Sunday, March 27, 2011
Assignment 2-Part 2
Assignment 2 - Part 1
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Future CMM111 Assignment Submission
Computer Vision Syndrome
2) Your eyes do not maintain a focus on the screen and maintain with these images. Instead,they drift out to a point called resting point of accommodation. The eyes strain too muchto regain focus on the screen. This continuous flexing of the eyes and focusing of the eyemuscles create fatigue and the burning, tiresome feeling on the eyes.
3) People who wear the bifocal lenses will have problem in viewing the lower and the higherhalf of the screen. This will make them to view up and down by adjusting their head andneck. This is a painful exercise.
4) When you have the CVS, you will not blink enough. You will tend to open your eyes wide. The lighting of the office and the natural diffused sunlight falling on the screen maycause a glare and reflection on the monitor.
- For every 20 minutes on the computer make a shift to see the objects at a 20 feet distance
See the objects for 20 seconds - Just blink 20 times for every 20 minutes of working on the computer.
- Take a break once you have stay over an hour in front of your computer for work.
How to prevent computer related injuries
Computer related injuries:
Long periods of working at a computer can increase the chance of developing an injury. Muscle and joint pain, overuse injuries of the upper limbs and eyestrain can result from inappropriate computer use. The risks can be reduced or eliminated with proper work space design, improved posture and good working habits
Posture related injuries:
Back and neck pain, headaches, and shoulder and arm pain are common computer-related injuries. Such muscle and joint problems can be caused or made worse by poor workstation design, bad posture and sitting for extended periods of time due to reduction in circulation to the muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments and can result in stiffness and pain.
Prevention of muscle and joint injuries:
- Use an adjustable desk designed for use with computers
- Position the monitor so that it is either at eye level or slightly lower
- Position your keyboard at a height that allows your elbows to rest comfortably at your side
- Forearms should be roughly parallel with the floor and level with your keyboard
- Adjust your chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor
- Use a footstool if your feet do not rest on the floor
- Switch to an ergonomic chair, which helps your spine to naturally hold its curve while sitting
- Use an ergonomic keyboard to offer your hands and wrists a more natural holding position
- Take frequent short breaks and go for a walk or perform stretching exercises at your desk or Stand often
Prevention of upper limb related injuries:
Muscles and tendons can become painful with repetitive movements and awkward postures and symptoms of overuse injuries in the upper limbs include pain, swelling, and stiffness of the joints, weakness and numbness
- Keep your mouse at the same height as your correctly positioned keyboard
- Position the mouse as close as possible to the side of the keyboard
- Use your whole arm, not just your wrist, when using the mouse
- Type lightly and gently
- Mix your tasks to avoid long, uninterrupted stretches of typing
- Remove the hands from the keyboard when not actively typing, to allow the arms to relax
Prevention of Eye strain:
Focusing your eyes at the same distance point for extended periods of time causes fatigue
- Make sure your primary light source is not shining into your face or directly onto the monitor
- Tilt the monitor slightly to eliminate reflections or glare
- Make sure your computer screen is not too close to your face
- Position the screen so that it is either at eye level or slightly lower
- Reduce the contrast and brightness of your screen by adjusting the controls on the monitor
- Frequently look away from the screen and focus on faraway objects
- Have regular eye examinations to check that blurring, headaches and other associated problems are not caused by any underlying disordersReference: Healthcare Magic. (2010). How to prevent computer related injuries. Retrieved from Health Care Magic: http://www.healthcaremagic.com/articles/How-to-prevent-computer-related-injuries/7663
Google Inc. is an American multinational public corporation invested in Internet search, cloud computing, and advertising technologies. Google hosts and develops a number of Internet-based services and products,[6] and generates profit primarily from advertising through itsAdWords program.[3][7] The company was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, often dubbed the "Google Guys",[8][9][10] while the two were attending Stanford University as Ph.D. candidates. It was first incorporated as a privately held company on September 4, 1998, and itsinitial public offering followed on August 19, 2004. At that time Larry Page, Sergey Brin, and Eric Schmidt agreed to work together at Google for twenty years, until the year 2024.[11] The company's stated mission from the outset was "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful",[12] and the company's unofficial slogan – coined by Google engineer Paul Buchheit – is "Don't be evil".[13][14] In 2006, the company moved to their current headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Google runs over one million servers in data centers around the world,[15] and processes over one billion search requests[16] and about twenty-four petabytes of user-generated data every day.[17][18][19][20] Google's rapid growth since its incorporation has triggered a chain of products, acquisitions, and partnerships beyond the company's core web search engine. The company offers online productivity software, such as its Gmail email software, and social networking tools, including Orkut and, more recently, Google Buzz. Google's products extend to the desktop as well, with applications such as the web browser Google Chrome, the Picasa photo organization and editing software, and the Google Talk instant messaging application. Notably, Google leads the development of the Android mobile phone operating system, used on a number of phones such as the Nexus One and Motorola Droid. Alexa lists the main U.S.-focused google.com site as the Internet's most visited website, and numerous international Google sites (google.co.in, google.co.uk etc.) are in the top hundred, as are several other Google-owned sites such as YouTube, Blogger, and Orkut.[21] Google is also BrandZ's most powerful brand in the world.[22] The dominant market position of Google's services has led to criticism of the company over issues including privacy, copyright, and censorship.[23][24]
Google Name Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin named the search engine they built “Google,” a play on the word “googol,” the mathematical term for a 1 followed by 100 zeros. The name reflects the immense volume of information that exists, and the scope of Google’s mission: to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Google Search When you visit www.google.com or one of more than 150 other Google domains, you can find information in many different languages, check stock quotes and sports scores, find news headlines and look up the address of your local post office or grocery store. You can also find images, videos, maps, patents and much more. With universal search technology, you may see all of these items combined in one result page for your query, and services such as personalized search help you find even more information tailored to your interests. We’re also working to digitize some of the world’s information that until recently hasn’t been online, like books. Google Application Gmail, calendar, Google maps, Google talk, Picasa Web album etc.
