Ergonomics Today™

Hedonomics – a Branch of Ergonomics Enshrined in the USA Constitution

May 4, 2005
Happiness. The Founding Fathers advocated it. Most people pursue it. Ergonomists have embraced it and given their research a name – hedonomics...

The New Food Pyramid – a Low Point in Ergonomic Communications

May 2, 2005
The consensus is that the pyramid has been stripped of words, symbols and meaning, and the government's advice to eat less and exercise more is undermined by the failure to communicate ergonomically...

"Under-Management Epidemic" Identified as Threat to Productivity and Worker Morale

April 29, 2005
Line managers in the United States and Britain were given a failing grade at a conference in London in April, where an "under-management epidemic" was identified as a threat to productivity and staff morale...

Ear Bionics May Help Paraplegics and Quadriplegics Move

April 27, 2005
If new research from Australia fulfills its early promise, the technology that allows the deaf to hear will soon be able to help people with spinal injuries ...

Healthy High Heels – a Futile Pursuit?

April 25, 2005
Who would argue that stilettos are impractical and painful? Even high heels of the more sober kind – closed-toe pumps for the executive look – can ruin a day. And by most accounts they should carry a health warning...

New Research Discovers Peril for Workers in Popular Split-Shift Pattern

April 22, 2005
Research on circadian rhythms and sleep deprivation fingers overnight shifts as a health-and-safety gamble, and a new study suggests that consequences can be even worse when shifts are split ...

Ergonomics Finds a Growing Role in Reducing the Cost of Obesity for Employers

April 20, 2005
Costs rise for employers as American workers grow in circumference. A report released by the California Department of Health Services concludes that obesity costs the state $21 billion annually ...

Ergonomics Brings Solutions to "Back Pain Epidemic" in CA Agriculture

April 18, 2005
Home gardeners know the pains that arise as they tackle gardening chores on weekends and evenings, but imagine if your job kept you in the field all day, day in and day out ...

A Cell Phone Designed Just for Kids

April 15, 2005
Firefly Mobile has released a new phone designed specifically for kids between the ages of 8 and 12. Using the ergonomic principles of designing specifically for a target population ...

Opinion: Balls as Office Chairs a Bad Idea

April 11, 2005
"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." And when someone tells you that a $19 ball will solve all of your back pain issues, you ought to be suspicious. And when they have the audacity to label that ball 'ergonomic' ...

Musculoskeletal Disorders are Leading Cause of Lost Workdays in U.S.A

April 8, 2005
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), often related to workplace ergonomic concerns, accounted for 33 percent of lost day workplace injuries and illnesses ...

IBM Gives a Voice to the Web

April 6, 2005
IBM's Home Page Reader software assists the elderly and others with impaired vision experience the Web and Windows desktop using text-to-speech, magnification and other accessibility technology.

Robotic Technology Does Guide Dog Tricks

April 4, 2005
New robotic guides use RFID technology to fill in where traditional guide dogs for the visually impaired leave off.

Controlling Computers by Thought Alone

April 1, 2005
The breakthrough BrainGate device gives quadriplegic the ability to conrol his computer and TV with his thoughts. Could walking be next?

Sleep Poll Shows Workers Are Too Sleepy To Work

March 30, 2005
2005 Sleep in America Poll indicates that work performance could be suffering from widespread sleepiness.

Does Work Affect Sleep or Does Sleep Affect Work?

March 28, 2005
New study finds that work may be affecting sleep just like sleep can affect work.

A Simple Cell Phone?

March 25, 2005
New trend in European cell phones finds simple features specifically targeting an older audience.

How to Warn Drivers of the Road Ahead

March 23, 2005
Human Factors engineers offer input on a project set to determine the best way to let drivers know when the road ahead may not be so clear.

Older Workers More Receptive to Workplace Change

March 21, 2005
Thinking of making changes to improve the workplace? Turns out resistance comes from younger workers, not older workers.

New Mouse Helps People With Hand Tremors

March 18, 2005
New mouse offers to improve the accuracy of computer mousing for people with hand-tremors.