Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-26DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104608
Kaire Piirsalu-Kivihall , Jaana-Piia Mäkiniemi
{"title":"Extent of teleworking and work Stress: The role of information and communication technology and job-related demands and resources","authors":"Kaire Piirsalu-Kivihall , Jaana-Piia Mäkiniemi","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104608","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104608","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With over 41 million hybrid and high-extent teleworkers in Europe, the landscape of remote work has drastically transformed. Considering the teleworking extent, this study explores the relationships between information and communication technology (ICT) demands, ICT resources, social resources, job demands, and work stress among 1495 Estonian full-time employees engaged in telework and regular ICT use. Hybrid teleworkers reported higher work stress and ICT demands than high-extent teleworkers. In both groups, high e-communication demands, work requiring concentration, and email challenges were associated with increased work stress. Conversely, job resources such as concentration-enabling workplaces, information sharing and collaboration reduced stress. Hybrid teleworkers experienced elevated stress from ICT difficulties, while high-extent teleworkers were more affected by relationship maintenance. Feeling appreciated was related to lower stress for high-extent teleworkers. Moderation analysis revealed that collaboration and information sharing buffered stress from excessive e-communication only for hybrid teleworkers. Findings offer insights for improving telework practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104608"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-25DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104607
Jasmine Dang, Tyler H. Shaw, William S. Helton
{"title":"Does being away with the fairies really matter? The importance of thought content for task performance on a Go-No-Go target detection task","authors":"Jasmine Dang, Tyler H. Shaw, William S. Helton","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104607","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104607","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The sustained attention to response task (SART) is a high Go, low No-Go target detection task. Researchers have utilized the SART to study the impact of thought content on human performance. This area of research faces several method issues. Previous research often utilizes psychometrically dubious measures of thought content, conflates trait and state processes, and lacks multiple assessments to enable state process testing. In the present study, 54 participants performed 10 iterations of the SART. After each SART, participants assessed both task-related thoughts and the lack of thoughts occurring during the SART. The lack of awareness of thoughts could be considered a form of mindlessness. Commission errors declined over iterations of the SART, indicating response inhibition improvement with task experience. The within-subjects (state) correlation between self-reported lack of thoughts (i.e., mindlessness) and errors in the SART was, however, near zero, indicating minimal, if any, relationship between self-reported mindlessness and performance. The importance of mindlessness or a lack of awareness of thought content on human performance in the traditional SART may be exaggerated. Researchers using SART or tasks with similar paradigms to assess thought content should consider these findings when interpreting their data.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104607"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-25DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104605
Danielli Cossul , Tarcisio Abreu Saurin , Rosana da Silva Fraga , Simone Silveira Pasin , Ricardo de Souza Kuchenbecker
{"title":"Learning from workarounds in barcode medication administration: a Safety-II perspective","authors":"Danielli Cossul , Tarcisio Abreu Saurin , Rosana da Silva Fraga , Simone Silveira Pasin , Ricardo de Souza Kuchenbecker","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104605","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104605","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Workarounds (WAs) in healthcare digital technologies are common, and several coping measures have been proposed. However, prior studies did not emphasize how to learn from WAs, which should be the basis for any improvement. This study addresses this gap by introducing guidelines to learn from WAs. The guidelines are underpinned by the Safety-II perspective, which recognizes that WAs are context-dependent and have mixed outcomes. A case study of barcode medication administration in a large hospital provides the empirical foundation for the guidelines. Data collection encompassed documentary analysis, shadowing of caregivers, interviews, focus groups, a survey for assessing risks of WAs, and a psychological safety survey. Results revealed 22 WAs, 43 contributing factors, nine potential desired outcomes and nine potential undesired outcomes. Tackling the contributing factors is crucial to reduce the frequency and risks associated with WAs. Five learning guidelines emerged, addressing: (<em>i</em>) prioritization of WAs based on their risk; (<em>ii</em>) emphasis on risk reduction rather than elimination; (<em>iii</em>) data-driven focus groups; (<em>iv</em>) limitations of WAs as a source of learning; and (<em>v</em>) use of language consistent with Safety-II; this guideline is accompanied by a new WA definition. These guidelines might inform the design of learning systems supportive of resilient healthcare.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104605"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144704545","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-23DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104599
Lorrys Berthon , Fabien Bernard , Sylvain Fleury , Raphaël Paquin , Simon Richir
