Ergonomics-based health facilitator for computer users

• US 8,024,202 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dellafera, Ciaran A., Carroll, Randolph W., Isom, Pamela K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilligan; Luke
• Application Number:
  US12/249,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 705/7, 702/150
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for facilitating ergonomics-based health in a user of a computer workstation is presented. The method includes the steps of detecting an ergonomics problem for a user of a computer workstation, wherein the ergonomics problem is directly related to a current real-time body position of the user, and wherein the ergonomics problem would likely cause an injury to the user if left uncorrected. A user health protection algorithm is then executed to generate an ergonomic recommendation. The user health protection algorithm utilizes user work parameters as inputs. The ergonomic recommendation, which will correct the ergonomics problem, is then presented to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of facilitating ergonomics-based health in a user of a computer workstation, the method comprising:

a processor detecting an ergonomics problem for a user of a computer workstation, wherein the ergonomics problem is directly related to a current real-time body position of the user, and wherein the ergonomics problem causes an injury to the user if left uncorrected, and wherein the ergonomics problem is detected by detecting a mouse being positioned in an ergonomically adverse location relative to the user, and wherein the ergonomics problem is further detected by an on-screen eye test that detects eye strain currently being suffered by the user;

the processor executing a user health protection algorithm to generate an ergonomic recommendation based on the current real-time body position of the user, the mouse being positioned in the ergonomically adverse location relative to the user, and results of the on-screen eye test, wherein the user health protection algorithm utilizes user work parameters for the user as inputs to the user health protection algorithm, and wherein the ergonomic recommendation corrects the ergonomics problem, and wherein the ergonomic recommendation comprises a recommendation for posture that depends on what type of software is being currently used by the user; and

presenting the ergonomic recommendation to the user in the form of two avatars, wherein a first avatar depicts the current real-time body position of the user and a second avatar depicts an optimal ergonomic user posture.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the detection of the ergonomic problem is prompted by a complaint input from a user, wherein the complaint input describes a location of physical pain being suffered by the user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user work parameters include a type of software being currently used by the user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user work parameters include a real-time measurement of ambient room temperature surrounding the computer workstation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user work parameters include an age, height, sex and weight of the user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user work parameters include a past medical history of user injuries of the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the user injuries are ergonomic-based injuries of the user.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the user injuries are current injuries of the user.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user work parameters include a real-time measurement of how long the user has been using a current program.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user work parameters include a real-time measurement of how long the user has remained in a same position at the computer workstation without moving beyond predetermined ranges.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the user work parameters include a real-time measurement of how long the user has remained at the computer workstation without leaving the computer workstation.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the type of software being used by the user either requires minimal user interaction or relatively more frequent user interaction, and wherein the user health protection algorithm recommends a more ergonomically correct posture when using software that requires the relatively more frequent user interaction over software that only requires minimal user interaction.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the software that requires minimal user interaction is a movie, and wherein the software that requires relatively more frequent user interaction is a word processing program.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the software that requires minimal user interaction is a movie, and wherein the software that requires relatively more frequent user interaction is a Computer Aided Design (CAD) program.

15. A system comprising:

a digital camera and a mouse locator, wherein the digital camera and the mouse locator detect an ergonomics problem for a user at a computer workstation, wherein the ergonomics problem causes an injury to the user if left uncorrected, wherein the digital camera records an improper posture of the user at the computer workstation, and wherein the mouse locator detects an ergonomically improper location of a mouse relative to the user;

a monitor for presenting an eye test to the user wherein the eye test determines if eye strain is currently being suffered by the user;

computing logic for executing a user health protection algorithm to generate an ergonomic recommendation, wherein the user health protection algorithm utilizes user work parameters for the user as inputs, wherein the user work parameters include inputs from the digital camera, the mouse locator, and results of the eye test, wherein the user work parameters also include a stored history of previous ergonomically-related user injuries of the user, wherein the user work parameters also include a current listing of injuries of the user, wherein the ergonomic recommendation comprises a recommendation for posture that depends on what type of software is being currently used by the user, and wherein the ergonomic recommendation corrects the ergonomics problem; and

a display for presenting the ergonomic recommendation to the user.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is encoded a computer program, the computer program comprising computer executable instructions configured for:

detecting an ergonomics problem for a user of a computer workstation, wherein the ergonomics problem is directly related to a current real-time body position of the user, and wherein the ergonomics problem is likely to cause an injury to the user if left uncorrected, and wherein the ergonomics problem is detected by detecting a mouse being positioned in an ergonomically adverse location relative to the user, and wherein the ergonomics problem is further detected by an on-screen eye test that detects eye strain currently being suffered by the user;

executing a user health protection algorithm to generate an ergonomic recommendation based on the current real-time body position of the user, the mouse being positioned in the ergonomically adverse location relative to the user, and results of the on-screen eye test, wherein the user health protection algorithm utilizes user work parameters for the user as inputs, and wherein the ergonomic recommendation corrects the ergonomics problem, and wherein the ergonomic recommendation comprises a recommendation for posture that depends on what type of software is being currently used by the user; and

presenting the ergonomic recommendation to the user in the form of two avatars, wherein a first avatar depicts the current real-time body position of the user and a second avatar depicts an optimal ergonomic user posture.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the detection of the ergonomic problem is prompted by a complaint input from a user, wherein the complaint input describes a location of physical pain being suffered by the user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the user work parameters include a type of software being currently used by the user.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the user work parameters include a real-time measurement of ambient room temperature surrounding the computer workstation.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer executable instructions are provided by a service provider to a customer in an on-demand basis.