Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with ergonomics

How to deal with desk with sharp edges?

shivohum — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:31:20 -0800

A desk I bought from office depot a couple of months ago has sharp edges -- not sharp enough to cut, but sharp enough to be plenty annoying if I ever touch those edges. Is there any easy and not-ugly way to deal with these?

Big monitor, big monitor, talk about eyestrain, my girl's got 'er

Madamina — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:17:34 -0800

We're a Mac office, and we rotate the computers around when we get new ones. So imagine my delight when I got my weird 15" G4 monitor magically replaced with my boss' 24" iMac! w00t!... except that the giant size really spaces me out. Help! I've seen this question, but I don't think that's the same thing.

The computer is in the corner of my L-shaped desk. I did place it farther back on the desk (it's maybe 18" away now), and that helps, but I still seem to be squinting at it. Which is weird, because it's perfectly clear and I have no problems with high resolutions. I think I just don't really know what to focus on.

I'm mildly nearsighted but still need to wear glasses; with glasses, I'm pretty acute.

I do enjoy having the space to keep multiple windows open. For reference, when I work I typically have maybe two or three Word or Excel windows open with an expanded Firefox window on the side and other stuff minimized or in the background.

Adding to all this is the fact that I have absolutely awful desk posture, and sometimes I end up slumping reeeeeeally far down. I've found myself doing this a lot since I've gotten the new monitor, for whatever reason.

So. What kinds of things should I be doing with this thing? Lower the brightness? Lower the resolution just for kicks? Move it back so it's a full yard from my head? Sit fully upright at all times at the highest level of my chair's extension? Get tinted glasses (are they expensive? do I leave them at work?) Any and all ideas, however wacky, are welcome.

Thanks!

Does taking breaks for ergonomics hurt flow?

defben — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:16:12 -0800

Doesn't taking breaks for ergonomic reasons hurt "flow"? I've recently been having tendinitis issues at work (I'm in the IT field). I've bought an ergonomic keyboard, started correcting bad habits and I also installed Workrave; a small program that "forces" me to take the occasional break.

I've begun to wonder if these breaks are hurting my overall productivity. Specifically with regard to the psychological concept of "flow". Am I wrong or is this just something I have to deal with?

MacBook Unibody Floppy-Hinge Hacks?

lonefrontranger — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 07:50:26 -0800

The hinge on my partner's new unibody MacBook Pro is just-loose-enough to make using it in bed annoying. Solutions, cases or a hack welcomed. O hive mind, please help us comfortably enjoy our weekend morning lazy-surfing, emailing bliss with a new unibody MBP!

So, after searching Google and finding this as the first hit, and this as the second, I'm not feeling very optimistic.

The new unibody MBP that mr. lfr. just bought is amazing. Really amazing. Photo processing has taken on new life, the screen is gorgeous, it doesn't get scaryhot when running video for extended periods of time, and last but not least, he's now able to run his heavy duty protein modelling software for work seamlessly on it now.

The only glitch is that he can't comfortably lie down in bed (or on the couch) with the laptop above his head because the new unibody has a seemingly "looser" hinge design than both his and my first-gen intel MBP did/do. The challenge with this is that we both tend to do a fair bit of lying around being creative (or lazy, your pick) either on the sofa or in bed, with the laptops above our heads, and the fact that he can't do that with his new one is actually fairly annoying. In fact, I am typing this question from a supine position right now on my older MBP. Also, I had planned to replace my own MBP with a new unibody soon, and this (seemingly quite minor) issue has suddenly become very important to me. Yes, I'm that lazy.

Has anyone here found a solution to this "floppy screen" issue on their new unibody? Since he already mentioned that he would like to find a case, is there potentially a (light, slim) case out on the market there that adds a little more tension/stability to the open clamshell design, to allow the screen to stay up/open when gravity takes over?

um, also please note: "get out of bed" is not really a helpful answer. He's already discovered that piling pillows to sit up and look at/down at the screen (rather than up at it) is much less comfortable and seems to put more strain on his neck.

