Operating modes

Ergoniza Intelligent has three main operating modes: Single posture, Multiple postures, and Lifting. Each mode is designed for a different type of analysis and changes how data is entered, results are interpreted, and the temporal aspects of the task are considered.

Select any of the three modes at the top of the interface.

No.	Mode	Main function
1	Single posture	Analyzes a specific model posture.
2	Multiple postures	Analyzes a time-based posture sequence.
3	Lifting	Analyzes lifting and manual material handling tasks.

Purpose of the operating modes

The operating mode determines the type of task to be assessed.

Selecting the correct mode is important because analyses are not interpreted in the same way for an isolated posture, a time-based sequence, and a lifting task. For example, holding a posture for a specified time, repeating an action, accumulating exertion, and following a lifting path are handled differently in each mode.

As a general rule:

use Single posture to assess a specific posture;
use Multiple postures when the task is represented by a time-based sequence;
use Lifting when the task involves lifting, lowering, or handling a load using lifting-specific parameters.

Single posture mode

The Single posture mode, marked with number 1, analyzes one model posture.

In this mode, the system assesses the currently displayed posture together with the configured loads, forces, and conditions. It is appropriate when a task can be represented by one relevant position or when a specific posture must be studied in isolation.

For example, use it to:

analyze a sustained posture;
assess a posture captured from an image;
review a manually entered posture;
estimate biomechanical exertions in a specific position;
assess postural discomfort, REBA, or LUBA for a posture;
study stability and weight distribution in a specific configuration.

This mode does not contain a complete time-based posture sequence. Temporal aspects are therefore configured in Action duration and repetitiveness.

Temporal considerations in Single posture mode

Although Single posture mode analyzes one model position, its ergonomic interpretation may depend on how that posture occurs in the actual task.

The system therefore lets you specify whether the posture or action:

does not repeat and is sustained only momentarily;
does not repeat but is sustained for a certain duration;
occurs periodically in repeating movement cycles.

These options affect the interpretation of results such as postural discomfort and biomechanical exertions. A posture that may be acceptable momentarily can become more significant when sustained for a long time or repeated many times.

To configure these aspects, see Action duration and repetitiveness.

Multiple postures mode

The Multiple postures mode, marked with number 2, analyzes a time-based posture sequence.

In this mode, a timeline represents the activity and contains recorded postures, also called keyframes. The system can play the activity, interpolate postures between keyframes, analyze how results change, and calculate time-dependent indicators.

This mode is appropriate for tasks in which posture changes during the activity, such as:

repetitive cycles;
assembly tasks;
object handling;
upper-arm or trunk movements;
sequences captured from video;
postures imported from motion capture systems;
activities requiring analysis of cumulative exertion or discomfort over time.

This mode enables the Timeline, which controls the animation, plays the sequence, selects intervals, adds or modifies postures, and provides access to time-based tools.

Temporal considerations in Multiple postures mode

In Multiple postures mode, the activity has an explicit duration and progression over time.

This makes it possible to calculate results for the complete activity or part of it, rather than for one posture only. These results include:

biomechanical exertion over time;
cumulative exertion load;
postural discomfort over time;
time-based charts;
changes in loads or analysis conditions over time;
repeated activity cycles;
partial recovery during rest periods.

Activity repetition is configured in Activity repetitions. There you can specify how many times the sequence repeats and whether there are rest periods between repetitions.

This distinction is important: Single posture mode describes the repetitiveness of an isolated action, whereas Multiple postures mode can repeat a complete posture sequence.

Keyframes, interpolation, and the time-based sequence

In Multiple postures mode, the postures recorded on the timeline act as keyframes.

Each keyframe represents a posture at a specific time. When interpolation is enabled, the system can calculate intermediate postures between two keyframes. This represents the activity as continuous movement.

The timeline also lets you change the position of keyframes in time, enter new postures, delete postures, or adjust the total sequence duration.

For more information, see:

Capturing postures in Multiple postures mode

Multiple postures mode can create time-based sequences from several sources:

video capture;
real-time camera capture;
capture data imported from sensors;
manual keyframe entry;
manual adjustment of recorded postures.

