskeletal disorders or work-related injuries. The risk of these problems is exacerbated by the trend towards an ageing working population. European legislation is pressing for improved working conditions to eliminate the risks associated with health problems for workers. For this reason, the application of ergonomics in this field is growing. Musculoskeletal disorders, which are most often caused by inappropriate working postures, are a major problem. There are many methods for evaluating working postures. However, there is a high degree of subjectivity in the risk assessment. Motion capture kinematic suits can ensure the objectivity of the assessment. This article discusses research on ergonomics assessment using motion capture technology. A systematic literature search method was used for the research, beginning with the determination of the research procedure, through the definition of the research queries, to the formulation of the research itself to identify relevant sources. The study presents the most widely used methods for assessing the ergonomics of work positions using motion capture technology, their advantages, and disadvantages. It also follows the trend in the number of publications between 2010 and 2022 in countries where the topic is most frequently addressed and in the industries where motion capture technology is used for ergonomics assessment in general. The research showed that this approach is most often used in industry and logistics, and less frequently in healthcare and sport. The authors agree that the most frequently used ergonomics assessment methods are not complex enough to be used in combination with motion capture and that a combination of the two is needed. At the same time, this technology has become very important in the field of ergonomic evaluation of work positions, offering a higher degree of objectivity, or can be combined with the use of virtual reality, but the evaluation systems are still not error-free and there is a need for continuous improvement.