Robust dynamic comfort modeling for motorcycle riding

Abstract

Comfort modeling is considered a prerequisite in motorcycle design, primarily to address safety concerns and to position the product on the market. However, a comprehensive methodology for comfort modeling during the earliest development phases of a motorcycle model is still missing. Anthropometrical variation is the main noise factor to consider in comfort modeling in relation to the unavoidable variability of body segments. However, comfort is a subjective concept influencing riders' choice of motorcycle model. This work is a generalization of the robust ergonomic design methodology aimed at designing products whose ergonomic performance is insensitive to anthropometrical variation. This work further develops the methodology, by considering dynamic aspects involved in the driver-motorcycle interaction. Moreover, this article proposes a generalized robustness criterion and presents a full simulation study with purposely developed software. The result is a generalized ergo-dynamic assessment of a motorcycle model, either physical or digital, replacing common static ergonomic evaluations.