Ergonomics question

goofyfoot — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:28:19 -0800

Help me to achieve a pain-free workstation. I seem to be an ergonomic freak. After my job's ergo chief and her boss have measured me, changed my chair, and lowered my desk, I still have such neck and shoulder pain after an hour at the desk that my productivity is severely compromised. For hours after, I'm in pain. I bop around to different workstations in different companies - at all of which I work at desktops - and in several years only one has correctly assessed and situated me well (which indicates to me that it is possible to be comfortable). Her lodestar for ergonomics was a Cornell webpage, which isn't serving me well at my current station. I've changed chairs; I'm looking at OSHA's page; I'm doing everything that's correct, but I'm in pain. Today I went to a chiropractor and am considering paying (through the nose, as my COBRA insurance doesn't support it) for acupuncture.

My questions:
1. What is the most effective ergonomic guideline you've used? Particularly if you're an outlier such as I seem to be;

2. I often work as a temp. How frustrated could my current employers be with my inability to be comfortable at a desk that seems to work for most employees? As much as a pain-free existence is important to me, a job-free existence is much more bleak. I don't want to call much attention to myself here.

3. Does Aleve, which was recommended to me by the current temp employer's nurse, actually work for this kind of pain?

4. What should one do after the ergo people haven't helped, and after the chiropractor experience?

I've looked at previous ergonomic questions and have noted some of the gadgets people have recommended, but most of those seemed to be for those who work at home, or have to do with the keyboard. Since I've worked well with a standard keyboard, I'm wondering what else could be the problem.

Thank you for any help.

Recommendations for an adjustable ergonomic keyboard arm/tray?

mackstann — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:16:04 -0800

Recommendations for an adjustable ergonomic keyboard arm/tray? This seems to be such a niche market that there is little to no advice to find through searching. An Amazon search yields items with one or (mostly) zero reviews, and not even nerd-frequented sites (MeFi, reddit, etc.) seem to have any posts related to this subject. There are some about desks but that's about it. So, does anyone here have recommendations?

wherever i park my ass

zadcat — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:06:24 -0800

I'm aching today from four days spent in a bad chair at my job. I need to find a chair I can work in. I don't have any medical or physiological issues except I am somewhat short (5'2"). I'm doing graphic design work.

At home I have a big old solid wooden office chair from the mid 20th century, no wheels, nothing fancy, and I can sit in that thing all day without a twinge. But I'm working in a tiny postage stamp of an office now and they would not be pleased to find or make room for something this huge and intractable.

At work I sit on a crappy waiting room chair because it's the only thing high enough for me not to have to hold my arms at a damaging angle to the table (short people will know what I mean) but it's doing bad things to my hips and lower back now, so I need to find an answer.

My requirements are a bit odd. I had an actual argument with a young person at an ergonomics store recently when I told her I didn't like sliding around on casters or rollers while I work. I don't. I like a chair that stays very stable and doesn't rotate or roll around. I am not a secretary: I don't have to roll around looking for files or whatever.

Also, I don't need arms or lumbar support. I sit up very straight naturally, and if the chair is the right height my forearms rest comfortably on the table. At home I use a footrest to vary my position.

I need something like a solid work stool the correct height. It would be even better if tiny and light enough to carry on public transit in a pinch. A footrest (separate from the stool) would be good. Also, cheap: they'll buy me something but I think they'll kick at more than $150 or so. Also, available in Canada. (I would consider buying something myself as well, presuming it could be moved to new jobs as circumstances warrant.)

This may be far too persnickety a set of requirements, but I won't know till I've asked.

Is there a development environment to create something like the macbook wheel idea?

Not Supplied — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 12:43:31 -0800

Is there a development environment where I can create something inspired by (but not the same) as the macbook wheel, i.e. a graphical alphabet interface where letters can be chosen by a controller? Also how can I experiment with using different controllers - wii, trackball touchpad etc? It's supposed to be a parody, but I immediately thought that this kind of thing had potential to create an rsi free interface by using large movements to select letters instead of typing.

I'm not a coder, but I'd love to have a crack at making a graphical interface to select letters with a controller. I know that in the computer music world, the max development environment allows you to use input from various controllers including dataglove and wii to manipulate musical devices.

Is there anything similar where I can create a graphical alphabet interface that can hopefully be moved around in 3 dimensions to select letters? I'm thinking at the moment that I will use something like 2 wii controllers to capture large circular movements of the arms to move the 'keyboard thing' around, and to have a way of switching to control the mouse pointer.

In order to be useful, the thing will eventually have to sit in the background and replace the keyboard and mouse in normal use.

It doesn't look like gesture control is far enough along for the likes of me to use, but if you know something about this let me know.

