Human Factors and Ergonomics

The adoption of prolonged sitting posture, which is a condition commonly encountered in several working tasks, is known to induce a wide range of negative effects, including discomfort, which has been recognized as an early predictor for musculoskeletal disorders (particularly low back pain), and impact on cardio-metabolic health. In this regard, the continuous monitoring of worker’s psychophysical state while sitting for long periods of time and throughout the day, may result useful in to preventing and managing potentially risky situations and to promote...

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how knowledge work gets done. In early 2022, roughly six in ten U.S. workers with jobs that can be completed from home continue to work from home all or most of the time. As more people work from home than ever before, and as the demand for remote work increases, workplaces continue to find optimal balance for collaborating with colleagues onsite. This presentation will discuss how the pandemic changed how we work, and how the home-office work balance will continue to evolve.

Research in the field of ergonomics, and its associated research methods such as motion capture, may appear abstract, with limited direct application outside of academia. However, when integrated into a research-to-practice design philosophy, ergonomics and biomechanical research methods can be employed to improve overall satisfaction with devices and workplaces. Occasionally, products are released onto the market without full consideration of user needs and wants. User-centered design (UCD), often by way of methods including surveys or task analyses,...

If you ask most about proper lifting technique, they will tell you to “lift with your legs, not with your back.” However, this simple rule may be doing more harm than good. There are many barriers to applying this principle, and the scientific literature and principles of biomechanics show that this is in fact the wrong way to approach the problem. Our current efforts to reduce back injuries are not making much of a difference. We need to take a step back, think outside of the box, and change the lifting scenario—not the lifting technique. In this presentation,...