Pocket Ergo - for Pocket PC's

Free 30 Day Trial
Download the trial by clicking this link - Pocket Ergo Version 3.1. Save the file to your desktop. Sync your Pocket PC with your computer then double click the Pocket Ergo Version 3.1 icon on your desktop, the program will intall to your Pocket PC automatically. After installing, to run the program on your Pocket PC, click START then PROGRAMS then POCKET ERGO. Pocket Ergo will launch and you can begin using the program. Within the Pocket Ergo program, click MENU then POCKET ERGO INTRODUCTION to learn about using the software.

How to Purchase Pocket Ergo
Afer you install the trial version, you will see a screen on your Pocket PC that asks for an unlock code. After your 30 day trial, you will be required to enter an unlock code if you wish to continue to use the program. Receive your Unlock Key Code by Purchasing Pocket Ergo via the ADD TO CART button above. Then email us the serial number shown on the unlock screen on your Pocket PC or or call us at 800-531-ERGO (3746) for help. All purchases include two free years of software upgrades as new tools are added.
Please click here to see a Demo of Pocket Ergo. Be patient as there is a long break in the demo.

View the Pocket Ergo Readme text file.

Brochure
Click here for complete specifications and photos (.pdf file in presentation format).
Click here to see (and print) our tri-fold brochure on Pocket Ergo. It supports input of data in English (inches, pounds) and metric (centimeters, kilograms) units.

Assessment Capabilities in Version 3.1
General
- Hazard Control Methodologies
- Anthropometry
Office
- Computer Workstation Quick Configure Calculator
- THS Office Assessment Checklist with comment fields*
- OSHA Office Assessment Checklist with comment fields*
Industrial
- Anthropometry (Standing and Seated)
- Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (1994)
- Utah Back Compressive Force Model
- Push Force Calculator (Snook)
- Pull Force Calculator (Snook)
- Carry Force Calculator (Snook)
- RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment)
- REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment)
- Strain Index (SI)
- Grip and Pinch Strength
- Material Handling Checklists


*Comment fields enable you to enter text next to each checklist risk item. All comments are imported with your saved checklist for inclusion in reports.

Each assessment tool includes an instruction section and a brief description of how and when to use the tool. Basic familiarity with the various assessment tools is assumed. More comprehensive information can be obtained through the original sources which are listed as references in each tool.

All results produced by Pocket Ergo assessment tools can be saved with unique file names as a text or XML file. Text files can be viewed in word processing programs such as Microsoft Word while XML files can be used for "boiler plate" reports accepting XML variables. Please contact us for more information about XML result import into automatic reports.

Please install the demo software by following the instructions on this page. I would encourage you to go through the software on you PDA. It takes approx. 1 hour to view all the instruction screens and tools available. The tool is very easy to use and doesn't require a manual because of the built-in instructions available within each tool. I think you will find this to be a very useful tool not only for ergonomic assessments, but for many ergonomic design considerations. By reading through the Pocket Ergo Introduction sections on the software you should get an understanding of how the software can be used. Thank you for your interest. ~Jon Paulsen, MS, CPE (Certified Professional Ergonomist)

Pocket Ergo 3.1 works with Windows Mobile 5.0, 2003, and 2002.

What's new in Pocket Ergo Version 3.0? Four new tools were added in Version 3.0. Version 3.1 added fast installation by requiring only one click to install the program.
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**REBA - Rapid Entire Body Assessment**
REBA was developed as a method to assess the risk of postures that can lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders in a variety of jobs and postures. REBA is best used when assessing jobs that require workers to assume awkward postures. A team of ergonomists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses collected and analyzed over 600 postural examples to help produce REBA. It integrates dynamic and static posture force factors, coupling, issues, and gravity-assisted upper limb factors. The process of completing a REBA assessment is very similar to the RULA process.

