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Posture, discomfort and performance in a VDT task.
1Department of Industrial Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, 14260, USA. mhl@advtek.com.tw
Ergonomics
|February 7, 2001
Summary
Adjusting keyboard height impacts typing posture and comfort, which can affect performance. While discomfort and postural shifts negatively influenced error rates, the effects were not substantial in this 2-hour typing task.
Area of Science:
- Ergonomics
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Workplace design and posture are critical for performance.
- Previous research focused on visual inspection tasks.
- Understanding the interplay between posture, comfort, and performance is essential for workplace improvements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interactions between workplace setup, work duration, discomfort, working posture, and performance.
- To examine these interactions within a 2-hour typing task.
- To evaluate the effects of keyboard height on posture, discomfort, and typing performance.
Main Methods:
- Three keyboard heights were utilized to manipulate working posture (joint angles, postural shifts).
- Discomfort was measured using rating of perceived discomfort and body part discomfort.
- Performance was assessed through typing speed, error rate, and error correction rate.
Main Results:
- Keyboard height significantly influenced the working postures adopted by participants.
- The rate of postural shifts correlated with perceived discomfort, aligning with previous findings in VDT tasks.
- Increased discomfort and postural shift rates were associated with adverse effects on performance, specifically higher error rates, although the impact was not strongly pronounced.
Conclusions:
- The study partially supported the hypothesized relationships between posture, comfort, and performance.
- Keyboard height is a factor influencing working posture and subsequent discomfort.
- While discomfort and postural shifts can negatively impact typing performance, their effect on error rates may be limited.