News

08 Jan, 14

Oh Canada, our home and chilly land….

Do you have employees working outdoors? Have you considered the effects of cold stress on these workers? Canadian and American initiatives have resulted in guidelines that can help employers protect workers from cold stress. The “Wind Chill”. The “dry bulb” temperature (what we typically read on the thermometer outside in the shade) and wind speed […]
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30 Dec, 13

Sleep tight

Sleep has a major influence over how people, both children and adults, function, think, and perform during the day. When we are really busy, such as during the holidays, we often short-change ourselves on sleep. We can easily recognise when our kids haven’t had enough sleep, through their behaviour. We don’t always recognise the cause […]
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08 Nov, 13

The Human Exo-skeleton…coming soon?

While cruising Netflix for something decent to watch with my teens, I came across a “TED Talk” on the topic of exoskeletons. (See http://www.ted.com/talks/eythor_bender_demos_human_exoskeletons.html). Researcher Eythor Bender of Berkeley Bionics presented the technology behind a robotic suit, that has been developed for military and adaptive purposes. A soldier appeared on stage to demonstrate how he […]
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10 Jun, 13

Touchscreen PCs

With new technology presented to us on almost a daily basis, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to keep up. We’ve evolved from the days of dial-up internet and brick-sized cell phones to our current hi-speed tablet and sleek smartphone world. There’s a shortcut and app for just about everything. The way we interact with our […]
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Ergonomics and Work System Design – May 24 Webinar Highlights

Studies show that the longer a company waits to implement ergonomic interventions, the more costly it becomes (Miles & Swift, 1998). By 20% of the way into the design process, typically 80% of the resources have been allocated; trying to influence a design at this stage is more difficult and more expensive. (But not as […]
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MIN Summit Keynote – Ray Tanguay

On May 1, 2013, our team had the opportunity to attend the Manufacturing Innovation Network (MIN) Summit in Kitchener, Ontario. The keynote speaker, Ray Tanguay, (Chairman, Toyota Canada Inc.) discussed the importance of investing in innovation, steps Canadian businesses should be taking to compete in the market, and how to sustain a successful business by applying […]
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Designing for “Joe Average”

If we design for the “average person”, we’ve covered our bases right? The average person would theoretically have average-sized arms, hands, legs, and feet, so one might think that we should be able to accommodate most people by designing for the average. Unfortunately it’s not that simple. Design for average typically leaves those at the extremes […]
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