A blog post about computer mice by British ergonomics and usability writer Kelvyn Taylor rang so true to me, I decided to reprint a portion of it here (emphasis added):
These days there are perhaps a few dozen good designs, but hundreds more bad ones. Sadly, many people – even those who should know better – [...]
Archive for November, 2006
Of Mice and Men: Will We Let Ergonomics In?
Published by November 29th, 2006 in Ergonomics and Society, Keyboards and Mice, Office Ergonomics and Uncategorized. 99 CommentsThe PenAgain Takes the World By Storm
Published by November 28th, 2006 in Other Products and Uncategorized. 0 CommentsWhen I first came across the PenAgain while surfing the net for interesting ergonomic products, I thought, “this looks cool.” I put this image in my gallery and didn’t think much more about it. Imagine my surprise when I saw an article on the PenAgain this morning in my local newspaper, the San [...]
Ergonomic Nightmare of the Week: Laptop Wedge Pillow
Published by November 27th, 2006 in Ergonomic Nightmare, Keyboards and Mice, Other Products, Product Design and Uncategorized. 5 CommentsLast week I recommended laptop stands as a way to angle or prop up a laptop for more ergonomic positioning. Little did I know, there is actually a laptop stand out there that is equally bad as hunching over the screen on your lap. This “laptop wedge pillow” was noted in ThisIsBroken for [...]
Are Fitness Balls as Chairs Ergonomic or Not?
Published by November 24th, 2006 in Chairs and Furniture, Fitness Balls, Office Ergonomics and Uncategorized. 1201 CommentsDuring a Pilates class I took in grad school my teacher mentioned that the large bouncy fitness balls we used in class also made great office chairs. “Active sitting” induced by balls, she said, keeps the core muscles active, strengthening the abs and spine and promotes good posture.
Whether or not she was qualified to give [...]
Ergonomic Travel Tips
Published by November 23rd, 2006 in Travel and Commuting and Uncategorized. 3 CommentsThe holiday travel season upon us. Lines, crowds, heavy luggage, uncomfortable airplanes, traffic…you are familiar with the horror and chaos that awaits you.
Airport Crowd
Here are a few tips to make your travels a little bit more comfortable:
Good luggage makes a big difference. Look for lightweight, durable luggage with extending handles and good [...]
It’s Never Been A Better Year to do Your Holiday Shopping Online
Published by November 21st, 2006 in Human Computer Interaction, Uncategorized and Usability. 0 CommentsBlast Radius, a customer experience innovation firm, just released their annual report evaluating America’s best online shopping experiences. The report indicates that retailers have significantly improved their online shopping experiences since last Holiday season.
In the retail business, usability could not be more important. If top online retailers like Amazon and Walmart want [...]
Ergonomic Nightmare of the Week: Laptop Computers
Published by November 20th, 2006 in Ergonomic Nightmare, Human Computer Interaction and Uncategorized. 3 CommentsWhat nightmare would have any man awaken in a cold sweat? A frightening omen of perpetual neck pain and lowered sperm counts, of course. What is even more frightening is that many people live this nightmare every day by using laptop computers.
As laptop speed and power capabilities now compete with those of desktops, [...]
6 Simple Tips for Ergonomics on a Shoestring Budget
Published by November 17th, 2006 in Ergonomics at Home, Office Ergonomics and Uncategorized. 2 CommentsPsychology Today published a great little article with some simple tips on how to make ergonomic improvements without emptying our wallets. Just like everything else in our lives, it is sometimes tempting to turn to technology to fix our problems, in attempt to avoid personal changes in behavior.
I would love to go out and [...]
2006 National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition to be the Biggest and Best Ever
Published by November 16th, 2006 in Conferences and Events and Uncategorized. 0 CommentsThe National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition being held the week after Thanksgiving (Nov 28-Dec 1) in Las Vegas will be the biggest ever in the conference’s history. With over 80 program sessions and the highest ever number of new product debuts, the NECE conference will be this year’s premier ergonomic event, and signals positive [...]
World Usability Day and the Future of Technology
Published by November 15th, 2006 in Ergonomics and Society, Human Computer Interaction, Uncategorized and Usability. 1 CommentNovember 14 has been named World Usability Day, in an effort to promote the value of usability engineering, user-centered design and every user’s right to ask for things that work better.
The last few decades have ushered in a more rapid advancement in technology than ever before in history. Engineers have been able to make [...]