In dismantling factories for recycling, it is important to input actual working data to a personal computer (PC) in order to monitor the work results and related recycling rate of the inputs. This should be performed with a keyboard, a mouse, or other...
In dismantling factories for recycling, it is important to input actual working data to a personal computer (PC) in order to monitor the work results and related recycling rate of the inputs. This should be performed with a keyboard, a mouse, or other devices. But when a worker is working in the factory, it could be bothersome or time consuming to go to the PC. Especially, workers who works at dismantling factories have a generally low education level are scared to use a PC, which could be used as a pretext for not using the PC. In some cases, data input is performed by a worker after the day's job. In this case, it could take additional time, the worker can make more mistakes, and the data could be unreliable. In this study, we developed a man-machine interface (MMI) device using a safety helmet. A joystick-like device, pushbuttons, and a radio frequency (RF) device for wireless communication is equipped in a safety helmet. This MMI device has functions similar to a PC mouse, and it has a long communication distance. RF is used because it consumes less battery power than Bluetooth. With this MMI device, workers need not go to a PC to input data or to control the PC, and they can control the PC from a long distance. The efficiency of PCs in a factory could be increased by using the developed MMI system, and workers at the dismantling factories could have less reluctance in using the PC.