System and method for a workstation injury avoidance program

• US 8,550,820 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory Soltanoff
• Original Assignee: Gregory Soltanoff
• Inventors: Soltanoff, Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): Musselman, Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US12/902,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20120088213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• Field of Search: 434/227, 434/257, 434/229, 400/704, 702/176, 351/203, 482/1, 482/4, 482/8, 482/44, 482/901, 709/217, 601/33, 601/40
• US Class Current: 434/257
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine

Abstract

A method including the steps determining a workstation environment of a user, providing a first reminder to the user to perform a set of exercises after an interval of work, and instructing the user to perform the set of exercises after an acceptance, by the user, of the reminder to perform the set of exercises, the set of exercises tailored to the workstation environment of the user, wherein the instructions associated with the first set of exercises and the second set of exercises include a demonstration to the user to ensure the proper execution of the exercises by the user to help reduce the probability of a workstation injury. Furthermore, an associated system is also provided.

Claims

1. A method for use with a computer comprising the computer implemented steps of:

determining a workstation environment of a user, the workstation environment determined based on a plurality of factors including one or more of privacy, available space, and comfortability;

providing a first reminder to the user to perform a first set of exercises after a first interval of work;

instructing the user to perform the first set of exercises after a first acceptance, by the user, of the reminder to perform the first set of exercises, the first set of exercises tailored to the workstation environment of the user;

providing a second reminder to the user to perform a second set of exercises after a second interval of work;

instructing the user to perform the second set of exercises after a second acceptance, by the user, to perform the second set of exercises, the second set of exercises tailored to the workstation environment of the user;

wherein the instructions associated with the first set of exercises and the second set of exercises include a demonstration to the user to ensure the proper execution of the exercises by the user to help reduce the probability of a workstation injury.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the demonstration includes an audio/visual file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second intervals of work are between 30-60 minutes of operating a computer system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second intervals of work are variable according to a workload of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the workstation environment is classified as at least one of a small office, a large office, or a home office.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an initial reminder after the user begins operation of the computing system, wherein a time between when the user begins operation of the computing system to the initial reminder is longer than the first and second interval of work;

prompting the user with a health disclaimer prior to providing the initial reminder;

providing the user an opportunity to postpone performing the first and second set of exercises; and

providing the user an opportunity to cancel performing at least one of the first and second set of exercises.

7. A workstation injury avoidance method comprising:

presenting to a user of a computing system, by a processor of the computing system, a plurality of inquiries to determine a workstation environment of the user;

receiving, by the processor of the computing system, input from the user of the computing system, wherein the input are answers to the plurality of inquiries to determine the workstation environment of the user;

determining, by the processor of the computing system, the workstation environment of the user, wherein the determination of the workstation environment analyzes one or more factors of privacy, available space, and comfortability;

generating, by the processor of the computing system, at least a first set of exercises and a second set of exercises customizably associated with the workstation environment of the user;

presenting, by the processor of the computing system, a reminder to the user of the computing system after an interval of work, wherein the interval of work includes use of the computing system for a first period of time;

receiving, by the processor of the computing system, an action by the user, wherein the action includes at least one of an acceptance, a postponement, and a cancellation of the reminder;

instructing the user of the computing system, by the processor of the computing system, to perform at least one of a first set of exercises or a second set of exercises customizably associated with the workstation environment of the user for a second period of time; and

returning, by the processor of the computer system, after the expiration of the second period of time, to a dormant mode until another interval of work occurs.

8. The workstation injury avoidance method of claim 7, wherein the first period of time is between 30-100 minutes.

9. The workstation injury avoidance method of claim 7, wherein the first period of time is variable according to a workload of the user.

10. The workstation injury avoidance method of claim 7, wherein the workstation environment is classified as at least one of a small office, a large office, or a home office.

11. The workstation injury avoidance method of claim 7, wherein the first set of exercises include exercises and stretches involving a cervical and spine of the user of the computing system.

12. The workstation injury avoidance method of claim 7, wherein the second set of exercises include exercises and stretches involving a low back and a mid back of the user.

13. The workstation injury avoidance method of claim 7, wherein the second period of time is between 2-6 minutes.

14. The workstation injury avoidance method of claim 7, further comprising:

presenting, by the processor of the computing system, an initial reminder to the user of the computing system to perform a first set of exercises or a second set of exercises, wherein the initial reminder is the first reminder presented to the user after the user initially operates the computing system, and is longer than the interval of work;

presenting to the user of the computing system, by the processor of the computing system, at least one ergonomic tip prior to the expiration of the second period of time; and

presenting, by the processor of the computing system, at least one audio/visual file which demonstrates the exercises and stretches included in the first and second set of exercises.

15. A system comprising:

a computer system, the computer system including;

a processor, an input device coupled to the processor, an output device coupled to the processor, and at least one memory devices coupled to the processor; and

a workstation injury avoidance program stored on a non-tangible computer readable medium and implemented by the computer system, the workstation injury avoidance program configuring the computer system to perform the steps of;

determining, by the processor, a workstation environment of a user, wherein the determination of the workstation environment analyzes one or more factors of privacy, available space, and comfortability input by the user into the input device;

presenting, by the processor of the computing system, a reminder to the user of the computing system after a variable interval of work, wherein the variable interval of work includes use of the computing system for a first period of time;

instructing the user to perform a set of exercises after an acceptance, by the user, of the reminder to perform the set of exercises, the set of exercises tailored to the workstation environment of the user;

wherein the instructions associated with the set of exercises include a demonstration to the user to ensure the proper execution of the exercises by the user to help reduce the probability of a workstation injury.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the demonstration includes an audio/visual file.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the variable interval of work varies between 30-50 minutes, and varies depending on a workload of the user.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the set of exercises have a duration between 2-6 minutes.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the workstation environment is classified as at least one of a small office, a large office, or a home office.