Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Agrosym 2025, 2 - 05 Ekim 2025, cilt.10, sa.3, ss.85-92, (Tam Metin Bildiri)
ABSTRACT
Urbanization, shrinking arable land, and climate uncertainties have driven the search for sustainable food production systems. Vertical aquaponics offers a promising solution by integrating soilless cultivation, artificial lighting, and controlled environments. Yet, despite technical advances, ergonomic risks during manual harvesting remain largely overlooked. This study evaluates the postural load of lettuce harvesting in a vertical aquaponics setup using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method. A female worker representing 95% of Turkish women in stature was selected, and body postures were further analyzed through inverse kinematics and anthropometric modeling. The task yielded a REBA score of 5, classified as “medium risk,” lower than scores typically reported in field harvesting. However, environmental conditions such as high humidity and temperature in closed-loop aquaponics may amplify worker fatigue. By integrating ergonomic assessment with anthropometric modeling, this research provides one of the first systematic evaluations of harvesting ergonomics in vertical aquaponics systems. The findings highlight the need for worker-centered design to ensure both the health of operators and the long-term sustainability of urban food production.
Key words: Vertical aquaponics, Harvesting, REBA, Ergonomics, Posture.