The 10 Most Baffling Computer Gadgets Money Can Buy
The USB Mouse Jiggler is a USB device that you plug into your computer. The device 'jiggles' your mouse around every few minutes so the sleep mode or screen saver doesn't come on, presumably so you can snooze in front of your computer and still look like you're working.
Why It's Pointless
Inventing gadgets for the lazy man is what makes America great (hell, we use Segways on our treadmills) but paying $30 for something that replaces 10 seconds worth of mouse clicking (the amount of time it would take you to adjust the sleep mode timer) is on a whole different level of laziness. This is on the level of hiring a guy to operate your TV remote for you.
No 9: USB Eye MassagerThe eye massager is a peripheral shaped like two fingers ready to attempt a Three Stooges-style eye poking. So it makes perfect sense that they'd sell it as a USB device meant to be used around your eyes. It has two distinct vibrating settings: high speed, (which we're assuming is fatal since it would vibrate right into your brain) and low speed (which, while not fatal, probably causes major retinal damage and subsequent blindness).
On the upside, according to the creators, this is pretty much mankind's greatest invention ever. Not only does it soothe your aching eyeballs, it also relieves tension in the central nervous system, aids digestion, stimulates the lymphatic system and fights against infection by boosting your immune system. The creators are already working on a USB back massager that cures cancer.
Why It's Pointless
Before you enthusiastically plunge this device into you eye socket, consider this: why on Earth should you risk blindness when you could just use your own fingers to massage your eyeballs? We aren't entirely convinced by the creators' claims about the devices' supposed magical healing capabilities either. We're not saying they're lying (legally we can't), we're just saying they have something in common with Pinocchio (i.e. both are fucking liars). If you're still considering buying this, then we urge you to take the price into account. We can assure you that there is a multitude of less expensive ways to blind yourself such as peppering the eyeball or a good old-fashioned eye stabbing.
No 8: Aroma USB
The Aroma USB is a USB-powered air freshener that sends wafts of sweet scents around to counter any offensive odors. The website boasts that the device is "preloaded with fragrance" (unlike those irritating air fresheners that you have to load with fragrance yourself) and comes in an assortment of colors.
Why It's Pointless
OK, it's at this point we have to stop and ask just how many free USB ports they think people have on their machines. We've already got a keyboard, mouse, printer and a thumb drive crammed in there. Why in the world would we sacrifice another slot for a USB gadget that shouldn't need to be powered at all.
Scented candles and other air fresheners carry out the exact same task without wasting one of the limited USB slots in your computer that could be used for more important devices like that USB fondue set you've had your eye on.
The Aroma USB seems to be primarily aimed at businesses, though we think that most businesses would be more focused on making money than shelling out thousands of dollars on scented computer peripherals. The company dares to ask the question, "Isn't a scented USB stick with no RAM better than a boring normal USB stick?" And we dare to answer, "No, not in the slightest."
No 7: USB Humping Dog
The USB humping dog is possibly the most hilarious USB device ever. It's a USB drive shaped like a dog, but that's not all. When you plug it in, it begins to rhythmically thrust into your USB port in a hilarious imitation of a dog humping. It comes in two different colors: brown and black. It can also ... eh ... did we mention how hilarious it is?
As you can hear, the sound is not at all annoying and it's so quiet you can only hear it from, like, four or five cubicles away.
Yes, we can't wait until the douchebag at the next workstation over gets one of these so we can hear that mechanical clicking sound for hours on end while he giggles his ass off.
Why It's Pointless
It's actually not if your point is to trigger an office shooting spreeNo 6: Dutch Dead Bbudd Speakers
Those crazy Dutchmen have taken a break from their drug-trafficking and prostitute peddling to design some unnerving new computer devices. Here we have a speaker system described as a "little dead desktop buddy," which is a doll dressed in gimp-style black leather, with X's for eyes (typically denoting death) with speakers integrated in the soles of the feet. Hey, why not.
