PROCEEDINGS of the HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS SOCIETY 42nd ANNUAL MEETING-1998 629 LAPTOP CONFIGURATIONS IN OFFICES: EFFECTS ON POSTURE AND DISCOMFORT

This study investigates a variety of laptop configurations and their effects on posture and discomfort. There are several benefits to using laptops in an office setting. They conserve space and allow greater computing flexibility in meetings or business travel. One potential drawback of laptops is that the keyboard and monitor cannot be adjusted independently, which may lead to constrained postures and musculoskeletal discomfort. In this study, 14 users experienced six laptop configurations. The configurations varied in terms of laptop placement and the kinds of external peripherals (e.g. external monitor) that were used in conjunction with the laptop. Past findings showing increased neck flexion and discomfort with laptop use were replicated. However, the addition of peripheral devices to laptops seems to mitigate the problems previously associated with their use