Most of the time ergonomics is focused on the end user, or the person that's going to actually use the thing we're talking about. Maintenance work is usually deemed not as important. There's a great article in the current issue of Heliprops called The Maintenance Factor that discusses the importance of the same type of ergonomic design considerations for maintaining your item (in this case helicopters) as it does for operating it.

Pedini, and Italian kitchen and bath company, has released a number of new kitchens that are really cool. With curves and color reflecting modern high design, the kitchens please the eyes. And it looks as if there attention to ergonomics will let them please the rest of the body as well. Unfortunately the website is a little more style than usability. Click on the text "Kitchens" on the first page then click on "Kitchens" in the upper right hand corner. Then check out the Artika line.

A recent study (by PricewaterhouseCoopers) found a relationship between the team size, quality of feedback from management and absences due to Repetitive Stress Injuries (or Musculoskeletal Disorders). The larger the team the more injuries were reported. Also the poorer management feedback was the more injuries were reported. The study found no relationship between injuries and ergonomic training.

The announcement of the iPhone 3Gs and the iPhone 3.0 software has tech geeks everywhere buzzing. The new phone is cool and and it also brings in some great ergonomic enhancements as well. Some of the new features to get excited about:

• Copy & Paste - this much awaited feature is a productivity boon for all of us.
• Landscape Keyboard - it was never clear why you could only get this in Safari previously, now it's in every application.
• Voice COntrol - voice recognition for the names in your contacts and the music in your iPod.
• Voice Memos - now you can record anything you want with the iPhone, then label and file it or email them - now we just need transcription to text.
• Built in Accesibility - the iPhone has a suite of new accesibility features including:
  • Closed Captioning
  • TTY SUpport
  • 5X Zoom
  • White on Black Display
  • Mono Audio
  • Voice Over - oral descriptions and screen gestures allow you to control the iPhone

Some additional new features such as an improved camera and video recording round out the new addition to the iPhone family. I can't wait to adopt one myself.

More on the Apple iPhone:

• iPhone Ergonomic Review
• iPhone Interface Breakdown
• iPhone Application Breakdown