If any computer people are interested in collaborating on this, drop me a line. I know a fair bit about rsi, ergonomics and the body and I'm keen to get it made for myself to use!

It all starts in the feet

GleepGlop — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:28:36 -0800

I am not a runner or long distance walker, but would I be less tired and achey at the end of a day spent generally on my feet in a 'barefoot' style pair of shoes such as Nike Free or Vibram Five Fingers, or in a regular pair of cushiony shoes? I can see an argument for both. I trust the millions of years of evolution in terms of body mechanics more than the last 50 years of shoe technology to 'correct' ourselves, but on the other hand standing on a cushiony surface seems intuitive for fatigue reduction overall. I mean they have anti-fatigue mats for this purpose in the workplace. Also evolution probably didn't account for the predominantly perfectly flat surfaces I inhabit.
What say you hive?

Ache in my hand from using the computer. Solutions?

lunchbox — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:02:13 -0800

Ache in my hand from using the computer. Solutions? Recently I've had a very particular ache in my right hand while typing and using my mouse. I feel it around the inside of my hand, mostly around the knuckles of my middle and index fingers. Has anyone encountered this and found a solution that alleviates the ache?

I currently use an ergonomic split keyboard and a mouse pad with a wrist rest. (In general, I try to abide by the guidelines I hear about preventing RSI, but this problem seems to be eluding me.)

Library job vs. My hand pain (not carpal tunnel...)

wowbobwow — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:27:28 -0800

My dominant hand has a painful, bony bump at the joint where my index finger and palm meet (the MCPJ) and I AM going to see a Dr this week about it. Can anyone recommend things I can do to help it not get worse? I cannot not type at my job. If you've had something similar where just one digit was out of commission, what did you do? I want something like a splint to keep it from bending at the base, but I can't find anything like it for the palmar-finger joint. I work at my keyboard constantly, and using the mouse is getting difficult. I've heard of ergonomic mice but I'd like to know people's experiences before I plop down some cash.

But also... WTF? I've had this thing for years but it suddenly grew to the size of a pea and started hurting. Can people even get bone spurs in their hands? Again, am seeing a Dr soon, but I've never heard of this sort of thing. I asked a similar kind of question on AskMe last year which turned out to be very helpful! My hope is to find a similar outcome for this query. Thank-yee.

Computer use with Shoulder Pain

dolemite01 — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:18:43 -0800

I have been diagnosed with Brusitis and a bone spur on my non dominant shoulder (left), furthermore I have a torn rotatory cuff. I am slated for schedule for an arthroscopic surgery in a few weeks to remove the bone spur and other things. In the mean time how can I set my posture to help alleviate pain in my shoulder. My doctor said he can't recommend one way as everyone is different so I wanted to get some ideas. I have an adjustable chair that can go very above my desk or way below and it has arms and I've also purchased a MS 3000 Wireless Keyboard I can use if need be.

Helful tools for sewers and crafters with chronic pain?

palmcorder_yajna — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:26:52 -0800

My mother-in-law loves to sew and knit, but fibromyalgia is slowing her down. Can you recommend any tools or gadgets that might help her? My mother-in-law has been suffering from fibromyalgia for quite some time. When she has a good day, the first thing she does is bust out her sewing machine. She also loves to knit. The trouble is, the repetitive motion involved in sewing and knitting is really hard on her body, and it exacerbates her symptoms. The day after a bout of crafting, she aches like she's run a marathon.

Can any of you crafting, stitching, and knitting gods and goddesses recommend some tools that might make her hobbies a little easier for her? For instance, are there especially gentle and well-designed scissors out there? Ergonomic knitting needles? Etc.?

I'm not much of a DIY-er myself: I have a bare beginner's understanding of sewing and no knowledge whatsoever about knitting, so I don't even really know how to look for this kind of thing.

Thanks so much for your help!

Help me not become blind and decrepit in my own home

[user was fined for this post] — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 13:20:18 -0800

I'm working from home full-time. Hooray! Except the corporate overlords aren't inclined to send an ergonomics expert around to the house to make sure I'm not slowly killing myself. I have a few specific questions about ergonomics and visual health in a home office. Possibly relevant details: I'm 29, male, no health problems, average weight for my height. I am very nearsighted and cannot work at a computer without glasses. Between work and personal projects, I sit at the computer 60-70 hours per week. I exercise and do the basic smart-worker things, and I've read some good advice on ergonomics in general, but a few specific answers about preventative measures have proven elusive.

