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Health Protection Software
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PastTense
Anyware Limited (NZ)
Compatibility: Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98/NT
About the PastTense:
What Is PastTense?
PastTense is a software tool that can help you to reduce the build up of stress both in general and in specific parts of your body. It can help you to target problems associated with occupational overuse syndrome (OOS), aka repetitive strain injury (RSI), before they occur or (probably for most people reading this) before they get worse.
With PastTense a number of different configuration options can be defined, each of which contains one or more timers to remind you to have a rest. Timers can be set to remind you of anything from taking a short walk around the office every hour to stretching your wrists every 30 seconds - you define the reminder message.
A number of default configurations are supplied with PasteTense and these can be customised to suit your individual needs. You can define up to 10 configurations, each with up to 10 timers. Any one of these configurations can be selected and used at any time.
PastTense does not force you to have a rest by locking up your PC. It may not always be convenient to have a rest 'right now' and the main job of PastTense is to give you reminders based on the rest frequencies that you define.
You are responsible!
It is important to acknowledge that it is your work and rest habits that determine how much tension builds up in your body. To be truly effective, PastTense needs your full commitment to resolving your problems.
RSI Break for Windows
Carter Computer Solutions
About the RSI Break for Windows:
This is a simple program which will interrupt your work at user-defined intervals so you can take a break from your computer. This will help you to prevent RSI (repetitive strain injury) which can take many forms, from headaches, neck pain, and eye strain to tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
RSI Break is non-intrusive. When your break time comes around, a window will pop up notifying you, and you simply click on the "OK" button. When the program is minimized, the icon's caption displays the current time and date.
Break Reminder
Chequers Software
About the Break Reminder:
A break reminder program to help prevent OOS/RSI and to assist in the healing process if these or similar conditions already exist.
Small program interface that discretely runs in the background monitoring your computer use, which uses timers (to your settings) that remind you to take a break
Oosie Micropause
FranzO Software
Compatibility: Windows 95 and Windows NT 4
About the Oosie Micropause:
Oosie Micropause helps you avoid OOS (Occupational Overuse Syndrome) and RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) by reminding you to micropause and do exercises. Written for Windows 95 and Windows NT 4, this product uses Video to encourage self management of OOS.
Exercise Break
Hopkins Technology (distributors)
Compatibility: Windows (3.0/3.1), Mac System 6.0.5 or higher
About the Exercise Break:
Aimed at preventing RSI, this program warns you to take breaks after a configurable interval (or at fixed times). Displays descriptions and pictures of exercises - pictures are animated and program paces you to help you do exercises at the correct rate. Quite a few exercises, can configure which ones are included to a large extent. One useful feature is that when it is running minimised it shows the time to the next break, helping you plan your work to the next break rather than it coming as an interruption.
The new release, 3.0, is renamed Exercise Break, supports Mac and Windows and should include a DOS version. I have been trying out a beta version and it has some useful features, including Typewatch (no relation to the freeware program ...), which graphs your typing rate over time, with optional warnings to slow down and export facilities for spreadsheet analysis. It also includes a full ergonomic checklist online to help set up your workstation, and a picture of correct posture and workstation adjustment.
An unusual feature is the ability to include your own exercises in the program, providing you have access to a Windows SDK, without programming.
Comments
Includes the ability to step backward in the exercise sequence, which is good for repeating the most helpful exercises. Hopefully a number of add-on exercise modules will become available now that it is possible to add exercises.
OosTime
Jonathan Rosanowski
Compatibility: Windows
About the OosTime:
Jonathan has written this program to remind him to take micro-pauses and rest breaks.
Plug-In for Windows
Planet Crafters, Inc.
Compatibility: Windows
About the Plug-In for Windows:
Jonathan has written this program to remind him to take micro-pauses and rest breaks.
MacBreakZ
PublicSpace.net
Compatibility: Mac
About the MacBreakZ:
MacBreakZ! is a personal ergonomic assistant which monitors your keyboard and mouse activity and helps you structure your computer use in a healthy manner, which prevents computer-related injuries from developing.
The main applications for MacBreakZ! are:
* to prevent repetitive strain injuries (RSI) and promote healthy and pain-free computing
* to aid the recovery from repetitive strain injuries
MacBreakZ! achieves this by:
* monitoring user activity and suggesting appropriate times for rest and recovery breaks
* providing a range of stretching exercises designed to relieve muscular tension and improve static posture
* providing ergonomic information on how to use your computer in a healthy manner
Typewatch
Richard Donkin
Compatibility: UNIX (tested on SCO, SunOS, Mach; character and X Window mode)
About the Typewatch:
This is a shell script that runs in the background and warns you to stop typing, based on how long you have been continuously typing. It does not provide exercises, but it does check that you really do take a break, and tells you when you can start typing again.
Typewatch now tells you how many minutes you have been typing today, each time it warns you, which is useful so you know how much you *really* type. It also logs information to a file that you can analyse or simply print out. The warning message appears on your screen (in character mode), in a pop-up window (for X Windows), or as a Zephyr message (for those with Athena stuff).
Health Protection Software:
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UsefulRest News
February 01, 2008
New version of UsefulRest 2.7a released. This release has improvements.
What's New?
News Archive
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