Computer Timed Health Warning

@huangwencong-HAu1vI • Oct 25, 2024

Oct 25, 2024

1.3K

Hi all, I have this idea to make something for people in the office. Because the whole day they're in front of the computer.

The idea is making a tool which will automatically ring/beeps/anything to distract the user after a timed period. The beep is to remind the person using the computer to stop using it for a while (say 5 minutes) and rest his/her eyes and take a walk around (stops back aches). If the person stands (clear the sensor in the seat) then it will stop ringging, but if it's before five minutes and the person sits again, it will ring until a LED says it's OK to sit (after 5 minutes). Maybe this tool can use the computer USB power supply (+5VDC) to power this tool and maybe having a sensor in the chair so this tool will know when is the user sitting and standing.

Any comments, ideas to add, or inspiration for this project?

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silverscorpion

@silverscorpion-iJKtdQ • Jun 9, 2009

Good idea. And I think, implementing is also not very difficult.

What's the time duration for the sensor to signal the user? Every one hour or so??
Nice!! 😀😀
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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Jun 9, 2009

Awesome idea dude , but mostly no one sits looking at the system for continuously hours ..

May be some serious employees does?? am not sure..

But its a nice idea 😀

And one more thing is the systems at office has auto locking mechanism in 5 mins if left untouched , so you can include a feature like if the system is not locked and if the person is not distracted beep should ring
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 9, 2009

erm.. its just like an alarm clock
you wont need any extra stuff but just normal visual basic coding knowledge
Its like very easy but hey I am not pro in VB lolz
I know basics therefore I have the concept clear that it should be easy
but I am not a pro coder or anything like that 😀
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huangwencong

@huangwencong-HAu1vI • Jun 9, 2009

Thanks for the ideas! But except for the Visual Basic coding, this stuff also needs the hardware, such as, the sensor. So it will know if the person's 'obeying' this system or not. Seriously, I don't do great on Visual Basic. And English-Scared's idea about the system auto-lock is great, too. Maybe the best time for it to ring is every hour, and will ring for five minutes. I have thought about the sensor, maybe using pressure sensor on the seat? Or using light sensor on the mouse (If your hands cover the mouse, the sensor will know because it's dark)? Or maybe movement sensor(Maybe not a good idea)?
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shahrul

@shahrul-Ex12xz • Jun 9, 2009

Good idea.
If you want put sensors on the chair, I think you need to do by wireless. But the problem, how if the user changing the chair with others.
If you want put sensors at the mouse, I think person do not touching mouse continuously. You need to calibrate the time/counter.
Maybe you can do timer on the PC only, then just rest the PC. So, the person can't do work while PC is rest.
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 9, 2009

OK, just want clarification, I got confused
what kind of restrictions do you want like just working for too much time or like when he goes near the screen too much or something like that??

My opinion is that locking the PC would only piss the person and add to the tension or pressure of work. A simple alarm along with a message on screen should be enough.

and if its just a machine/software for telling him not to work for long hours, then I don't think a hardware is needed.

Yes you can add hardware but it won't have much commercial advantage. The thing that the hardware would do can be done by a simple software that could work like a screensaver but just in opposite manner.

The software would sense the working screen instead of ideal screen.

This is just my opinion I might be terribly wrong too. Just in case I missed a point in understanding, pls let me know 😀

I love the concept but just not sure about the implication method. :/
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zorif

@zorif-NVUQGT • Jun 10, 2009

good idea.
as #-Link-Snipped-# said,only software can do the job.no need of extra hardware.
just read the mouse movements and calculate the timing.
if a person in sitting in the chair and not touching the mouse for long time, mean either he is DEAD or slept already 😀 (just kidding)
go for mouse idea.

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Harshad Italiya

@harshad-ukH5ww • Jun 10, 2009

zorif
good idea.
as #-Link-Snipped-# said,only software can do the job.no need of extra hardware.
just read the mouse movements and calculate the timing.
if a person in sitting in the chair and not touching the mouse for long time, mean either he is DEAD or slept already 😀 (just kidding)
go for mouse idea.
I have the idea Hardware Version also 😉 :sshhh:

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Ashraf HZ

@Ash • Jun 10, 2009

How about placing a pepperspray mechanism. If the person doesn't get out of his/her seat within 5 seconds of the warning, they will get sprayed.

*grin*

Interesting project.. reminds me of the inactive project we discussed about an alarm clock for the deaf. I think a hardware implementation is still feasible. The seats sensor does not need to be fixed on the chair itself.. it could be a sort embedded in a cushion that can be placed on the chair.

Though if you do want to make it more general.. a pyroelectric infrared sensor should suffice, placed on top of the monitor with it's field of view directly on the chair.
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Harshad Italiya

@harshad-ukH5ww • Jun 10, 2009

Here is the Hardware Idea:
Block Diagram

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Saandeep Sreerambatla

@saandeep-sreerambatla-hWHU1M • Jun 10, 2009

Oops peppar spray ? good one the people will run away when the alarm rings.
But i have an idea here , in office there will be many people sitting , so the timings for each and every person will be different so i think the alarm idea will create disturbance to others ??

Since if my alarm rings now and i take a break , next if the alarm of the next person rings again i will feel disturbed .
Instead a flash message on the monitor or a shock to the seat will be fine 😉
wat say?
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Harshad Italiya

@harshad-ukH5ww • Jun 10, 2009

English-Scared
Oops peppar spray ? good one the people will run away when the alarm rings.
But i have an idea here , in office there will be many people sitting , so the timings for each and every person will be different so i think the alarm idea will create disturbance to others ??

