This section offers tips for setting up your home office. Choose from the articles listed. If you don’t see the answer to your question here, feel free to call, fax or email us.
REDUCING EYE STRAIN:
Essential For Maintaining Productivity - And Good Health
Recent studies show that Americans are working more hours than ever and it’s putting an increased strain on our bodies. There’s lots of talk about Carpel Tunnel Syndrome and other maladies, however eye strain is frequently looked upon as simply "part of the job." Yet eye strain from poor office lighting causes headaches, sore/aching eyes, blurred vision and a decrease in productivity. Here are some expert tips from InHouse on arranging your home office to reduce eye strain:
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Correct lighting requires that two types of lighting be present: ambient light which is a combination of natural light, and light that is usually provided by a ceiling fixture, and task lighting which is provided over a single work area for paperwork, etc. These forms of light should both be present simultaneously, and the combination should ideally change according to the task at hand i.e., when working at a monitor, ambient light may be sufficient. When taking notes or reading at your desk, a task light will need to be added.
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Design your space so that you’ll be sitting with a track or ceiling light slightly behind you. If it is too far back, it may reflect onto your computer screen causing - you guessed it - eye strain.
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Halogen task lamps are currently popular, however they can occasionally produce harsh shadows and can be a safety issue, as they are hot and potentially harmful when touched. If you choose to use flourescent lighting instead, choose a warm white bulb (rather than cool white) which provides light closest to the more familiar incandescent bulb we commonly buy at the supermarket.
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Place your monitor so that it is perpendicular to all of your light sources. This will encourage diffusion and softening of light, and will minimize distracting glare on the screen.
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Instead of a ceiling light, try using soft, diffused uplighting which bounces off the ceiling and bathes the room in subtle, yet ample light. A torchiere floorlamp will accomplish this.
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Choose a task lamp with a multi-directional head or polarized lens to direct the light so that it won’t bounce off the worksurface and into your eyes or off the page which you are reading. Also, a dimmer switch on the task light allows for increased flexibility.
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Make sure your task light has an arm long enough to reach your work area, but does not get in your way. An adjustable arm is optimal so that you can light spaces near the lamp as well as further away on the worksurface.
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Place the center of your computer screen so that it is 4 to 8 inches lower than your eyes.
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To reduce not only eye, but neck and shoulder strain as well, place your document holder either right next to your screen at the same height, or directly below it, between your monitor and keyboard.
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Wipe your screen off frequently. Dust on your computer screen can interfere with clarity, causing eye strain.
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Seat yourself at arm’s length from your screen. If in this position, it is difficult to see the screen clearly, it may be time to visit an eye specialist.
A GREENER GLOW FOR COMPUTERS Power management, consolidating equipment among options Reprinted from San Francisco Chronicle
By Ilana DeBare, Chronicle Staff Writer
Monday, June 9, 2008
Dee Harley runs her Pescadero goat farm with a deep environmental ethos. Instead of chemical fertilizers, she relies on goat and chicken droppings. She recycles all the water used on the farm, and grows the edible flowers and herbs for her artisan cheeses without pesticides.
But until recently, Harley had never thought about applying her environmental lens to the company's computers.
"A lot of times we would keep the computers on at night," she recalled. "And our old computers were not energy-efficient. I didn't even know that Energy Star computers were available. We needed to be educated."
From goat farms to law firms, America's 26 million small businesses rely on technology today more than ever before - to the tune of spending a projected $143 billion this year on new software, computers, printers and other office electronics, according to JupiterResearch.
Computers may not be the first thing that comes to mind for small business owners like Harley who are trying to minimize their environmental footprint.
But there are a lot of things businesses can do to green their computers - from the moment of purchase until they're ready to discard them. And many of these steps are cheaper and easier than in the past.
The federal government gives its Energy Star label to computers, printers and other office equipment that is 85 percent energy-efficient - meaning, it wastes no more than 15 percent of its power through heat.
Servers are not yet included in the Energy Star program. However, you can find a list of servers with energy-efficiency of at least 85 percent through the nonprofit Climate Savers Computing Initiative at www.climatesaverscomputing.org.
Meanwhile, another computer rating program called EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) takes a broader and more ambitious approach than Energy Star.
EPEAT gives bronze, silver or gold ratings to computers and monitors that meet a variety of environmental criteria such as recycled content, reduction of toxic materials, energy efficiency and recyclability.