These tools can create posture sequences from different sources for subsequent analysis with the methods available in Ergoniza Intelligent.

For more information, see:

Lifting mode

The Lifting mode, marked with number 3, analyzes lifting and manual material handling tasks.

Use this mode when the main task consists of lifting, lowering, or moving a load and the assessment requires criteria specific to manual handling.

In this mode, the analysis is not limited to body posture. Lifting-specific variables are also relevant, including:

load weight;
origin and destination positions;
horizontal distance from the load to the body;
handling height;
vertical travel distance;
asymmetry;
lifting frequency;
temporal organization of lifting;
lifting period duration;
recovery between periods;
coupling quality;
handling conditions.

Lifting tasks describe the different handling conditions included in the analysis. Lifting periods describe how that set of tasks is distributed over time. The number of tasks and the number of periods are therefore independent concepts.

Lifting mode is specifically designed for these tasks. Use it when the operation being assessed is genuinely a manual load handling task, rather than merely an isolated posture or a general movement sequence.

Differences between the three modes

The three modes share the same general biomechanical model but differ in how they represent the task and interpret the results.

Mode	Main unit of analysis	Recommended use
Single posture	One specific posture	Assess an individual, sustained, momentary, or repeated position.
Multiple postures	Time-based posture sequence	Assess dynamic activities, cycles, changes over time, and cumulative exertion.
Lifting	Load handling task	Assess lifting and manual handling using specific parameters.

Differences in the interpretation of time

The most important difference between Single posture and Multiple postures modes is how they handle time.

In Single posture mode, the system does not have a complete sequence. You must therefore specify how that posture occurs in the actual task: whether it is momentary, sustained, or repetitive.

In Multiple postures mode, the system has a time-based sequence. The duration of each posture, interpolation, cycles, rest periods, and activity repetition can be incorporated directly into the analysis.

In Lifting mode, the activity can be organized as a single period, a regular pattern of periods, or a custom sequence. Each period has a lifting duration and, except for the last period, a subsequent recovery interval. Ergoniza Intelligent uses this organization to create the time blocks used in the NIOSH assessment.

Differences in available results

Some results are available in several modes, but their interpretation may differ.

For example:

postural discomfort can be analyzed in one posture or throughout an activity;
biomechanical exertions can be assessed as instantaneous or cumulative values;
time-based charts are meaningful only when there is a multiple-posture sequence;
cumulative exertion load is available only in Multiple postures mode;
lifting-specific analyses require Lifting mode.

Before interpreting a result, verify the operating mode in which it was obtained.

Selecting the appropriate mode

Select the mode before starting the analysis, based on the nature of the task.

Use Single posture if the main question is:

What risk or exertion is associated with this specific posture?
What happens if the worker sustains this position?
What happens if this posture is repeated?

Use Multiple postures if the main question is:

How does exertion change throughout the activity?
Which phase of the task is the most demanding?
What happens when a sequence is repeated several times?
What cumulative load is generated during the cycle?
How do discomfort or lumbar compression change over time?

Use Lifting if the main question is:

What risk is associated with lifting or handling a load?
How do height, distance, asymmetry, frequency, or coupling affect the lift?
How do period duration and recovery between periods affect the lifting result?
Which handling conditions should be redesigned?

Changing modes during an assessment

Changing modes can alter the available tools and how the data is interpreted.

Before changing modes, consider that:

some dialogs are available only in a specific mode;
the timeline is used only in Multiple postures mode;
temporal settings may change meaning;
calculated results may need to be updated;
entered data may not apply in the same way in another mode.

If you change modes after entering postures, loads, or analysis conditions, verify that the information remains consistent with the newly selected mode.

For more information about the operating modes, see:

For a more complete methodological explanation, see the Technical foundations, particularly:

These topics explain the methodological differences between analyzing an isolated posture and a time-based activity, as well as the relationships among time, repetition, cumulative exertion, and posture capture.