Tablet Form Factors and Swipe Gesture Designs Affect Thumb Biomechanics and Performance During Two-Handed Use

Details

• Personal Author:
  Arezes PM ; Coppola SM ; Dennerlein, Jack T. ; Lin MYC ; Schilkowsky J
• Description:
  Tablet computers' hardware and software designs may affect upper extremity muscle activity and postures. This study investigated the hypothesis that forearm muscle activity as well as wrist and thumb postures differ during simple gestures across different tablet form factors and touchscreen locations. Sixteen adult (8 female, 8 male) participants completed 320 tablet gestures across four swipe locations, with various tablet sizes (8" and 10"), tablet orientations (portrait and landscape), swipe orientations (vertical and horizontal), and swipe directions (medial and radial). Three-dimensional motion analysis and surface electromyography measured wrist and thumb postures and forearm muscle activity, respectively. Postures and muscle activity varied significantly across the four swipe locations (p < .0001). Overall, swipe location closest to the palm allowed users to swipe with a more neutral thumb and wrist posture and required less forearm muscle activity. Greater thumb extension and abduction along with greater wrist extension and ulnar deviation was required to reach the target as the target moved farther from the palm. Extensor Carpi Radialis, Extensor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Extensor Policis Brevis, and Abductor Pollicis Longus muscle activity also increased significantly with greater thumb reach (p < 001). Larger tablet size induced greater Extensor Carpi Radialis, Extensor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Carpi Ulnaris, Flexor Carpi Radialis, and Abductor Pollicis Longus muscle activity (p < .0001). The study results demonstrate the importance of swipe locations and suggest that the tablet interface design can be improved to induce more neutral thumb and wrist posture along with lower forearm muscle load. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biomechanical Phenomena Ergonomics Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: User Interface Design Biomechanics Electromyography Equipment Design Mobile Computing Mobile Equipment Motion Capture Motion Studies Upper Extremities
• ISSN:
  0003-6870
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 10 ; Washington
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  40-46
• Volume:
  69
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20068925
• Citation:
  Appl Ergon 2018 May; 69:40-46
• Contact Point Address:
  Jack T. Dennerlein, Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, 02115 Boston, USA
• Email:
  j.dennerlein@northeastern.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2018
• Performing Organization:
  Harvard School of Public Health
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  Applied Ergonomics
• End Date:
  20280630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:c3d3f8ca0e44fe7fc0c8b1d14e8b869b24585d5b7c70823d3adc176908e465cb253613b1de3346c157befccfaa8b8e116f648c2e988ab3a1bff8819eac6132ec
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/207488/cdc_207488_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 282.37 KB ]