Manufacturers currently don't put an EPEAT label on their products, though, so you'll need to look up rated models on the EPEAT Web site ( www.epeat.net) before going shopping.
Screen saver no power saver
Many small-business owners and employees assume their computer is using less power when their screen saver is on. Wrong!
"Your screen saver uses as much power as when the monitor is on - all it does is cover up what's underneath," said Terri Reece of Reece Computer Systems, a Half Moon Bay computer consulting firm that works with small businesses.
To genuinely save energy, businesses need to activate their computers' power-management option, which directs the computer and monitor to enter a low-power sleep mode after being left idle for some minutes.
The energy savings can be dramatic: A typical non-Energy-Star computer would use 741 kilowatt-hours of energy over the course of a year if left on all the time, compared with 123 kilowatt-hours with power management, according to the Climate Savers Computing Initiative.
"Just by turning on power management, you're cutting energy use by up to 90 percent - power management is huge," said Climate Savers spokeswoman Barbara Grimes.
(To enable power management on a Windows PC, right-click on the desktop, then click on Properties and Screen Saver. Grimes suggests setting the monitor and hard drive to hibernate after 15 minutes, and the whole computer to hibernate after 30 minutes. )
Small-business owners with computer networks can buy power-management software from companies like Verdiem and 1e to control the sleep settings on employees' computers. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is offering a rebate of $15 per computer on such programs.
Finally, to maximize energy savings, business owners should train their staff to turn computers and other equipment off at night.
"There's no cost to all this, but it can mean big savings for the environment and potentially big savings for the business," said Preston Gralla, editor of GreenerComputing.com.
Consolidate equipment
Many offices have separate printers, fax machines, scanners and copiers. But for mom-and-pop businesses and home offices, a single $200 all-in-one printer often can handle all those jobs for less energy and money.
"Instead of four things pulling power, you have one thing that's Energy-Star rated," said Reece. "Boom! You see enormous power savings."
At the same time, making old equipment last longer also saves resources. Sometimes you can avoid buying an entirely new computer by upgrading parts of your old one such as its memory.
The much-ballyhooed paperless office remains a utopian vision, but small-business owners can still do a lot to decrease their paper use.
Large printers can often be set to automatically print on both sides of the page: If buying a printer, ask if it can handle "duplex" printing.
"You can cut your paper use almost in half," said Susan Kinsella, of Conservatree, an environmental paper consulting firm in San Francisco.
Even old, single-sided printers can be instructed to fit more text on each sheet of paper. (But don't get carried away, or you'll need a magnifying glass to read them.)
There's also an innovative software program called GreenPrint that can decrease the amount of paper that's wasted in printing Web pages and e-mails.
GreenPrint automatically eliminates "orphan" pages that end up blank except for a few characters or a single line of a url. It also allows users to easily eliminate images from a Web page if they only need to print the text.
GreenPrint is free to individual users, and offers volume discounts to business users at www.printgreener.com.
Recycled paper got a bad rap in the past for jamming printers, but the quality of today's recycled paper is typically as good as new.
It's also much more affordable and available than in the past - for sale at large chains like Office Depot as well as small office supply stores such as www.thegreenoffice.com that specialize in environmentally friendly products.
Look for at least 35 percent post-consumer recycled content, which refers to the portion of the pulp that comes from people's recycling bins rather than scrap at paper mills. Or if you're more ambitious, look for 100 percent post-consumer content.
Choosing paper that is labeled as "processed chlorine free" will support manufacturers who are developing cleaner technology, according to Kinsella.
And when buying paper with some virgin content, look for the logo of the Forest Stewardship Council, which indicates that the timber was sustainably harvested.
Other options for recycled printing supplies include toner and ink. But try these out on your printer before making a permanent shift. Some businesses do just fine with remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, but others complain that they clog their printers.
"I've seen many more issues with ink than with remanufactured toner," Reece said.
Recycle old computers
When ready to retire old computer equipment, see if you can arrange a second life for it at a school or nonprofit. Organizations like www.ireuse.com and www.techsoup.org can help you find homes for used but viable office equipment.
If they're too obsolete for reuse, computers can be recycled for parts and materials. But make sure you choose a responsible recycler that dismantles products here in the United States rather than in a foreign country with lax environmental laws.
"What you care about with recycling is what happens downstream," Reece said. "What does your recycler do with the recycling? Do they sell it to China, where it could end up dumped on a sandy beach?"
