Going Short: Laptop Keyboard Ergonomics Evaluation

Evaluate mobile technology designs’ effects on biomechanics, performance, user experience and whether there is a sex/gender difference in the biomechanical exposures caused by technology.

Role

Lead researcher

Industry

Technology

Duration

3 months

person uses a computer in a laboratory setting. there are sensors with wires on their right forearm

Short Travel Keyboard Design Evaluation

Collaborated with industry partner to evaluate 4 commercially available mobile computing devices which each had key travels below recommended standard: Surfacebook, Surface, MacBook, and iPad Pro.
Designed laboratory study to assess typing force, muscle activity, performance, and user experience.
Recruited 20 participants and ran human-subjects study.

Short Travel Keyboard Design Evaluation

Collaborated with industry partner to evaluate 4 commercially available mobile computing devices which each had key travels below recommended standard: Surfacebook, Surface, MacBook, and iPad Pro.
Designed laboratory study to assess typing force, muscle activity, performance, and user experience.
Recruited 20 participants and ran human-subjects study.

Analysis and Results

Data analyzed processed in Matlab and analyzed in JMP
Muscle activity, typing force, performance, and user experience varied across devices
Female participants were more affected by keyswitch design

Key Takeaways for Industry Partner

Surface, SurfaceBook, and MacBook Pro better than iPad Pro
- Lower typing force
- Lower muscle activity
- Better User experience
Key switch design matters
- Participants prefer larger travel distances
- Given equal travel, force matters for biomechanics
- Given equal force, travel matters for experience
Trends similar for female and male participants
- Effect of device larger on female muscle activity
- Female performance might be more affect by key travel

Link to published paper Coppola et al. 2019

Impact

These results confirmed customer and journalism reports about the new shallow key switch designs, and future models of these devices have either maintained or increased the typical scissors switch key travel.

This project also furthered methods for assessing commercially available, off the shelf products without an embedded force plate and for better understanding exposure differences that lead to downstream increased clinical repetitive strain disorders and technology related pain in women.

Key Takeaways for Industry Partner

Surface, SurfaceBook, and MacBook Pro better than iPad Pro
- Lower typing force
- Lower muscle activity
- Better User experience
Key switch design matters
- Participants prefer larger travel distances
- Given equal travel, force matters for biomechanics
- Given equal force, travel matters for experience
Trends similar for female and male participants
- Effect of device larger on female muscle activity
- Female performance might be more affect by key travel