Disassembly operation support system with motion monitoring of a human operator

Improving efficiency of disassembling operations is one of the key issues to facilitate part reuse and material recycling. In this paper, we propose an operation support system that provides information, such as disassembly sequence, necessary tools, and disassembly directions, using 3D product models. To provide necessary information at the proper instant, the system has a function of monitoring operator's motion by means of 3D position sensors attached on the backs of both hands. The signals from the sensors are processed to extract features of disassembly operations. Based on the recognition of the operations, the system provides information for the operator via a head mount display. The effectiveness of the system has been verified by applying a prototype system to disassembly operations of copying machines.