Best Buy last week launched a pilot program to recycle old computers for free. Some computer manufacturers like Hewlett-Packard will recycle old hardware for free or for a small fee. You can also find lists of reputable recyclers at sites such as www.erecycle.org and www.computertakeback.com.
In Dee Harley's case, she turned to Terri Reece to recycle her old computers as part of bringing the farm's technology operation into the 21st century.
Reece helped Harley Farms buy five new Energy Star computers. She showed Harley and her staff how to use their power-management features. Reece also created a network for the farm's computers for the first time.
Previously, employees had been sharing documents by printing them out and passing them around. So one unexpected benefit of the new networked system was that Harley Farms cut its paper use from two cases per month to about one-quarter of a case per month.
"We were very, very inefficient, which certainly wasn't green," Harley said. "We run our farm very sustainably. But I really didn't get sustainability when it came to our computers. This has been a huge change."
Second in a three-part series. Sunday: Bay Area businesses at forefront of environmental trend.
Tuesday: Mom-and-pop restaurants go green.
Read the series at sfgate.com.
Resources on the Web
-- The Climate Savers Computing Initiative, a coalition of environmental groups and technology companies such as Intel and Google, provides tips on how to save energy, including how to use the power-management setting on your computer at www.climatesaverscomputing.org.
-- You can find information on Energy-Star-rated office equipment and how to improve the energy efficiency of your office at www.energystar.gov/smallbiz. The Energy Star site also offers tips on power management at links.sfgate.com/ZDQW.
-- You can find information on EPEAT-rated computers and monitors at www.epeat.net.
-- Conservatree offers advice on choosing environmentally friendly paper, including a chart comparing many brands of recycled paper, at www.conservatree.com.
-- Xerox has an online "sustainability calculator" for printers that shows how much energy, greenhouse gas and solid waste can be saved by switching to Energy Star equipment. See links.sfgate.com/ZDQW.
-- There are many sites that address the problem of electronic waste and how to find a responsible recycler.
A KEYBOARD THAT BENDS TO YOUR NEEDS
Reprinted from the New York Times
By Peter Wayner
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
JOHN LANDINO’S couch may be comfortable, but it was never easy for him to sit back, relax and type. The keys were never at the right angle and there was no flat surface for a mouse. So he built the Phantom keyboard with a twirling, tilting mechanism for positioning it just right.
From top: the Phantom Lapboard keyboard has a twirling and tilting mechanism; Microsoft’s Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 can be used comfortably on a recliner, and the Maltron L Type USB keyboard is shaped to minimize users’ movements.
Logitech’s diNovo Mini keyboard is palm-size.
“The lapboard allows you to have complete and full keyboard and mouse interaction from just about any type of position,” he said. “You can use it as a lefty or righty.”
Bringing the keyboard to market was not easy — it has taken Mr. Landino’s company Phantom Entertainment (phantom.net) three years to create it, and copies are just shipping now from the manufacturing plant in China. He estimates that stores should be stocking it later this spring at a price of $129.
Mr. Landino is not the only one focused on the keyboard. As the computers shrink, more and more people aren’t content with the $10 model thrown in the box by the PC manufacturer. Some are embracing more exotic materials, some want a platform that works from an easy chair, some are demanding additional functions, and some just want a shape that places less stress on their aching hands and wrists. You can now spend more on a keyboard than on some desktop computers.
“We feel that many I.T. professionals take pride in choosing and using a high-performance keyboard in the same way many professional writers choose and use high-quality fountain pens and excellent typewriters,” said Kazuya Nakamura, a sales manager for Fujitsu’s keyboard division, PFU Ltd.
Last year, his company issued a limited-edition model with “Wajima-nuri lacquered keys that had been built into an elegant shaved aluminum body frame” for 525,000 yen (around $5,400). Its current, and less extravagant, line is sold only in Japan, but it can be ordered through importers like benippon.com for prices around $300.
The living room and the bedroom are the next beachheads for keyboard designers. Ralf Groene, a designer who worked on Microsoft’s Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000, said he saw that people were using their PCs in many places outside the office. He wanted to nurture “relaxed off-desk interactions” by making it simpler for someone to type comfortably from a couch, a recliner or maybe even a beanbag chair. The keys on Microsoft’s keyboard come with backlighting that glows only when the room is dark, saving batteries. The price was set at $300 when it was announced, but it is now available from many manufacturers for about $230 or so.
