Ergonomic Design of Computer Laboratory Furniture: Mismatch Analysis Utilizing Anthropometric Data of University Students

TL;DR

This study proposes anthropometric-based furniture dimensions tailored for university students to enhance ergonomics, demonstrating that adjustable furniture significantly reduces mismatch and potentially improves comfort and health in computer labs.

Contribution

It introduces a set of anthropometrically derived furniture dimensions specifically designed for students, with evidence showing improved fit over existing furniture.

Findings

Proposed dimensions significantly reduce mismatch percentages.

Adjustable furniture dimensions outperform non-adjustable ones.

Better fit potentially lowers musculoskeletal disorder risks.

Abstract

Many studies have shown how ergonomically designed furniture improves productivity and well-being. As computers have become a part of students' academic lives, they will grow further in the future. We propose anthropometric-based furniture dimensions suitable for university students to improve computer laboratory ergonomics. We collected data from 380 participants and analyzed 11 anthropometric measurements, correlating them to 11 furniture dimensions. Two types of furniture were studied: a non-adjustable chair with a non-adjustable table and an adjustable chair with a non-adjustable table. The mismatch calculation showed a significant difference between furniture dimensions and anthropometric measurements. The one-way ANOVA test with a significance level of 5% also showed a significant difference between proposed and existing furniture dimensions. The proposed dimensions were found to be more compatible and reduced mismatch percentages for both males and females compared to existing furniture. The proposed dimensions of the furniture set with adjustable seat height showed slightly improved results compared to the non-adjustable furniture set. This suggests that the proposed dimensions can improve comfort levels and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders among students. Further studies on the implementation and long-term effects of these proposed dimensions in real-world computer laboratory settings are recommended.