**UBCF - Utah Back Compressive Force**
The UBCF Model is a simple but useful tool for estimating the risk associated with manual materials handling. It can be used to assess one handed lifts and lifts that aren't symmetric (Note: the NIOSH lifting equation is only valid on two handed lifts with symmetrically loaded hands). One study of automotive assembly jobs found that only 57% of jobs that required lifting qualified for analysis using the NIOSH lifting equation. The UBCF is based on a one time lift and does not account for lift frequency. It is relatively simple and quick to apply in the field. Safe back compressive force limits are based on the same limits established by the NIOSH lifting equation.

**Strain Index**
The Strain Index (SI) is an analysis approach for estimating injury risk to the distal upper extremities (hand, wrist, forearm, and elbow). It is best used on hand intensive tasks like assembly tasks. The SI score is highly related to the force/intensity exerted by the hand and wrist. Note that this is a significant distinction between the SI and the posture dependent RULA score. The SI score defines injury risk and can help prioritize job improvements among several jobs.

**Grip and Pinch Strength**
The grip and pinch strength tool calculates the one-time grip or pinch strength capacity for the dominant hand on males and females. On the input screen, definitions for the input values are provided. Useful design guidelines and corrective action recommendations are listed in the results.

Also, an option to export results in an XML format was added to each tool and minor bug fixes were implemented.

Pocket Ergo has English, Spanish, and Italian language support. All tools can be viewed in any of these languages.

Free 30 Day Trial for older Pocket PC's

If you would like to try Pocket Ergo Version 2.0 ... Download Pocket Ergo (Ver 2.0) free 30 day trial (2.1 MB file size). If you can only download zip files due to your company IT policy, please click here for the free 30 day trial. We are confident that you will find Pocket Ergo useful. During or after your trail period you can return to this page and purchase Pocket Ergo, you will then receive an unlock code that will convert the trial version to the full version of Pocket Ergo. The 30 day trial version has all the functionality of the full version.

If your operating system is Pocket PC 2002 (the operating system included on older Pocket PC's, older Compaq's, etc.), please download the Pocket PC 2002 trial Pocket Ergo version by clicking here (2.1 MB file size).

Installation Instructions
These instructions are no longer needed with Pocket Ergo Version 3.1 since the program is self contained and does not require a separate install of the Compact Framework for your Pocket PC. See the installation instructions here. If you don't already have .NET installed on your PDA ... simply install .NET on your next sync by clicking here and following the instructions. .NET is an official Microsoft published application that will not affect any of your other Pocket PC software.

Registering Pocket Ergo (for customers that bought the program)
1. Launch Pocket Ergo from your Pocket PC.
2. A trial version screen containing a serial number will appear. Email your order number and this serial number to support@thehumansolution.com and we will reply with the unlock code.
3. Launch Pocket Ergo. From the trial version screen, click on the Unlock button and enter the unlock code.



Hardware Requirements
Pocket Ergo has been tested on the HP iPAQ hx2400 series Pocket PC and HP iPAQ hw6925 / 6945 / 6920 / 6915 / 6900 Pocket PC Phones, Dell Axim Pocket Pocket PC's and other Pocket PC's running Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, Windows Mobile 2003 and Pocket PC 2002. It is compatible with most Pocket PC and Smart Phone devices using Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0, Windows Mobile 2003, Windows Mobile 2003 version 2, Pocket PC Phone Edition, and Pocket PC 2002. Here is a list of the newest Windows Mobile Pocket PC's. More specifically, Pocket Ergo should work with all Intel XScale Processor based Pocket PC devices. See the latest Consumer Devices Based on Intel XScale® Technology.

Links:
Download.com Pocket Ergo link
Windows Marketplace Pocket Ergo link
ZDNet Pocket Ergo link
Italian Euronorma Pocket Ergo link

Known Issue: Pocket Ergo remains open even though you can’t see it on the screen. It seems to happen when you leave pocket ergo open for a while and the pocket pc goes into off/hibernate mode. Then when you turn-on/un-hibernate the pocket pc the pocket ergo program is not visible but it shows as open in the SETTINGS>SYSTEM>MEMORY>RUNNING PROGRAMS screen.
Resolution: Simply close it from this RUNNING PROGRAMS screen to close Pocket Ergo open screens.