{"title":"Multi-dimensional measurement of mental workload in industrial context: an experiment in the field of helicopter maintenance","authors":"Lorrys Berthon , Fabien Bernard , Sylvain Fleury , Raphaël Paquin , Simon Richir","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104599","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104599","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Assessing mental workload is essential for optimizing the design of complex systems, particularly in aeronautical maintenance, where operators' activities serve as a crucial safety barrier to ensure optimal system safety levels. One of the roles of human factors in maintainability is, therefore, to anticipate maintenance activities and human behavior from the start of the design cycle. This study pursues a dual objective: firstly, to identify relevant for evaluating mental workload in an industrial maintenance environment, and secondly, to determine which of these indicators correlate with performance degradation. Ten participants performed five maintenance tasks of varying complexity on a helicopter, involving the removal, installation of components and a detailed inspection. Subjective measures (NASA-TLX), performance metrics (completion time), and cardiovascular data (heart rate, heart rate variability) were analyzed. We observed longer completion times and higher NASA-TLX scores for complex maintenance conditions. Regarding cardiovascular data, the results in the time domain of heart rate variability follow a similar trend compared to two other types of measurements. These results will be discussed in depth in this article. This study represents a further step in the multidimensional measurement of mental workload in maintenance within a realistic industrial context.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104599"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of ergonomic interventions on musculoskeletal health and work performance in dentists and dental students: a scoping review","authors":"Sergio Sandoval-Alarcón , Rosario Bäumle , Héctor Ignacio Castellucci","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104602","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104602","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dentists face various occupational demands that heighten their risk of developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), including prolonged static postures, repetitive movements, unsuitable dental instruments, extended work hours, and insufficient rest breaks. This scoping review (ScR) aims to systematically map the effects of ergonomics interventions on musculoskeletal and performance variables in dentistry. Following PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), searches were conducted in the Medline/PubMed and Web of Science databases, covering studies published between 2012 and 2023. Out of 4362 articles initially retrieved, 51 met the eligibility criteria. These articles were analyzed qualitatively to assess the impact of physical, non-physical, and mixed ergonomic interventions. The most frequently studied intervention was the use of dental loupes, followed by physical exercise programs. Musculoskeletal variables included pain reduction, posture, muscle function, physical stress, and surface body temperature, while performance outcomes involved work efficiency, procedure duration, tool positioning, ease and quality of dental procedures, and concentration levels. Musculoskeletal variables were assessed in all 51 studies, with 10 also evaluating performance outcomes. Positive effects of ergonomic interventions were reported in 38 studies, while 13 showed inconclusive results. No negative effects were observed. Overall, ergonomic interventions offer potential benefits for improving both musculoskeletal health and work performance in dentists and dental students.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104602"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144680205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-19DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104589
Francesco Zanatta , Patrizia Steca , Marina Maffoni , Cira Fundarò , Anna Giardini , Chiara Ferretti , Giovanni Arbasi , Marco D'Addario , Antonia Pierobon
{"title":"Experience of use, usability and psychosocial impact of robotic and virtual reality technology in neuromotor rehabilitation: A mixed-method triangulation analysis of patients' and their therapists’ perspective","authors":"Francesco Zanatta , Patrizia Steca , Marina Maffoni , Cira Fundarò , Anna Giardini , Chiara Ferretti , Giovanni Arbasi , Marco D'Addario , Antonia Pierobon","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104589","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104589","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Robotics and Virtual Reality (VR) have shown promise in rehabilitation programs, but more integrated technology evaluations are essential to promote patient engagement and outcomes. This study assessed technology experience of use, usability, and psychosocial impact in neuromotor rehabilitation, by accounting both patients' (n = 29) and their therapists' (n = 13) view. A mixed-method convergent parallel design with a nested triangulation protocol was adopted to analyze participants’ perspectives and further identify agreements and discrepancies. Positive perceptions of technology experience of use, usability, and psychosocial impact were reported by patients along with significant correlations between technology use and perceived effectiveness. Therapists noted acceptable usability with some device-specific variations. From qualitative data, key themes were identified (i.e., \"Learnability,\" \"Engagement,\" \"Implementation\", \"Barriers\") and areas for improvement were highlighted for future deployment. Finally, triangulation showed broad agreement among participants. Findings emphasize the need for integrating different user perspective when evaluating rehabilitation technologies and underscore their potential to enhance rehabilitation outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104589"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144662454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-12DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104598
Yuzhang Li , Bin Zheng , Peter Grant , Xinming Li
{"title":"Assessing cognitive load through eye metrics in in-motion vs. stationary environments","authors":"Yuzhang Li , Bin Zheng , Peter Grant , Xinming Li","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104598","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104598","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>Quantifying cognitive load during whole-body motion is crucial for professions such as aircraft pilots and paramedics. This study incorporates eye metrics to monitor cognitive load changes during aiming tasks with different levels of difficulty (ID) while the participant was either stationary or experiencing whole-body motion (in-motion condition).</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>25 participants completed reciprocal aiming tasks under both in-motion and stationary conditions. The IDs were modified by altering target distances and sizes. Eye metrics, including pupil size, blink rate, fixation dispersion, and eye saccadic movements, were analyzed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Under in-motion conditions, significantly larger pupil dilation was observed by more than 100 %; Blink rate decreased by 27 % for difficult tasks; Participants displayed significantly larger fixation dispersion by 29 %. Participants’ eyes frequently overshot targets while scanning between targets, followed by a series of corrective adjustments, for both conditions.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The in-motion condition significantly increased cognitive load, exaggerated pupil dilation, suppressed eye blinks, and intensified fixation dispersion.</div></div><div><h3>Applications</h3><div>Eye metrics assess cognitive load in moving environments, offering reliable tools to study the effects of motion. This aids in developing training protocols to minimize negative impacts on individuals working under whole-body motion conditions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104598"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-11DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104586
