Biography

Dr Ya Huang specialises in human-motion dynamics. He has been a Senior Lecturer in Engineering Dynamics at the University of Portsmouth since 2009. He leads research into 1) human responses to shock and vibration, and 2) field ocean wave imaging and modelling for vessel seakeeping, paving steps to human-centred autonomy of future land and marine transports. Before Portsmouth, he enjoyed 18-month working as part of the Blast and Impact Dynamics Group at Sheffield University. Dr Huang obtained his doctorate degree in human responses to whole-body vibration in 2008 at the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR), University of Southampton.

Research interests

Through understanding force and motion experienced by the human body (biomechanics), Dr Huang’s main research interest has been human factors during whole-body vibration (WBV) and repeated shocks (RS) experienced in different modes of transport on land, in the air and at sea.

He has 20-year research experience of whole-body vibration and mechanical shock related biomechanic studies in the laboratory and in the field.

Dr Huang has contributed to new methodologies to reconstruct multiple channels of nonlinear and cross-correlated force and motion signals during whole-body vibration – a key step for modelling ride quality and injury prevention of all transportation systems. These outcomes reduce the computational costs and enhance motion transmission models leading to better design and assessment tools. He has led laboratory studies using dynamic sitting trials of search and rescue crew using two classes of fast lifeboats seating configurations with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. 

Ya has extended his research into applying existing machine learning and vision algorithms to quantify human movement abnormity and to improve human machine interaction. He has investigated wave slam on fast craft using simulation. He has spearheaded the application of 3D dynamic scenes reconstruction using stereo vision system for assessing human responses to oncoming disturbances in transport systems. These have led to recent investigation into musculoskeletal modelling of lifeboat crew, optimal bracing and coping strategies on fast lifeboats. His current research is to push field ocean wave imaging and modelling for vessel seakeeping, paving steps to human-centred autonomy of future land and marine transports.