Discusses health concerns associated with the use of video display terminals (VDT) and provides guidelines to enhance the performance of VDT users. Health issues addressed include radiation, musculoskeletal, psychological, and visual concerns. Guidelines for a well-designed VDT environment are also presented, including hardware considerations,…

Results of a survey of computer users in a department of business studies in a college of further education in the United Kingdom focus on human factors problems associated with computer usage. Perceptions of health-related problems are explored, and findings from questionnaires and group discussions are described. (Nine references) (LRW)

Cites some of the evidence which suggests that the production of carbon dioxide and methane from human activities has begun to change the climate. Describes some measures which should be taken to stop or slow this progression. (RT)

To investigate whether screen color is an important variable in the prescription of closed circuit television (CCTV) systems, 16 adults with low vision were assessed on reading performance on white, green, and amber screens. When the screen luminance and contrast were equated for each CCTV, subjects' reading performance was unaffected by screen…

Discusses ways for preparing schools for integrating technology, including designing the wiring infrastructure, equipment purchases, furniture needs, and ergonomic considerations. Describes four levels of Internet connectivity access and provides a list of contact names, phone numbers, and Web sites for technology fund information from each state.…

The approach used by the University of Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) in designing a campus-wide information architecture and a framework for reengineering the business process included building consensus on a general philosophy for information systems, using pattern-based abstraction techniques, applying data modeling and application prototyping, and…

Despite the multiple potential benefits of asking students working on programming tasks to consider human factors, most programming assignments narrowly focus on technical details and requirements. Female students in particular may be attracted to assignments that emphasize human as well as technical factors. To assess how students respond to…

This paper proposes a design for the electronic book based on discussions with frequent book readers. We adopted a conceptual framework for this project consisting of a spectrum of possible designs, with the conventional bound book at one difference pole, and the laptop computer at the other; the design activity then consisted of appropriately…

As the use of computers has become more common in society, human engineering and ergonomics have lagged behind the sciences which developed the equipment. Some research has been done in the past on the effects of screen colors on computer use efficiency, but results were inconclusive. This paper describes a study of the impact of screen color…

This digest highlights several psychological dimensions of user-computer interfaces. First, the psychological theory behind interface design and the field of human-computer interaction (HCI) are discussed. Two psychological models, the information processing model of cognition and the mental model--both of which contribute to interface design--are…

This document contains the proceedings of a joint meeting of the International Federation for Medical and Biological Engineering and the International Organization for Medical Physics. Participants from over 50 countries were in attendance. The theme of the program, "Challenges for the Year 2000," was a reminder of the challenges which…

These 19 papers review current research and development work related to the operation of the instructor's station of training systems, with emphasis on developing functional station specifications applicable to a variety of simulation-based training situations. Topics include (1) instructional features; (2) instructor/operator station research and…

This paper provides an overview of the information currently available on the prospects of electronic work at home. The first major section examines the technological environment that makes electronic home work possible. Central and dispersed computer facilities, internal and external means of communication, work stations, software, and security…

Designed to direct the teacher to a variety of teaching and learning resources relating to the man-made environment, this document provides annotated lists of resources in several sections. The section on student reading resources lists literature written for the student and relates to various aspects of the built environment: social, technical,…

IN THIS COLLECTION OF ERGONOMICS ABSTRACTS AND ANNOTATIONS THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF CONCERN ARE REPRESENTED--GENERAL REFERENCES, METHODS, FACILITIES, AND EQUIPMENT RELATING TO ERGONOMICS, SYSTEMS OF MAN AND MACHINES, VISUAL, AUDITORY, AND OTHER SENSORY INPUTS AND PROCESSES (INCLUDING SPEECH AND INTELLIGIBILITY), INPUT CHANNELS, BODY MEASUREMENTS,…