Researchers Develop Webcam Tool to Improve Posture of Office Workers
From: American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev - 08/02/2011
By: Andrew Lavin 

A multidisciplinary team at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has developed
a desktop Webcam tool that could help improve the ergonomic posture of office
workers and reduce their risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). The team
developed the automated frequent-feedback system as a training tool, which
displays a Webcam photo of the current posture of a worker alongside a photo
of correct posture. During testing, 60 workers received conventional and
Webcam training, but photo-training was the only method to offer sustained
improvement in posture over time. The photo-training method was more
effective for women. "To maintain the effectiveness of an ergonomic
intervention for the long term, the intervention should be a continuous
process, which includes frequent feedback," according to the researchers.
"This new ergonomic method can also result in preventing MSD among workers
and reduce financial loss to their employers." The research recommends
installing the self-modeling, photo-training software on the computers of
workers to provide frequent and long-term feedback on sitting posture. 

Read the entire article at:
http://www.aabgu.org/media-center/news-releases/office-posture.html

Links:
Meirav Taieb-Maimon
http://www.ise.bgu.ac.il/faculty/merav/default.htm

Bracha Shapira
http://fohs.bgu.ac.il/research/PersonalWebSite1main.aspx?id=jreudsuM

Julie Cwikel
http://www.publichealthactivism.com/meet_julie_cwikel.htm

Researchers Develop Innovative Ergonomic Behavior Change Tool 
http://in.bgu.ac.il/en/Pages/news/multo_disorders.aspx

Researchers develop webcam tool to improve office worker posture 
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-08/aabu-brd080211.php