Since if my alarm rings now and i take a break , next if the alarm of the next person rings again i will feel disturbed .
Instead a flash message on the monitor or a shock to the seat will be fine 😉
wat say?

how about the Vibrating Chair 😉 😛
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 10, 2009

ash
How about placing a pepperspray mechanism. If the person doesn't get out of his/her seat within 5 seconds of the warning, they will get sprayed.

*grin*

Interesting project.. reminds me of the inactive project we discussed about an alarm clock for the deaf. I think a hardware implementation is still feasible. The seats sensor does not need to be fixed on the chair itself.. it could be a sort embedded in a cushion that can be placed on the chair.

Though if you do want to make it more general.. a pyroelectric infrared sensor should suffice, placed on top of the monitor with it's field of view directly on the chair.

Lol I like the spray idea 😁

but hey guys what will the hardware do different? except in spray function??
It can be implemented but without any new/extra function, right?
or am I missing something?
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Harshad Italiya

@harshad-ukH5ww • Jun 10, 2009

kashish0711
Lol I like the spray idea 😁

but hey guys what will the hardware do different? except in spray function??
It can be implemented but without any new/extra function, right?
or am I missing something?
Hardware can Vibrate chair also 😁
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 10, 2009

godfather
Hardware can Vibrate chair also 😁
Lol OK you beat me 😁
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Jun 10, 2009

Ah ! I could recall some good post was made by CE-InFocus long time back which can solve your problem withing five minutes just one need to save that file in his/her system and it will automatically give alert message on the screen according to the set timer. No input cost.No third party involvement Just a file. 😀

I am just not able to search that useful thread of CE-InFocus.

* Going for searching that post *
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manusaluja

@manusaluja-BMWMnB • Jun 10, 2009

Gmail have some feature like take a break. After clicking that button, the screen get freezed, and you cannt make even a single click on screen for 15 minutes
Something can be made that can freeze our desktop for 15 minutes after fixed interval of time... like 2 hrs.

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Harshad Italiya

@harshad-ukH5ww • Jun 10, 2009

manusaluja
Gmail have some feature like take a break. After clicking that button, the screen get freezed, and you cannt make even a single click on screen for 15 minutes
Something can be made that can freeze our desktop for 15 minutes after fixed interval of time... like 2 hrs.

Wow This sounds nice
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 11, 2009

Now that's some real good stuff.
I like this idea the most 😀
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Ashraf HZ

@Ash • Jun 11, 2009

Good Idea! I'd be a bit pissed my if screen was frozen without my consent in the middle of something important.. but it'll be for my own good 😛

But what can force the person to get out of the chair?
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Jun 11, 2009

Well, this was I was talking about, have a look at following link

#-Link-Snipped-#

If you save this script in your system and run it once then after set time, a popup will appear , showing the message (that you can customize according to your needs) and if you ignore it at once, it will popup in next slot. Those who want to get up off their chair , can do so by gmail option or using this script else call a third party person to beat him then he will definitely get up to beat him/her back. 😛

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Harshad Italiya

@harshad-ukH5ww • Jun 11, 2009

ash
Good Idea! I'd be a bit pissed my if screen was frozen without my consent in the middle of something important.. but it'll be for my own good 😛

But what can force the person to get out of the chair?
Chair like Seat used in Fighter plane 😀 😁
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 11, 2009

shalini_goel14
else call a third party person to beat him then he will definitely get up to beat him/her back. 😛
why do girls always find the evil ideas like this? :shock:

my sister still do that to me for the same cause and I am like aaahhhhhhhhhh.... red eyes :evil:

lol 😁
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Jun 11, 2009

kashish0711
why do girls always find the evil ideas like this? :shock:
Who said I am a girl ? 😛 Anyways their evil ideas always work. 😉
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 11, 2009

shalini_goel14
Who said I am girl man ? 😡 Anyways their evil ideas always work. 😉
Don't confuse me 😕
your username is Shalini Goel
so you are a girl right?? unless you are kidding for being a young girl?

or is the case with your name same as with mine??
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shalini_goel14

@shalini-goel14-ASmC2J • Jun 11, 2009

kashish0711
or is the case with your name same as with mine??
My case is also exactly same as yours..by the way whose name you have made as your username? 😛
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 12, 2009

shalini_goel14
My case is also exactly same as yours..by the way whose name you have made as your username? 😛
haha
mine is my real name
Its girlish but its real 😛
My name in the school/college got most popular after Z TV made a Hindi serial in which the girl name was Kashish 😔

what abt yours who's name is Shalini???
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huangwencong

@huangwencong-HAu1vI • Jun 12, 2009

Thanks for all the response. I can't post here for a while because I'm busy.
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Munguti

@munguti-MnxkmE • Jun 18, 2009

What if you rig the chair such that it collapses under after the time is over, that way you have to leave your chair.

Notice that it collapses not destroyed in that it can be returned to its original state easily
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kashish0711

@kashish0711-H4bbxV • Jun 18, 2009

Just think how great will it be if we blast a TNT on the end of alarm 😁
lmao
sudden physical changes shouldn't be there for me, coz well Ill be irritated with that personally + that can injure you too, and I guess that will make the project uneconomical too. 😀
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Munguti

@munguti-MnxkmE • Jun 18, 2009

Dude if you know the chair will collapse you will not wait for the alarm to go off and hence the idea. It will be like a preventative measure get up or risk injury.
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husharmulga

@husharmulga-gKpc9z • Aug 26, 2009

There are tons of softwares available online which locks your screen for 5 minutes and asks you to take a forcefull break !!
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