Differences and similarities in comfort and discomfort experience in nine countries in Asia, the Americas and Europe.

In order to investigate differences in comfort and discomfort experiences amongst different regions of the world (America, Asia and Europe), a cross cultural study was performed. A questionnaire was sent to participants out in nine countries (Brazil, Canada, the USA, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands). In total 795 participants completed the questionnaires.

The association between janitor physical workload, mental workload, and stress: The SWEEP study.

Background: Approximately 2.38 million janitors are employed in the U.S.

Janitor ergonomics and injuries in the safe workload ergonomic exposure project (SWEEP) study.

Introduction: A Minnesota union identified to researchers at the University of Minnesota a concern relevant to a possible relation between their daily workload and outcome of occupational injuries among a population of janitors.

Objective: To assess if the ergonomic workload is related to injuries among janitors.

Methods: Following an initial group discussion among janitors, which identified common and hazardous tasks potentially leading to occupational injuries, a questionnaire was developed, pre-tested, and distributed to the janitors.

Freeform extrusion fabrication of titanium fiber reinforced 13-93 bioactive glass scaffolds.

Although implants made with bioactive glass have shown promising results for bone repair, their application in repairing load-bearing long bone is limited due to their poor mechanical properties in comparison to human bone. This work investigates the freeform extrusion fabrication of bioactive silicate 13-93 glass scaffolds reinforced with titanium (Ti) fibers. A composite paste prepared with 13-93 glass and Ti fibers (~16µm in diameter and lengths varying from ~200µm to ~2 mm) was extruded through a nozzle to fabricate scaffolds (0-90° filament orientation pattern) on a heated plate.

Design with limited anthropometric data: A method of interpreting sums of percentiles in anthropometric design.

Occasionally practitioners must work with single dimensions defined as combinations (sums or differences) of percentile values, but lack information (e.g. variances) to estimate the accommodation achieved.

Freeform extrusion fabrication of titanium fiber reinforced 13-93 bioactive glass scaffolds.

Although implants made with bioactive glass have shown promising results for bone repair, their application in repairing load-bearing long bone is limited due to their poor mechanical properties in comparison to human bone. This work investigates the freeform extrusion fabrication of bioactive silicate 13-93 glass scaffolds reinforced with titanium (Ti) fibers. A composite paste prepared with 13-93 glass and Ti fibers (~16µm in diameter and lengths varying from ~200µm to ~2 mm) was extruded through a nozzle to fabricate scaffolds (0-90° filament orientation pattern) on a heated plate.

An empirical description of the dispersion of 5th and 95th percentiles in worldwide anthropometric data applied to estimating accommodation with unknown correlation values.

Background: Anthropometric data are assumed to have a Gaussian (Normal) distribution, but if non-Gaussian, accommodation estimates are affected. When data are limited, users may choose to combine anthropometric elements by Combining Percentiles (CP) (adding or subtracting), despite known adverse effects.

Objective: This study examined whether global anthropometric data are Gaussian distributed.

A method superior to adding percentiles when only limited anthropometric data such as percentile tables are available for design models.

Purpose: Designers and ergonomists may occasionally be limited to using tables of percentiles of anthropometric data to model users. Design models that add or subtract percentiles produce unreliable estimates of the proportion of users accommodated, in part because they assume a perfect correlation between variables. Percentile data do not allow the use of more reliable modeling methods such as Principle Component Analysis.

The effect of tablet tilt angle on users' preferences, postures, and performance.

Objective: Tablets and other mobile devices can be tilted during use. This study examined the effect of tablet tilt angles on reading performance, target-tapping performance, wrist and forearm posture, user comfort and users' tilt angle preferences.

Method: Ten participants used tablets alternating among four different tilt angles: 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and a user selected angle.

A method to improve the accuracy of pair-wise combinations of anthropometric elements when only limited data are available.

Background: Designers and ergonomists occasionally must produce anthropometric models of workstations with only summary percentile data available regarding the intended users. Until now the only option available was adding or subtracting percentiles of the anthropometric elements, e.g.

Measuring the validity and reliability of ergonomic checklists.

Objective: Ergonomic practitioners commonly use observational assessment tools, also known as checklists, to identify job hazards with regard to musculoskeletal disorders. However, it is often difficult to determine how effective such checklists are at identifying jobs in which workers are at risk, which complicates resource allocation. A means of dynamically assessing validity is needed.