Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MAIA (Models and Methods for an active ageing workforce: an international academy)
Reporting period: 2020-01-01 to 2023-10-31
The primary objective of MAIA Academy is to establish a distinctive research and innovation staff exchange network focused on the challenges associated with an aging workforce in the manufacturing sector. MAIA project adopts a multidisciplinary approach to achieve the following goals:
-Investigate the needs and requirements of the aging workforce in European production and assembly systems.
-Develop new design methodologies to design assembly and production workspaces for ageing-workers, emphasizing the preservation of productivity, quality, and safety.
-Create new analytical models to support ageing-oriented assembly and production line design, validating them through global case studies.
-Design and test ergonomic devices aimed at assisting aging workers in reducing muscular fatigue and the risk of musculoskeletal disorders during tasks.
-Design and test immersive and virtual reality instruments to guide and support ageing workers in the production process.
The activities on WP2 were focused on age-friendly models and methods for operation management; several works on the topic have been produced, highlighting the influence of aging on decision-making (TASKS 2.1 and 2.2). In the WP2 7 secondments have been carried out, with a total duration of 9 months. The main results have been presented in 8 International conferences and published in 7 International Journals.
Furthermore, regarding WP3, the WEM-Platform, a motion caption system, was developed to provide real-time postural risk assessment and feedback in industrial and logistics environments, offering ergonomic evaluations based on motion capture and visual feedback to workers engaged in various operations; the activities also include the laboratory testing report of human-centered workspace design solutions. This activity encompasses the laboratory testing outcomes of human-centered workspace design solutions developed through collaboration between OTH and UNIPD, in partnership with KEYO and UOA (TASKS 3.1 and 3.2). In this work package 4 secondments have been carried out with a total duration of 5 months. The main results have been presented at 3 International conferences and published in 2 International Journals.
Regarding WP4, the consortium focused on the dissemination plan, which was presented in deliverable 4.1. It includes 24 events, mainly international conferences, in which various members of the consortium have participated (15) and will participate to present the results achieved to the scientific community.
WP5 activities focused on building the project website used not only for disseminating results but also for sharing files and documents among consortium members. Additionally, the coordinator worked on the data management plan, which has recently been submitted. Finally, WP6 activities focused on the ethical requirements necessary for conducting project tests, all of which have been developed and approved in the four deliverables of the work package.
The project's contribution to improving research and innovation potential extends to its impact on European and global levels, emphasizing the need for long-term strategic cooperation. MAIA places a strong emphasis on the dissemination of research outcomes, employing various channels such as academic journals, conferences, workshops, and public engagement activities. The project aims to make its results accessible to diverse audiences, including peers, potential users, and the wider research and innovation community.