title: Head movements during two computer work tasks assessed by accelerometry.
abstract: We investigated whether potential differences in head inclinations and accelerations for two highly similar computer work tasks could be detected using (1) a triaxial accelerometer and (2) a simulated uniaxial accelerometer. Ten subjects' head movements were registered with a triaxial accelerometer system for two similar document-management tasks at their work place: a fully electronic document-management task and one also involving paper documents. In situations where head movements were small, a triaxial accelerometer was able to discriminate between the different degrees of static work of the neck in terms of range of head inclinations and accelerations. A difference in head acceleration was also found by using a simulated uniaxial accelerometer. Thus, in terms of head movement and for work similar to this office work, potential dynamic differences in observationally similar work tasks can be investigated by using a triaxial accelerometer. For acceleration alone, a uniaxial accelerometer can also be used.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. eva.bernmark@ki.se
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bernmark
authors.forename: Mikael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forsman
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wiktorin
mesh_terms: D000054:Acceleration; D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D016288:Computer Terminals; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000209:etiology; D000070599:Shoulder Injuries; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D014937:Work