Harvard School of Public Health researchers are quantifying ways in which the design of electronic tablets and how they are used affect comfort. The goal is to gather data to help develop new ergonomic guidelines for the increasingly popular devices. The findings were published in Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, and Rehabilitation.
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Download Now“The beauty of tablets and other mobile devices is their flexibility,” said lead author Jack Dennerlein. “The problem is that some of the postures people are in when using a tablet can be awkward and lead to discomfort with prolonged use.”
Dennerlein and his colleagues found that tablet users keep their heads and necks in more flexed positions when using tablets than those used by typical computer users. Working for long periods with the head slumped forward and the neck flexed can cause pain. Dennerlein recommends changing posture every 15 minutes and using a case that double as a tablet stand.