Comparing the Pressure on the Carpal Tunnel When Using an Ergonomic Pointer Driver and an Optical Alternative

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Ergonomics

Background:

• Repetitive strain injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome, are common with computer use.
• Existing input devices may contribute to discomfort and injury.
• Need for novel input methods to reduce physical strain.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce and evaluate a new optic pointer device for computer control.
• Measure indirect carpal tunnel force and compare it with an ergonomic mouse.
• Correlate applied force with digitorum extensor muscle activity.

Main Methods:

• Developed an experimental setup with infrared sensors and wearable light emitters.
• Utilized finger gestures for pointer control via a microcontroller.
• Integrated force and electromyography (EMG) sensing circuits.
• Tested the system on five healthy volunteers performing computational tasks.

Main Results:

• The new optic pointer significantly reduced carpal tunnel pressure compared to an ergonomic mouse.
• A higher correlation was observed between carpal tunnel effort and muscle activity when using the new device.
• Slightly increased stress was noted on the digitorum extensor muscle.

Conclusions:

• The optic pointer driver effectively diminishes carpal tunnel strength.
• The device shows potential for reducing carpal tunnel strain during computer use.
• Further research may explore optimizing the device to mitigate increased digitorum extensor muscle stress.