Ergonomics Today™

Recent Conference Explored Home Health Care Needs of Baby Boomers

June 11, 2007
ergonomists, industrial designers and other experts recently collaborated on ways to optimize home health care products and services for aging baby boomers.

Discovery May Snip Power Cords for Today Rechargeable Gadgets

June 8, 2007
A discovery from MIT could make small rechargeable devices more useable and useful – within limits.

Gabriel Spitz, Sc.D., Appointed to Direct Human Factors Efforts At LiveData

June 4, 2007
An expert in the tools used to maximize the usability of software applications, Dr. Gabriel Spitz has been appointed to one of two key management positions at LiveData.

Google and Microsoft Upgrade Their Map Sites

June 1, 2007
Google and Microsoft upgraded their map sites in May, and Google appears to have the usability edge.

Forest Service Blames Human Error for Fire Firefighter Deaths in California

May 28, 2007
The official investigation into the deaths of five firefighters, who lost their lives in a California wildfire, blames human error, but official policy is also under scrutiny.

4D CAVEman To Give Doctors an Inside Look at Disease

May 25, 2007
A 4D “human,” CAVEman is designed to give doctors an inside view of the body for a better look at diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Solar Flashlight Delivers Luxury of Light to Poor Villages

May 21, 2007
A new invention promises to provide the luxury of light to parts of the world where it is desperately needed.

Report Highlights Overlooked Ergonomics in Borders Technology

May 18, 2007
Biometric technology has been in place at the United States-Mexican border to screen for terrorists and illegal immigrants for almost a decade, but inspectors rarely make use of it.

Ohio State Opens New Automotive Production Line Research Center

May 14, 2007
Ohio State University opens an “automotive manufacturing facility of the future” to test the effects of systems on the health of workers.

United Nations Agency Takes on Task of Reducing Medical Errors – Globally

May 11, 2007
Health services in some countries have been successful in reducing the toll of medical errors. The World Health Organization plans to spread the knowledge.

Maine Engineer Wins NASA Competition for Design of Spacesuit Glove

May 7, 2007
Some astronaut operations require dexterity, and the prize-winning design of a Maine engineer may help provide more of it.

California OSHA Publishes Steps to Reduce MSDs from Manual Materials Handling

May 4, 2007
The California OSHA outlines ways to cut the grim annual figures for MSDs related to manual materials handling.

Federal Government Completes Overhaul of Official Web Portal

April 30, 2007
Visitors thought the federal government’s official Web portal was something completely different. The overhaul began with the name.

Researchers Plan “Naturalistic” Project to Improve Teen Driving

April 27, 2007
Teens will be driving their own vehicles in an unusual project to test – and improve – their driving.

Federal Aviation Regulator Expands Program to Prevent Summer Storm Delays

April 23, 2007
The FAA has found a way to reduce air traffic snarls during summer storms in the Northeast, and is expanding it farther westwards.

Electronic Patient Data System Soon in Canada, Urged for Australia

April 20, 2007
A Canadian province plans to introduce electronic patient data system. Experts urge Australia to adopt one

Obituary: Dr. Kevin Granata a Victim of Virginia Tech Massacre

April 17, 2007
The shooting death on Monday of Dr. Kevin Granata at Virginia Tech robs his profession and associated fields of an important voice.

False Tooth of the Future Could Cut Medication Errors

April 16, 2007
It may be a few years off, but a drug-dispensing false tooth could be an answer to many types of medication errors.

Homeland Security Developing ‘Hostile Intent’ Technology

April 13, 2007
A US department is at work on human factors technology to detect “bad guys” before they enter the country.

Heavy School Bags Linked to Back Problems: Three Students Lobbying for Relief

April 9, 2007
Heavy school bags can be a recipe for back problems, according to a recent study from South Africa. Meanwhile, three students in Scotland are fighting to ease the load.