Welcome to UW ErgoLab
UW Ergonomics Laboratory is affiliated with the department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences in the school of Public Health at the University of Washington . The laboratory's facility is located at UWMC-Roosevelt clinic. We exist to advance the science of ergonomics and human factors through field and laboratory exposure assessment investigations with the goal of protect the world's working populations from the development of preventable musculoskeletal disorders.
Our research team consists of experts from diverse disciplines including bioengineering, community medicine and rehabilitation, kinesiology, environmental and occupational health sciences, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, and resource economics. The integration and synthesis of these disciplines facilitate intervention development for preventing occupational injuries such as musculoskeletal disorders.
UW ErgoLab conducts field and laboartory exposure assessement investigations to prevent work-related musculoskeletal injuries. Recently, the primary focus of our research is on Whole-Body Vibration (WBV) among professional drivers and heavy equipment operators. In addition, we are developing non-invasive assessment tools to measure muscle fatigue during computer use in order to proactively notify computer users of their fatigue, thereby reducing their chances for developing a computer related musculoskeletal disorder. Finally, research on kids and computer input device is also conducted to determine whether or not current adult-based designs are appropriate for younger, smaller computer users. The research is supported by private industries and federal agencies.