Adding wireless connections and rechargeable batteries are just the first hurdles for moving a keyboard from the desk and to people’s couches, laps and beds. The Phantom Lapboard sits on your lap, but can tilt up to make typing more comfortable. If the angle is not ideal, the board will also twirl around giving the user another axis to adjust. A platform on the side offers a flat, stable location for a mouse.
Logitech took a different approach and created a keyboard that was smaller, thinner and easier to maneuver. The palm-size diNovo Mini ($150 from logitech.com) comes with backlighting and a cover to hide its purpose while it is stored on a coffee table.
Denis Pavillard, vice president of keyboard marketing at Logitech, said that the slim profile could also make the keyboard more comfortable because it didn’t tilt the hands back or force the wrists to rise as far off the desk. This can help avert some repetitive motion problems. The touch or feel of the keyboard is also an important part of the package, Mr. Pavillard said. In spite of the Mini’s thin profile, Logitech strove to give the keys what he called “long travel,” which gives a sense of higher quality than shallow, clicky keyboards.
Creating a comfortable tool is a labor of love for many keyboard designers. Stephen Hobday, chairman of the British company PCD Maltron (maltron.com), says his company tried using injection molding to create his highly curved keyboards, but abandoned the process when it could not duplicate the quality of hand-built models.
His keyboards come in a variety of shapes and sizes that can be used by people with either one or two hands. The shape of the keyboards was chosen to minimize users’ movements while allowing their fingers to rest in a more natural position. The two-handed versions retail for £375 (around $530); the one-handed ones are a bit cheaper.
Mr. Hobday says he’s proud of the way his keyboards have helped people with painfully sore fingers, palms and wrists. In his mind, the keyboard are cheaper than lost work.
“The three-dimensional keyboard has been successful getting more than 2,000 people back to work from a repetitive stress injury,” he said. “The cost savings ergonomic design can bring are slowly being learned the hard way, and nearly always at the expense of operator suffering.”
Some people are so devoted to their keyboard that they search for backups and worry about finding another copy of a discontinued version. Jon Udell, a senior technical evangelist for Microsoft who suffers from repetitive stress problems, uses a Floating Arms keyboard last manufactured in the 1990s. The device incorporates the left part of the keyboard into the left armrest and the right half into the right armrest. The weight of the arms is carried by the rests, which put the hands in the optimal position to stroke the keys. It is the ultimate synthesis of easy chair and keyboard.
“Your hands never cross the center line anyway,” explained Mr. Udell. “This way you take all the weight off your shoulders, all the tension off your neck, you straighten your back, and you breathe better.”
What will he do if it breaks? He hopes someone else builds another version because nothing else comes close for him.
”It’s been a godsend and I don’t know what I’ll do without it,” he said, fingers crossed.
A comfortable, versatile computer workstation can boost your child’s productivity and well-being. Here are some tips for planning a space that will serve as an incentive for the development of good work, play, and study habits:
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If you want a system that can “grow” as your child grows, consider using a worksurface that is height-adjustable. There are many currently available.
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Ergonomics is as important for children as it is for adults. Poor posture can form early and lead to physical problems over time. When planning your child’s space, be sure to consider the following: The height and tilt of the computer keyboard. Wrists should rest comfortably in a straight line from forearm to fingers. Proper seating posture: a chair with a slight tilt forward is best, with arms positioned at a right angle (see diagram). To minimize neck and eye strain, position the computer monitor so that the top of the screen is at a slightly downward angle from your child’s eyes. If using an adult’s chair (there are few ergonomically-sensitive chairs for children), make sure the child’s feet rest flat on the floor. If they don’t, a good remedy is a footrest or stool.
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Managing multiple wires can be a problem in a room already filled with furnishings. To ensure that wires stay out of sight and don’t pose safety hazards to younger children, pets and others, look for furnishings that have wire management systems built in, or purchase wire management channels or velcro fasteners that group the wires and attach to the underside of the work surface.
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As your child may be doing more than working on a computer, make sure there is a task lamp on the desk to eliminate eye strain.
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Children like cupboards and drawers for hiding things. Parents will appreciate how these features help to keep the work area free of clutter.
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A plastic laminate such as Formica or Wilsonart is a smart option for the top of the worksurface as it wipes up easily, and withstands general abuse. Wood on the other hand, can scratch, chip and dent.