1) I have a cheap desk chair that is not particularly comfortable, but not so uncomfortable that I notice it when I'm working. I have sat in this chair for roughly 60 hours per week for months and have no complaints of back pain or other chair-related maladies. Am I risking permanent damage by using a cheap chair unless/until physical problems emerge? I've encountered a number of (inexpert) arguments recently that professional sitters should invest in quality chairs for the sake of long-term health.

2) I like my nerd cave. My preferred mode of working (day or night) is in the dark save for the cool, soothing light of my monitors, and I'm filled with glee at having escaped the fluorescent hell of the office. I've not (yet) encountered irritated eyes or other problems from working this way. Am I slowly damaging my eyesight by spending all day in this low-light environment? If I need to add more light, can I just put some kind of bias lighting behind the monitors, or should the whole room be moderately lit?

3) Same sort of question about keyboards: I do a lot of typing on a bog-standard desktop keyboard with a fairly light keypress. I have no specific complaints about it. But I've seen comments suggesting keyboards with a firmer keypress and/or an ergonomically split configuration for people with hand/wrist problems. Is it a good idea to switch before problems actually begin to occur?

I know it would be best to hire an ergonomics consultant, but work won't pay for it, so I decided to try the hive mind first. You are not my doctor or optometrist, but the benefit of your experience is appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Which path to go for product design/usability/human factors?

NeoLeo — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:16:59 -0800

I'm a jack-of-all-trades type of guy interested in getting into product design/usability/human factors. I'm somewhat convinced getting a degree in industrial engineering is a good start. Any other paths to consider before I commit to that? Hi MeFites, I'm a relatively new member, yet another person in their mid-20s looking for some career guidance. Well, at least I have a good idea of where I want to be -- something related to product design/usability/human factors -- but I'm not 100% positive as to which path is the best for me to get there -- and the problem is, I have no relevant experience and many undeveloped skills/lack of knowledge, so I think I'll need a new degree.

I'm interested in many aspects of this field, such as the product hardware design, software design, and research involved in product development. Ideally I could utilize one of my strengths (versatility) and not need to specialize in a specific area. However I do recognize the possibility that specialization may be necessary to get a good job, but I want to hold on to the hope that this isn't true for every job out there in this field.

One side issue is that I already have a B.A. degree (in Asian Studies), so I'll have a tough time with finances (little financial aid); I'm in the process of figuring out how to deal with that. (Any advice and/or links to relevant scholarships would be helpful.) However, in the past, I have never felt the sense of clarity that I do now in terms of what I want to do in the future. I want to be prepared and qualified, and I want to do an excellent job in this field.

There are several ways to go, with certain routes having certain emphases and possibly less versatility:
-B.S. in Industrial Engineering
This is the option I am learning toward. I believe that it offers the most flexibility in choosing which area to pursue. Also gives a technical understanding to design that other fields lack. Unfortunately getting a second degree in this would probably require 3-4 years of schooling. (One side benefit to this path is that engineers will be in demand in the near future.)
-B.S./B.A. in Industrial Design
I'm torn about this option. It would take less time to complete than an industrial engineering degree but I don't feel "artsy" enough to do it. Even though I don't consider myself to be good at basic arts (drawing/painting/etc.), I have a pretty good eye for what looks good, and can draw decently with a computer and a tablet with trial and error (thanks Undo button :). Photography and videos is something that I've done fairly well with in the past as well. Does that qualify enough for a degree in this?
-B.A. in Graphic Design
Similar "artsy" issues as the Industrial Design degree, but moreso. Another way that can get into the field, but has little emphasis on anything technical. In the end, a portfolio lands you a job, so paying up cash for a degree in this seems unnecessary. I can just teach myself some graphics tools via book/cheaper classes.
-B.S. in Computer Science
Many CS majors (esp. with HCI emphasis) have the chance to get into some of my desired fields, but I feel this narrows me down specifically to software-related fields. Depending on the program, CS tends to be less on the practical side and more on theory. Instead of a degree, I can teach myself commonly used programming languages through books or cheap classes.
-B.S. in Cognitive Psychology
I feel that this limits me to research-oriented areas. However, this may be the cheapest option (in terms of both time and money).
-Network Like Crazy; Land Entry-Level Job
Hard with my current degree that is completely unrelated and a lack of professional-level skills. Possible, but seems to be a big risk because there is no guarantee when and if I can get a job, especially with the current state of the economy.

