Evaluation of the computer mouse and keyboard as exposure assessment tools

描述(申请人提供)：这项研究的长期目标是开发软件来持续监测来自鼠标和键盘的数字信号，以确定鼠标点击和击键持续时间何时发生小的、系统的变化，这可能与肌肉的早期潜在变化有关，这些变化可能是累积创伤的先兆。为了达到研究目标，使用36个受试者和重复测量设计，本项目的具体目的是：1)确定击键持续时间是否随着键盘工作持续时间的增加而系统性地变化，以及击键持续时间的时间变化是否与来自肌肉的客观测量平行；2)确定鼠标按键点击持续时间是否随着鼠标工作持续时间的增加而发生系统性变化，以及鼠标按键点击持续时间的时间变化是否与来自肌肉的客观测量平行。如果可以在来自鼠标和键盘的数字信号中检测到系统的、与疲劳相关的变化，则操作员自己的计算机可以监控并主动通知用户他们可能从活动的变化中受益，从而减轻肌肉中潜在的不利变化，从而潜在地降低操作员随后发生计算机相关肌肉骨骼疾病的机会。与公众健康相关：这项研究建议开发和评估一个计算机活动监测程序，该程序将非侵入性地持续监测键盘和/或鼠标按键点击持续时间的系统性变化，这些变化可能表明肌肉生理状态的早期和潜在的不利变化。如果可以使用鼠标和键盘检测到这些系统的生理变化，操作员自己的计算机可以监控并主动通知用户这些早期的和潜在的不利变化，从而潜在地减少操作员随后发生与计算机相关的肌肉骨骼疾病的机会。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term objective of this study is to create software to continually monitor the digital signals from the mouse and keyboard in order to determine when small, systematic changes in mouse button-click and keystroke durations occur which may be associated with early, underlying changes in the muscle that may be a precursor to cumulative trauma. To achieve study objectives, using 36 subjects and a repeated measures design, the specific aims of this project are to: 1) determine whether keystroke duration systematically changes as the durational exposure to keyboard work increases and whether the temporal changes in keystroke durations parallel objective measures from the muscle, 2) determine whether mouse button-click duration systematically changes as the durational exposure to mouse work increases and whether the temporal changes in mouse button- click durations parallel objective measures from the muscle. If systematic, fatigue-related changes can be detected in the digital signals from the mouse and keyboard, the operator's own computer could monitor and proactively notify the user that they may benefit from a change in activities, mitigating potentially adverse changes in the muscle and thereby potentially reducing the operator's subsequent chances for developing a computer-related musculoskeletal disorder. Relevance to Public Health: This study proposes to develop and evaluate a computer activity monitoring program which will non-invasively and continuously monitor for systematic changes in keyboard and/or mouse button click duration which may be indicative of early and potentially adverse changes in the physiologic state of the muscle. If these systematic, physiologic changes can be detected using the mouse and keyboard, the operator's own computer could monitor and proactively notify the user of these early and potentially adverse changes and thereby potentially reduce the operator's subsequent chances for developing a computer-related musculoskeletal disorder.