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Aesthetically, you can make a child’s desk as “fun” as you want by choosing interesting colors and shapes for both the worksurface, and for hardware such as knobs. Laminates come in hundreds of colors, and worksurface shapes do not have to be rectilinear. Seating can be upholstered in any “fun” fabric to liven up, and personalize your child’s space.
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Mobility is a nice option. Put your child’s desksystem on casters (wheels) so that it can be moved around to “redecorate” as your child grows. Make sure casters are “locking” so the system won’t roll around once in place. Freestanding drawers and cupboards can be treated in the same manner.
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If your child’s workspace will be in his/her bedroom, one option is to begin with bunk-style beds, turning the lower portion into a desk unit while leaving the bed above for sleeping.
ARE YOU PLANNING TO HAVE YOUR BEDROOM OR LIVING ROOM DO DOUBLE-DUTY AS AN OFFICE?
Here are 10 tips for making it work
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Make sure the room has a door, especially if you have children or family members who come and go during the day. This will ensure privacy when concentration is essential, and eliminates embarrassing "house" noises.
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Choose office furniture that blends well with your existing furnishings, so that the room will retain its residential feel.
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If you also entertain in the room, consider furnishings that can contain and even hide computers, peripherals and papers. Furniture such as armoires and hutches can be closed up so that the office disappears completely when not in use.
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Managing multiple wires can be a problem in a room already filled with furnishings. To ensure that they stay out of sight and don’t pose safety hazards to children and others, look for furnishings that have wire management systems built in, or purchase wire management channels or Velcro fasteners and attach them to the underside of the work surface.
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To avoid power problems, check on the electrical usage and power supply in the space you’re considering for your office. Appliances that use a lot of energy often cannot be plugged into the same outlet as a computer or fax.
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Check to make sure you have enough outlets for modems/fax, and telephones. Don’t add any until you have decided where these machines will be placed in the room.
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Plan placement of your computer workstation so that equipment is not in direct sun, and so there will not be glare on or behind your monitor screen. Black out shades installed behind drapes can help. If you have a great view and plan to face it as well as your screen, be aware that outside light will compete with the screen, making it difficult to focus. Avoid placing bright lights behind the screen, as this too, causes eye strain. Bright lights behind you can cause distracting shadows.
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Avoid purchasing a desk chair simply because it will look great in the room. Your body will thank you and your productivity will increase when you choose a chair that offers optimal lumbar support, adjustable arms, pneumatic height adjustment, and overall flexibility.
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If you’ll be doing more than working on a computer, make sure you have a task lamp on your desk for paperwork.
Avoid putting your keyboard on top of your work surface, as this height can strain arms, shoulders and wrists. Purchase an articulating keyboard tray which can accommodate both a keyboard and mouse. These trays not only pull out from under the desk, but can be height and tilt adjusted to your specific body needs.
If you’d like more information on planning and furnishing your home office, contact InHouse, the specialists in home office furniture and custom design.
First, Buy a Good Chair; It Could Cost
Hundreds, but May Keep Doctor Away
By ALBERT R. KARR
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
In far too many cases, the home office is a body ache waiting to happen.
A cast-off chair with bad support paired with a computer mouse placed on the desk can take a physical toll over time. Yet plenty of home offices are makeshift.
Experts in ergonomics -- techniques for adapting the work environment to the human body -- say that anybody spending long hours at the home computer should follow the same rules advised for any office building filled with desk workers: Get the right equipment and use it properly.
"The effects of poor posture are really insidious. They happen over long periods of time, and you may not notice them for months," says Robert DeSiervo, director of professional affairs for the American Society of Safety Engineers, a workplace- safety and -health group.
Constant use of ergonomically deficient equipment, or improper use of good gear, can produce carpal tunnel syndrome, a disorder of the hand; back pain; spine and neck problems; aching shoulders; sore elbows; eyestrain; and other problems.
Inadequate home offices are becoming a bigger issue, as the number of people working from home grows, whether because of telecommuting or entrepreneurial urges. According to a survey for the International Telework Association and Council issued early in September, telecommuters number 23.5 million, double the total six years ago, and self-employed home workers number 23.4 million, up from 18.3 million in 1997.
Achieving proper ergonomics at home is also complicated by the fact that more than one person may use the same computer. You don't want to visit carpal tunnel or other disorders on your spouse or your children, either. So make sure the space works for everybody who needs it.
Buying a good ergonomic chair is the first and most important step in creating or improving your home office ergonomically. A good chair can often work well with a less-than-perfect desk. Paying several hundred dollars for the right chair is worth the money in comfort alone and could save you money in medical bills later.