After that, I can do one or a combination of:
- A Human Factors/Ergonomics graduate degree
- An Industrial Engineering/Product Design graduate degree
- A Human Factors International certificate
- Networking, networking, networking
- Any other possibilities?

My current plan:
- B.S. in Industrial Engineering, if time permits, minor(s) in Industrial Design/Cognitive Psychology. During that time I will learn some common programming languages and the skills to use some common graphics/CAD tools. Also networking/internships during this time. Biggest problem here is figuring out the financial aspect.
- M.S./M.A. in Human Factors/Ergonomics OR a M.S. in Industrial Engineering/Product Design plus an HFI certificate. Of course, networking/internships/programming and graphic tool skill development during this time.

Now, I hope you can help me decide which way to go! I really like my current plan, but I hope that you guys can expose any flaws in my thinking and/or recommend any other possibilities. My plan seems too perfect and perhaps too idealistic. Feel free to rip it apart (with rationale, of course)!

Thanks a lot, and I hope to contribute useful info to MeFi in the future!

How can improve my sinister lifestyle?

suki — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:25:06 -0800

Any tricks for enhancing a left-handed life? I am very left-handed, and have developed a few tweaks to make my life easier, e.g.: I have a left-handed mouse; I use a wire bound notebook from back to front and write mainly on the left page; I always sit on the left side of a crowded table to avoid knocking elbows.

I would love to know other ways (lefthacks?) to improve my ability to interact with the world as a left-hander.

Any recommendations?

Is this numbness a problem?

Bulgaroktonos — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 04:41:53 -0800

I've recently developed a tingling sensation in my hands and elbow whenever I use my home computer. Obviously, I'm looking into improving my posture, chair height, etc. to reduce this problem, so any advice on that is helpful. My main concern, however, is the sudden onset. I can remember using my computer without having this problem two days ago, now it happens whenever I use the mouse for more than five minutes. Is this a symptom of something I should see a doctor about? Any advice is appreciated.

Redundancy and Safety Tradeoffs in Industrial Design

gum — Fri, 16 May 2008 13:32:17 -0800

How do industrial and product designers or human factors engineers or ergonomics experts talk about the safety implications of redundant controls? I'm having trouble finding a literature that I assume exists about the safety implications of providing redundant controls in product design.

In some cases it's commonsensically a safer strategy to design in multiple ways for a product or machine to solve a problem -- as in providing lifeboats at both ends of a ship.

In other cases, it's arguably dangerous to provide more than a single control. In a motor vehicle, for example, a single brake pedal seems commonsensically optimal: In a panic stop, you want your right foot to go automatically to where the pedal always is (it would be dangerous to find yourself trying to remember if the particular car you're driving has one of those optional second brake pedals that you can control with your left knee).

I'm particularly interested in how this difference gets discussed in the context of product safety (though it's interesting in terms of efficiency, user experience quality, and so on as well).

What are the words for this tradeoff in the literatures and jargons of design?

Moving tasks

radsqd — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:36:42 -0800

Moving tasks Hey Mefis,

I work part-time in my school facilities management. This question is how to easily move things on stairs. There are no elevators in this building.

Need to move boxes of stuff on 6 flights of stairs. Any easy way to do this without breaking backs, cranes are not possible since the opening between the stairwell is not big enough to accomodate boxes through holes.

Ergonomic keyboard with trackpoint?

thisisnotbruce — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 15:40:57 -0800

Where can I find an ergonomic keyboard with a trackpoint pointing device? By 'ergonomic' I'm looking specifically for a split keyboard.

And by 'Trackpoint' I mean the eraser nub / pointing stick you find on some laptops between the 'G', 'H', and 'B' keys.

I'm looking for minimal movement of my wrist from keyboard to pointing device and, while I may be in the minority among my coworkers, I absolutely loathe touchpads.

Yes, this has been asked before but no such keyboard was found. I'm hoping in the 2 years since, a keyboard of these specifics has been released.

