OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
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Welcome to OSU's College of Public Health and Human Sciences Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Research Laboratory.
We use a variety of bioinstrumentation to characterize work-related physical exposures and investigate their relationships with adverse health outcomes with an ultimate goal of promoting health and well-being at workplaces. We conduct both laboratory and field-based research studies to investigate underlying musculoskeletal injury mechanism in various work environment including computer work, VR/AR interactions, professional vehicle operation, patient handling, and commercial fishing.
Jay Kim and others studying tablets have found a correlation between typing speed and size of virtual keys.
Carpal tunnel, stiff shoulders, eye-strain headaches – these are all well-known side effects of prolonged computer use. But what happens when you step away from the desktop and into virtual reality?
“WBV is a leading risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders, especially low back disorders,” Jay says. “These disorders are the cause of 40 to 60 percent of all workers’ compensation claims in the nation, and the annual cost ranges from $20-$60 billion, which is almost the same as cancer.”