"People who make their living sitting on their butts need to spend money on a good adjustable chair," says Carter Kerk, associate professor of industrial engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines, who also heads the National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
If you are a telecommuter, your employer ought to see the value in providing you with proper gear.
The chair, preferably with a sturdy, five-legged base and casters that roll easily, should be adjustable in several ways. You should be able to adjust for height to ensure that your line of vision is about even with the top of the computer-monitor screen to two inches above it. Armrests should be adjustable, to keep your forearms horizontal while using the keyboard, and your elbows should be kept close to your torso.
Adjust the chair also so that your feet are comfortably on the floor (or on a footrest, if you are short). The backrest, lumbar support and seat pan should be independently adjustable, so that you can sometimes recline slightly, 10 to 15 degrees, to match the natural curve of the spine, rather than always sitting upright or -- even worse -- hunched forward. Make sure good support is provided for your lumbar region, or lower back.
Your thighs should be parallel to the floor or slope slightly away from your hips, if you can do that and still keep your feet flat on the floor or on a footrest.
Overall, the goal is maintaining a neutral posture, one that feels comfortable and minimizes strain on your body's muscles, nerves, tendons and blood system.
Using equipment correctly is crucial, too. You can undo the benefits of the best ergonomics with incorrect behavior, such as hunching forward, cradling your phone on your shoulder or reaching too far away to type or dial.
"You want to do as much as possible within your shoulder-to-shoulder range, without having to reach," adds Alan Hedge, professor of ergonomics at Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
If you have a laptop, use it sparingly. A laptop by design violates ergonomic precepts -- it requires incorrect posture to use the keyboard and monitor together, because they are too close and too low. It is best to use a separate keyboard or monitor, or both, with the laptop at the office or at home, and when you cannot do that on the road, at least support your laptop and your arms with a pillow or seat cushion, if possible.
Keep in mind that just because something is labeled "ergonomic" doesn't make it useful. It may not be ergonomic at all, or it may suit only certain users; a prime feature of ergonomic furniture and devices is adjustability. Curved desks require more reaching, because they limit your ability to swivel the chair. Keyboards, mouses and staplers designed for large or small hands are good for some people, not for others. Keyboards split down the middle, with each half rotated outward at the "ZXCVB" base of the keyboard may work well for broad-shouldered users, but poorly for smaller or hunt-and-peck typists.
And if you are really serious about getting things right, try a consultation with a certified professional ergonomist, or C.P.E.
Beyond the home-office chair, these are some basics for buying and using computer-related equipment:
DESKS
A height-adjustable desk, usually about 26 to 30 inches above the floor and easily fittable with the right keyboard and mouse tray, is ideal, but you may have to use the desk or other work surface that is available in your home workroom. Using an adjustable chair and fitting your other computer-related gear to the desk then becomes imperative.
KEYBOARDS
Place the keyboard at a height and distance that keeps your elbows comfortably by your sides. The keyboard should be flat, or tilted slightly downward away from you, to help you keep your lower arms, wrists and hands in a straight line. Your hands should be essentially flat, with no twisting of wrists to the side, upward or downward. A keyboard tray fitted to the underside of the desk top is useful. Don't rest your palms on the keyboard rest pad while typing -- do that only between typing stints -- and the rest pad should be padded, but not spongy. Don't rest your wrists on the pads, or on any hard or sharp edges, because that puts pressure on the wrist's medial nerve. Your thighs should be comfortably clear of the bottom of the keyboard tray.
MOUSES
Use one that is large enough so that your hand fits comfortably over it, with a mouse tray fitted to the side of the keyboard, to avoid constant reaching to use it. Don't leave your hand on the mouse when you aren't using it. If you are right-handed and begin to have discomfort in your right hand, switch the mouse to the left side of the keyboard and use it left-handed, and vice versa. Some ergonomics experts reduce mousing by using function keys instead, whenever possible.
MONITORS
Position the monitor at arm's length -- somewhere in the range of 18 to 30 inches -- with the top of the view screen even with your line of vision, or slightly below it, to avoid straining your neck when you turn your head to look upward.
"What you don't want to be is a bobble head," says Lawrence Schulze, an associate professor of ergonomics; at the University of Houston, who is also director of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health's worker-safety and ergonomics program. If you wear bifocal glasses, the monitor may have to be still lower, to prevent turning your head upward. Or you may need to buy trifocals or computer glasses, so you can work from the right distance and keep the monitor at a proper height. A flat monitor held by a movable arm is easily placed in the right position.
