Objective Evaluation of Active Interactions between the Operator and Display Screen Equipment Using an Innovative...

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Human-computer interaction
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Traditional occupational risk assessment for display screen equipment (DSE) operators relies on self-reported data via questionnaires.
• Evaluating active operator-DSE interactions is crucial for accurate risk assessment and management.
• Current methods lack objective measures of direct interaction time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an innovative system for objectively assessing active operator-DSE interactions.
• To measure system performance in a sample of employees performing reading and copying tasks at DSE workstations.
• To determine if collected data can improve occupational health risk evaluation.

Main Methods:

• An objective assessment system was developed, collecting electrical impulses from mouse and keyboard, and using a camera for eye-screen fixation.
• 38 DSE operators with normal health assessments participated in predefined reading and copying tasks.
• System data on screen fixation, keyboard tapping, and mouse handling were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

• The system successfully collected data on operator-DSE interactions, including screen fixation, keyboard, and mouse activity.
• In copying tasks, system-recorded session duration correlated strongly with screen fixation time.
• Mouse and keyboard activities were more indicative of session duration than screen fixation during copying tasks, allowing for individual interaction profile generation.

Conclusions:

• The developed system objectively quantifies active operator-DSE interaction time, enhancing the accuracy of occupational health risk assessment.
• Objective data collection allows for more precise risk management strategies.
• Individual interaction profiles can inform targeted preventive measures and improve overall worker wellbeing.