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Meet Santos: Ford’s Virtual Soldier

Santos dramatic photoSantos running photo
Originally created for the US Department of Defense at the University of Iowa, as part of the Virtual Soldier Research (VSR) program designed to help reduce physical strain on soldiers, Santos is now a part a Ford’s team. Currently in testing phase, Santos is a virtual worker that records the physical strains of reaching, lifting and stretching. Moreover, he can also walk, talk and answer questions.

According to the American manufacturer, the computerized avatar will enable Ford to improve quality, safety and ergonomics in factories before an assembly line is built, to benefit the company employees.

"Creating the safest and most ergonomic way to build a vehicle is a trial-and-error process – in recent years technology has allowed this process to happen in the virtual world,"
said Allison Stephens, ergonomics technical specialist with Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering. "Santos takes this to a new level. He can perform a task and tell us whether over months and years it will cause back strain, for example, and we can make adjustments until we find the optimal way to get the job done."

Predictive dynamics uses general rules of human body movement combined with complex mathematical models and robotics to enable Santos to provide feedback on fatigue, speed, strength and torque, even as the parameters of the virtual environment change

According to Tim Marler, a VSR senior research scientist, because Santos has been equipped with a complete biomechanical muscular system, he is subject to all the laws of physics. "This software is a new experience – you can get feedback. You can see body strength in real time. You can see fatigue. When you have that ability to see motion, to predict motion, you can work that into your designs and programs," he said.


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