Copyholders should be as close to the monitor as possible, so you don't have to keep twisting your neck back and forth.
LIGHTING
Reduce harmful glare by tilting the monitor slightly toward you, and, if possible, by placing it at a right angle to the window, rather than in front of it. Keeping the blinds closed is another option. Overhead light shouldn't end up bouncing off walls, contributing to glare on the screen. Use an antiglare screen filter when needed.
And reduce strain on your body and eyestrain by looking away from the screen and blinking, and changing body positions from time to time, taking frequent "micro" breaks (one or two minutes, resting your hands and eyes), and 15-minute breaks every hour or two, doing stretch exercises, getting up and walking around or doing some other chore.
Copyright 2003 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
USING BLUETOOTH TECHNOLOGY IN YOUR HOME OFFICE
The following is an article from AllBusiness.com / The Advisor
Reprinted in The San Francisco Chronicle
Wednesday, July 9th 2008
It seems that every new electronic device on the market claims to be Bluetooth enabled. But what exactly is Bluetooth? How can it make your business more efficient? And why is it called Bluetooth?
Bluetooth is a wireless technology that uses short-range radio waves to connect devices. It has a relatively limited range, about 30 feet, which limits its use to cable replacement and similar applications. It's perfect for connecting keyboards to computers, for transferring digital photos from Bluetooth-equipped cameras, and syncing PDAs and other devices to your workstation. You can even wirelessly network printers and other peripheral devices.
But because of the limited range, it's not a good option for running a computer network.
For now, Wi-Fi is still your best bet for unwired networking. However, Bluetooth is great at what it does; it's reasonably fast, and uses next to no battery power. These factors add up to a wireless standard tailor-made for many of today's consumer electronic devices.
Even with the limited distance, manufacturers seem to have no trouble finding innovative applications for Bluetooth. Cell phones, PDAs and even cars offer Bluetooth connections. Courier and delivery services are equipping their delivery drivers with Bluetooth tablets that automatically sync with computers when they return to their delivery trucks, immediately transferring package and signature data.
Bluetooth is even being used to monitor critical infrastructure elements, such as water-pumping stations. Bluetooth's utility is limited only by manufacturers' imaginations - and its range.
Bluetooth devices are equipped with tiny chips that transmit and receive data and voice information. These chips communicate with one another over a low radio frequency - 2.4 GHz - on a portion of the radio spectrum known as the industrial, scientific and medical bands. Radio traffic on these bands can be heavy, as they are unlicensed, but Bluetooth uses a technique called frequency-hopping to avoid interference.
Frequency-hopping means the devices are almost always changing the frequencies on which they're transmitting and receiving. These hops are synchronized between transmitter and receiver, so communication is maintained. Frequency-hopping not only protects the data stream against interference, but also protects it from being intercepted. Because the devices are always switching channels, any eavesdropping devices on a specific channel would intercept only a small fraction of data.
Developers are already working on Bluetooth's successor. Ultrawideband technology promises to offer personal-area networking (that's industry-speak for short-distance networking) capability similar to Bluetooth, but much faster and much easier to use. It may even sport improved range - possibly up to 80 feet or so.|
But such is the lifecycle of new technologies; yesterday's killer app is tomorrow's quaint museum exhibit. Because of its extremely wide adoption by manufacturers, Bluetooth will certainly be around for a while before it's superseded by ultrawideband or whatever the next technology is. And for now, Bluetooth is a good way to get rid of those pesky wires.
Networking no-nos
Common mistakes: Not reaching the entire work space. Wireless signal strength will vary. Expect locations with spotty reception, and have a backup plan for reaching them.
Not changing the default password. Too many system administrators leave the default password in place, an invitation to hackers.
Not knowing how to troubleshoot. Make sure you test the system thoroughly before the installer leaves, and be sure you know what to do if something goes wrong.
Neglecting network security. Don't even turn on your network until it has been secured.
Why Bluetooth
Harald Blåtand was a 10th-century Danish king credited with uniting the kingdoms in Denmark and Norway. Blåtand, which means "dark hair" or "dark complexion," also translates loosely to "blue teeth." The original Bluetooth developers, many of whom were Scandinavian, likened their quest of uniting disparate devices to Blåtand's unification of disparate countries.
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