Janelle Haines is the Operator Station Human Factors engineer for combines at John Deere. Using virtual reality and human modeling technology, she assesses the combine cabs for ergonomic fit and operator comfort. She is the owner of the Virtual Reality lab onsite and also assists with manufacturing reviews in the virtual environment. In her previous role as the Ergonomic Analyst at John Deere Harvester Works, she was in charge of all ergonomic processes for manufacturing, evaluating new machine designs for manufacturing, and also assessing assembly feasibility using VR technologies. Using these methods, high risk processes are identified and corrected before they pose a problem on the shop floor. The use of ergonomic evaluations aided by VR technology has proven to be extremely valuable in reducing injuries and improving the safety of the production employees. Janelle started her career at John Deere Dubuque Works where she was introduced to Deere’s virtual reality technologies. After spending several months working directly with the VR group, she transitioned to the safety department where the connection between manufacturing and virtual reality was made. Janelle studied at the University of Iowa where she earned a B.S in Biomedical Engineering with a focus on Ergonomics and Biomechanics.