How to figure out the desk height that is good for you?

wfrgms — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:02:05 -0800

From a ergonomic and comfort perspective, what measurements do you look for in a computer desk or work area surface? Specifically the height? I'm in the planning phases for building a desk into an odd shaped area of my apartment. Once it's in I won't be able to change the height (without a lot of effort.) I'm also planning to mount my LCD monitor to the wall over the desk.

I'm wondering if there are general rules or guidelines for positioning desk surfaces for comfort and use. What surface height is most comfortable for typing and mousing around? At what height do you like your monitor positioned? Suggestions regarding posture, distance from keyboard or monitor, and anything else I'm not thinking of are also welcome.

I realize this is very subjective, but I'm trying to get an idea of what other people look for in their optimal setup. If it helps I'm 6'1".

Thanks for any suggestions! :-)

How do I deal with my tendonitis without failing my classes?

Braeog — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:13:28 -0800

I have tendonitis in both my forearms from computer over-use. It is bad enough that I'm having trouble taking lecture notes in my university classes--a serious problem. Aside from not using the computer, what can I do? I am pretty sure it's not carpal tunnel as I have none of the nerve pinching, just pain down the underside of my forearms. I know getting an ergonomic keyboard and mouse are a good idea, but which ones? How do I learn to use keyboard shortcuts (I'm on Ubuntu)? Is there a specific way to write that will reduce the pain? Should I be doing grip exercises or using a forearm roller, or would that worsen the problem?

Also, while I can cut down my computer usage since I'm not in any computer-heavy classes, I have to take notes. Recording doesn't work at all for me. Will this be OK? It's usually 3-5 hours of note-taking a day.

Need a fast, comfortable mouse

qvtqht — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 21:24:00 -0800

I am looking for a good computer mouse with certain criteria. It should fit my hand well (I like the rounded but flat mice like the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0. An "arrow-shaped" design is also an option.) And it needs to have a high-resolution sensor, ideally 2000dpi or higher. I like to have a comfortable mouse. And I like to have the cursor move very quickly in relation to the physical mouse movement, to the point that other people have a really hard time using my computer without adjusting the mouse. (After getting used to being gentle with the mouse, it really cuts down on wrist strain for me.)

Following are the last three mice of a long series that I have tried. All are corded, and I'm planning to stay that way.

Microsoft Laser Mouse 6000: Very happy with the shape. Cord is thin and flexible, which is good. Eventually broke. Sensor is kind of slow.

Razer Pro v1.6: Sufficiently fast sensor. Pretty crappy mouse shape for me -- the mouse is very long and narrow, which does not give me enough room to rest my entire hand, while I have to reach very far forward to click the buttons, and especially use the scroll wheel. Cord is kind of wiry.

Microsoft/Razer Habu: The 2000dpi sensor is about as fast as I want to go. On-the-fly speed adjustment is a nice plus. The mouse is a little big overall for me, and a little too tall, but the shape itself is good. The cord is nice and flexible. The drivers and control panel are absolutely craptastic and unusable, but the mouse works fine without them; I just wasted a few hours realizing that I shouldn't use them.

Nice pluses: No visible lights on the mouse. The two Razer mice have blue LEDs shining in every direction, which is annoying at best, and looks unprofessional at work at worst. Lightweight. I think that's all I can think of right now.

I looked and looked for a detailed review site dedicated to mice or input devices and haven't found one. If one doesn't exist, I am liable to start one up!

Free your mind, and your ass will follow.

Krrrlson — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 22:55:10 -0800

Chairfilter: Does anyone have positive or negative experiences with the Stance computer chair? Are there cheaper alternatives with similar functionality (i.e. a partially standing reclined position)?

Looking for an ergonomic extended laptop use solution

GleepGlop — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 11:39:54 -0800

I am looking for a using a laptop in bed solution for health reasons. Mainly I want to be able to use my laptop while laying flat on my back in bed. Here are 2 options I found: Lapdawg and Easy Desk Aluminum. As you can see these designs allow more than just the laying in bed position, which is good. The price is fine, my main concern is that there are a deceptively large amount of factors that go into getting something like this to work, and to work for everyone. I've been reading reviews and they are mixed. Most concerning of which are the odd claim of questionable craftsmanship and less than good return policies. So the next question is, could I make one of these? Mainly the issue would be in getting the joints to work and knowing how to make it so it wouldn't break.
Basically I am trawling for any experience anyone has with anything like this. Thanks!