Laptop Keyboard Ergonomics

What is a Repetative Strain Injury?

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is a serious concern in today's technology-driven world. Caused by repeated physical movements (such as typing or moving a mouse), RSI predominantly affects the upper body, resulting in symptoms like pain, stiffness, tingling, and numbness. These symptoms can significantly impact everyday activities for students and professionals alike. For IT professionals, who often spend extended periods at computers, the risk is notably high. Studies indicate that 60% of IT workers using computers for more than eight hours daily may experience RSI symptoms at some point.

The best way to combat RSI is to vary the way you interact with your computer and spend less time in a static position.

Concept Generation

Initial Concept Sketching

When generating ideas, there were ultimately two different mindsets I was thinking within:
1. Increasing the number of breaks in an attempt for people to move more throughout the day
2. Providing an alternative method of interacting with their computer to give varience

I started off with rough napkin sketches to capture ideas, and ultimately landed on the ideas in the images below. Once I had the ideas, I then conducted interviews with fellow students at Georgia Tech to get feedback on the concepts. I also collected quantitative feedback to allow me rank ideas.

Increasing Breaks

External E-Ink Display

One way to encourage breaks is by providing an alternative action that can be completed with your hands not on the keyboard. This concept highlights the idea of notifying the user when they've been using the laptop for a extended period time, and offering a series of different games/activies on an external e-ink display.

What Interviewees Liked

• Elements of customizability
• Use of color to give personality to laptop
• Way to quickly play a game/take a break without being sucked into their phone

What Interviewees Did Not Like

• Didn't like some of the example breaks
• Didn't know how useful it would actually be in combating RSI

Peripheral Change

Computer Controller

For times where you're doing more light computer work, this concept is a one-handed controller with a display that can function as either a keyboard or trackpad for you computer.

What Interviewees Liked

• People seem intruiged about the concept
• Potential to use motion rather than trackpad for mouse movement

What Interviewees Did Not Like

• Unsure how easy it would be to type on
• Looks awkward to carry around
• Unsure about button for middle finger rather than index finger

Increasing Breaks

Pedometer Battery

This is an artifical battery that communicates with your laptop. When you're sitting using your computer, the "battery" is depleting, and the only way to recharge it is to walk around. This could be adjusted for different depletion and charging rates depending on the user's preference.

What Interviewees Liked

• Concept of setting goals to slowly get them to move more throughout the day
• Look of device and physical buttons for interface

What Interviewees Did Not Like

• Process of having to plug it in to laptop every time
• Likely to just unplug from the laptop rather than get up and move around

Peripheral Change

Tenting Keyboard

By splitting the keyboard in the center and angling it, this can provide a more comfortable angle for your wrist that is less likely to cause discomfort over a long period of use.

What Interviewees Liked

• Thought it would be an effective way to help prevent RSI
• Would mean that they don't need to carry around anything new

What Interviewees Did Not Like

• Worried about having to get use to typing both on a split keyboard and at an angle
• Didn't see a benefit in the wireless, detachable trackpad
• Concerns about fragility

Increasing Breaks

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Peripheral Change

From my interviews, the final direction seemingly should be some combination of these two concepts

Prototyping

Laptop Model #1

The first model was made of foamcore and was designed to replicate the functionality from the original sketch. From using this prototype, the overarching feedback was that the keyboard segments were too close together, leading to a wrist position that felt more awkward than just a traditional keyboard.

Laptop Model #2

With the feedback from the first model I moved on to Model #2. This was a model of a 15" laptop, and the additional width meant I could provide greater distance between the keyboard segments. I arrived at this split distance by creating tests beforehand at different distances and having people try them and give feedback as to which distance was their favorite.

Extended-Split Keyboard on Laptop Model #1

Having the concept work on a 13" laptop was a goal since the beginning for me, and so my final model was to portait the idea of the keyboard being able to slide apart and pivot into the tented position. To get an idea of the comfort level, I bought a replacement Macbook Pro keyboard that I cut into two parts and attached to the model to give a better sense of the typing experience.

Final Renders