Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering

Information about the EOCTFY project

Iowa State University is actively recruiting youth participants in a scientific ergonomic study investigating how children carry five and one gallon buckets often used in agricultural tasks. This project will assist researchers in understanding the different ways that carrying buckets changes the posture, gait, and forces on youth ages 8 to 17 years. The goal of this project is to investigate potential risk factors for farm children performing occupational carrying tasks and to make safety recommendations to parents and employers.

Participants will visit ISU campus and the Health and Human Performance Biomechanics laboratory and complete a series of three stations during this research trial. Station one will collect demographic information, health information, and the occupational history of the participant. Station two will measure physical dimensions of the participant like height, foot length, neck circumference etc. The last station measures the kinematics with a specialized camera system as the participant walks 8 meters while carrying one bucket or two buckets with different loads. 

View a Computer generated figure that shows a person carrying a loaded 5 gallon bucket. 

Each subject who participates in the study will receive $20.00.

This material was last updated on 12-20-2006