Liyun Yang
Postdoctoral Researcher
E-mail: liyun.yang@ki.se
Telephone: +46852486109
Visiting address: Solnavägen 4, Plan 10, 11365 Stockholm
Postal address: C6 Institutet för miljömedicin, C6 Arbetsmedicin Forsman, 171 77 Stockholm
About me
- Postdoctoral researcher at the Unit of Occupational medicine, IMM, Karolinska
Institutet.
Postdoctoral researcher within the area of ergonomics at the Unit of
Occupational medicine, IMM, Karolinska Institutet.
PhD 2019, KTH Royal Institute of Technology & - Karolinska Institutet
MSc 2015, KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Research
- Ergonomics and prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs)
have been my research interest since my PhD time. With the UN Sustainable
Development goals on Good health and well-being, and Decent work and
economic growth, ergonomics is playing an increasingly important role to
achieve a sustainable working life.
My current research work focuses on these main areas:
1) Development and evaluation of ergonomic risk assessment tools with
wearable sensors.
In order to improve the work environment regarding ergonomics factors, it is
important to identify risks and assess the severity of those risk factors.
Easy-to-use and low-cost tools and methods are needed to facilitate the
accurate risk assessment in work places. Some examples of projects that I
have worked with:
* A freely-available iPhone application for measurement upper arm postures
and movements – ErgoArmMeter, with over 5000 downloads worldwide (AFA
financed project).
* A wearable system embedded in smart clothes for measuring and assessing
the postures of upper arms and trunk. New functions with the smart
workwear system are currently being developed, together with end-users
from the industry (Vinnova Production 2030 financed project, co-PI and
work package leader).
* A smartphone application with wireless motion sensors for wrist velocity
assessment in hand-intensive work – ErgoHandMeter. The application has
been tested in lab and in industrial settings with highly-rated usability.
Further algorithm for better accuracy is being tested (Forte financed
project).
2) Intervention and implementation of ergonomics method
In order to prevent WMSDs in the working population, intervention and
implementation research is of high importance. Two approaches in ergonomics
are suggested: to fit the task to the human and to “fit” the human to the
task. Currently, I work with two different intervention/implementation
projects applying the two approaches:
* Implementation of a systematic risk management method (RAMP) in companies.
The project aims to study the company implementation process and
strategies, and evaluate the effects on individual and organizational
level.
* Work technique training using wearable systems with bio-feedback. We have
tested different training programs in lab and industrial settings, with
significant short term effects. Further research to improve the long term
learning effects is to be continued.
3) Surgical ergonomics
Surgeons are at high risk for developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs),
which are associated with surgeon burnout and decreased quality of life. It
may also impact surgical performance, patient safety and surgeon career
longevity. Some examples:
* Evaluation of new prismatic loupes on surgeons’ musculoskeletal
discomforts, physical workload and surgical performance, in lab and the
operating room.
* Design and evaluation of individual risk assessment report for surgeons,
with the aim to increase surgeons’ ergonomic awareness and lay the
foundation for further intervention.
* Pilot studies for other interventions within the operating room are being
planned.
Teaching
- I have supervised master students both from KI (Work Environment and Health),
and from KTH (Medical Engineering and Technology, Work and Health). I have
also supervised visiting PhD student with finance from Erasmus+ program.
I teach lectures and laboratory sessions in courses on ergonomics and
prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.
Articles
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH. 2023;20(18):6741
- Article: SENSORS. 2023;23(8):3969
- Article: ERGONOMICS. 2023;66(2):198-216
- Article: FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH. 2023;11:1257365
- Article: SCANDINAVIAN JOURNAL OF WORK, ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH. 2022;48(8):651-661
- Article: SURGICAL ENDOSCOPY. 2022;36(11):8178-8194
- Article: JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH. 2022;82:293-300
- Article: SENSORS. 2022;22(4):1690
- Article: BMJ OPEN. 2022;12(2):e054969
- Article: FRONTIERS IN PUBLIC HEALTH. 2022;10:1055374
- Article: SURGICAL ENDOSCOPY. 2021;35(11):6335-6343
- Article: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH. 2021;18(4):1525
- Article: APPLIED ERGONOMICS. 2020;89:103188
- Journal article: BEIJING DA XUE XUE BAO. YI XUE BAN = JOURNAL OF PEKING UNIVERSITY. HEALTH SCIENCES. 2020;52(3):535-540
- Article: JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH. 2019;71:79-85
- Article: ERGONOMICS. 2019;62(5):694-705
- Article: SENSORS. 2018;18(9):E3092-3092
- Article: IEEE ACCESS. 2018;6:40059-40072
- Article: APPLIED ERGONOMICS. 2017;65:492-500
- Article: SURGICAL ENDOSCOPY. 2017;31(2):877-886
All other publications
- Book chapter: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ERGONOMICS ASSOCIATION (IEA 2021): LECTURE NOTES IN NETWORKS AND SYSTEMS. 2021;p. 868-873
- Book chapter: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ERGONOMICS ASSOCIATION (IEA 2021): LECTURE NOTES IN NETWORKS AND SYSTEMS. 2021;p. 763-767
- Book chapter: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 21ST CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ERGONOMICS ASSOCIATION (IEA 2021): LECTURE NOTES IN NETWORKS AND SYSTEMS. 2021;p. 130-134
- Published conference paper: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. 2020;230(4):554-560
- Thesis / dissertation: 2019
- Book chapter: PROCEEDINGS OF THE 20TH CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ERGONOMICS ASSOCIATION (IEA 2018): ADVANCES IN INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS AND COMPUTING. 2019;p. 205-211
- Book chapter: WORLD CONGRESS ON MEDICAL PHYSICS AND BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2018: IFMBE PROCEEDINGS. 2019;p. 433-437
Employments
- Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, 2020-2025
Degrees and Education
- Doctor Of Philosophy, Karolinska Institutet, 2020