Shuttle cars are an unusual class of vehicle operated in underground coal mines, sometimes in close proximity to pedestrians and steering errors may have very serious consequences. A directional control–response incompatibility has previously been described in shuttle cars which are controlled using a steering wheel oriented perpendicular to the direction of travel. Some other shuttle car operators are seated perpendicular to the direction of travel and steer the car via a seat mounted joystick. A virtual simulation was utilised to determine whether the steering arrangement in these vehicles maintains directional control–response compatibility. Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to either a condition corresponding to this design (consistent direction), or a condition in which the directional steering response was reversed while driving in-bye (visual field compatible). Significantly less accurate steering performance was exhibited by the consistent direction group during the in-bye trials only. Shuttle cars which provide the joystick steering mechanism described here require operators to accommodate alternating compatible and incompatible directional control–response relationships with each change of car direction. / Practitioner Summary: A virtual simulation of an underground coal shuttle car demonstrates that the design incorporates a directional control–response incompatibility when driving the vehicle in one direction. This design increases the probability of operator error, with potential adverse safety and productivity consequences.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Directional control–response compatibility of joystick steered shuttle cars


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Ergonomics ; 55 , 10 ; 1278-1283


    Publication date :

    2012


    Size :

    6 Seiten




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




    Control Order and Visuomotor Strategy Development for Joystick-Steered Underground Shuttle Cars

    Cloete, Steven / Zupanc, Christine / Burgess-Limerick, Robin et al. | Tema Archive | 2014


    Front-steered cars

    Platt, M. | Engineering Index Backfile | 1940



    Electric Cars Containing The Joystick Mode and Method of changing Joystick Mode therefor

    KIM CHANG IL / CHA HOON | European Patent Office | 2017

    Free access