Why It's Pointless
The speakers actually have pretty low-quality audio, so it appears the company was relying on the novelty of a sound-generating S&M teddy bear to sell the item--a pretty frightening idea when you think about it. Actually, it's probably best not to
No 5: The USB Ghost RadarThe retarded Japanese gadget company, Solid Alliance, has come up with the perfect solution to all your ridiculous fears of the supernatural. The Ghost Radar is a ghost-detecting computer peripheral. You heard us.
Connected via USB, this device is supposed to detect ghosts, spirits and other things that aren't real. It uses complex algorithms and analyzes data such as your skin's biometric feedback and makes lunar-cycle adjustments in order to detect if there is any paranormal activity within the vicinity. It then discards all of this information and tells you that there is a ghost in the room. This allows you valuable time to perform an exorcism/cower underneath your desk in fear/thank Solid Alliance for making such useful gadgets.
Why It's Pointless
The value of this item depends almost entirely on whether you believe in ghosts or not. Personally, being sensible and logical people, we don't. The only ghosts in our machines are the countless viruses obtained by foolishly clicking on those penis enlargement emails (not that we need them or anything, we were just curious).
The website claims that the gadget is supposed to comfort people but, if you believe in ghosts, we're not sure how comforting it would actually be to be told there is a demonic manifestation of a murder victim floating around your room.
The creators have been quite clever in producing a device that's impossible to accuse of not working properly. Because ghosts are either non-physical or non-existent it is impossible to tell if it's really detecting a real ghost, really detecting an unreal ghost or just really weirding out your co-workers.
No 4:
USB Pencil Sharpener
The USB pencil sharpener is an electric pencil sharpener that's connected to your PC for some inexplicable reason. Thankfully, unlike other power-draining pencil sharpeners, this device uses low-power consumption. There's no need to be worried about the irritating installation procedure necessary with manual pencil sharpeners either--this one's plug n' play.
Why It's Pointless
If you're close enough to a computer to use this thing, you do not need a pencil. You have the computer right there. This is like selling a phonograph that can only be powered by an iPod.
Really the only reason this is connected to a PC at all seems to be to power its colorful lights. Placing colorful lights on useless items has become a staple in the gadget world, presumably increasing sales to people who are so easily distracted that it doesn't seem like they'd be able to use a computer in the first place.
No 3: Roll-Up KeyboardThe Roll-Up Keyboard is designed out of flexible materials (usually some type of rubber) that can roll up in a moderately tight bundle, allowing for ease of transport--perfect for those who tire of lugging their keyboard around with them all day. It's also water poof, if submerging electronics in water is your thing.
Why It's Pointless
Why exactly do you need a portable keyboard? Laptops have their own keyboards, and if you don't like the laptop's keyboard for some reason, you're sure as fuck not going to like typing on this floppy thing any better. Try putting it on your lap, and watch as your fingers chase keys that are now draped over your thighs.
The only conceivable situation where this would be useful would be if you plan on doing some emergency underwater typing, but we can only think of seven or eight situations where we've had to do that.
No 2:
USB Heating Slippers
Do your feet ever get cold when you sit at your PC? Don't panic! The Japanese electronic company Thanko has designed a pair of USB Heating Slippers that will help keep your feet toasty while you're working near the computer in a cold environment, such as a meat freezer or arctic research lab.
Why It's PointlessIt's hard to tell what market the creators were going for with this device (people who wear slippers or people who use computers), because these two groups rarely cross over. Even if you're such a person, it's unlikely these slippers will be much use outside of your home life.
Should you decide to use it at home, you'll be hampered by its very short wire, and most of your time will be spent lunging toward various items around the computer. Worst of all, it takes up two USB slots (one for each slipper) allowing few remaining slots for the rest of your USB-powered attire.
No 1:USB Bouncer
Don't you just love bouncers? Insulting your hairstyle and refusing you access to the hippest clubs? Well now you can have your very own USB-powered bouncer, in case your self-esteem wasn't already low enough. The device is supposed to protect against people stealing your things, and boasts of three unique phrases to scare off thieves, such as "You're not comin' anywhere near here lookin' like that" and "You're cruising for a bruisin'."
The idea being that if some scoundrel should sneak up to your desk when you're away, the device will detect his presence and shout a preprogrammed line at him, thereby shattering his confidence, leaving him to skulk off in shame.
Why It's Pointless
The creators are apparently relying on the bouncer to intimidate the thief with his 8-inch frame or perhaps with his impressive knowledge of 1950s slang. Obviously this is a ridiculous assumption. In fact the thieves will probably just steal the device itself (we hear criminals are big fans of irony).
We're guessing the device works by means of some motion-detection system, meaning it can't differentiate between possible thieves, random passers-by, and its owner. So if a thief does happen to skulk past your cubicle without noticing all of the highly important spreadsheets you've left open, your handy anti-theft device will helpfully get his attention by yelling insults at him. Just be sure to get your bouncer soon. The price will likely go up once they install one on every computer at the CIA Headquarters in Langley
Reference:
Gleeson, R. (2008, April 24). The 10 Most Baffling Computer Gadgets Money Can Buy. Retrieved from Cracked.com: http://www.cracked.com/article_16179_the-10-most-baffling-computer-gadgets-money-can-buy_p2.html