Jarrod A. Smith , Shahram Rasoulian , Ryan Porto , Joel A. Cort
{"title":"Establishing moment-angle equations to predict low back exoskeleton support moment","authors":"Jarrod A. Smith , Shahram Rasoulian , Ryan Porto , Joel A. Cort","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104586","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104586","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Exoskeletons have emerged as a promising technology for potentially mitigating the risk of injuries by providing mechanical support and reducing loads on the body. There are a variety of low back passive exoskeletons currently available. While manufactures do provide specifications on the peak supportive moment capabilities, little is known about their moment-angle relationship through their full range of motion. This information is valuable when deciding on which exoskeleton best supports the task demands on job. This study aimed to develop moment-angle equations for two passive low back support exoskeletons (SuitX BackX and Laevo V2.5). These equations can provide valuable insights into the mechanical behavior and the extent of supportive moment delivered by passive low-back support exoskeletons during dynamic tasks. These equations can be used from a preventative perspective to help practitioners understand how much support may be provided given task and operator characteristics. For experimental data collection, we secured exoskeletons on a dynamometer (Biodex System 4) and loaded in a full range of motion with five different loading rates, i.e., 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60 deg/sec. Results show polynomial regression equations for each exoskeleton, motion, support setting and angular velocity which were determined based on low mean square error and high-squared values. Implications for this work include integration within digital human modeling technology to help determine the need for exoskeleton implementation as a tool that can reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal injury.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104586"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144604123","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-11DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104596
Eleanore Rae Scheer , Jad A. Atweh , Jessica Arora , Elizabeth Thompson , Lauren Petty , Rachel Huh , Jaiden Murray , Elvie Sellers , Divya Srinivasan , Rupa S. Valdez
{"title":"Designing and implementing exoskeleton devices for nurses with acute and chronic pain","authors":"Eleanore Rae Scheer , Jad A. Atweh , Jessica Arora , Elizabeth Thompson , Lauren Petty , Rachel Huh , Jaiden Murray , Elvie Sellers , Divya Srinivasan , Rupa S. Valdez","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104596","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104596","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nursing is classified as a high-risk occupation due to significant physical demands and lack of ergonomic support. With age, nurses are increasingly likely to develop acute and/or chronic pain (ACP), exacerbating the nursing shortage. Nurses/nurse managers with ACP may benefit from exoskeletons tailored to their ergonomic needs. Our objective was to elicit the social and organizational factors important to exoskeleton design and implementation for nurses/nurse managers with ACP working in long-term care facilities. We conducted a thematic analysis of surveys and interview data of predominantly.</div><div>Black/African American nurses/nurse managers. Results highlighted potential social impacts on disabled patients being cared for by a nurse in an exoskeleton, exoskeleton training considerations for leaders of long-term care facilities, anticipated pressures to increase productivity due to exoskeleton use, and descriptions of nurses’ (dis)comforts disclosing pain-related needs. Findings may guide ergonomists in balancing the work systems of nurses/managers with ACP using exoskeletons in long-term care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104596"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144596422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Applied ErgonomicsPub Date : 2025-07-10DOI: 10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104592
Jingkun Wang , Chiho Lim , Mansoor Nasir , Justine Nestorowich , Calandra Berry , Poushali Ray , Brandon J. Pitts , Denny Yu
{"title":"In-vehicle multi-sensory experiences can reduce mental stress","authors":"Jingkun Wang , Chiho Lim , Mansoor Nasir , Justine Nestorowich , Calandra Berry , Poushali Ray , Brandon J. Pitts , Denny Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104592","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apergo.2025.104592","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Daily stress is a widespread and growing concern that impacts both mental and physical well-being. Although many evidence-based strategies exist, including yoga, mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and sensory approaches such as scent, massage, auditory, and visual stimulation, they often require time, training, or specialized environments, which limits their accessibility in everyday life. This study explores an alternative, practical approach by evaluating a multi-sensory in-vehicle relaxation system designed for use while the vehicle is stationary. Given that personal vehicles are central to daily routines, they present an underutilized yet promising space for passive stress recovery. Forty-eight participants engaged in three conditions following a stress-inducing cognitive task: a control (no relaxation), multi-sensory relaxation without scent, and multi-sensory relaxation with scent. Physiological responses were measured via EEG and ECG, and subjective stress ratings were collected to assess each condition's impact. Both multi-sensory relaxation experiences (with and without scent) significantly reduced stress compared to the control. The relaxation methods resulted in a 33 ms increase in mean RR, a 5 ms increase in RMSSD, and an increase in the alpha/beta ratio at frontal EEG channels. Ninety-eight percent of participants preferred the relaxation experience over the control experience, and 62 % indicated they would use it regularly in similar scenarios. These findings suggest that multi-sensory relaxation methods can reduce stress following a cognitively demanding task and are well-received by participants. Integrating such relaxation experiences into vehicles could reduce stress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55502,"journal":{"name":"Applied Ergonomics","volume":"129 ","pages":"Article 104592"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144589160","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}