Ergonomics of Pens * Mitali Prakash
Vrinda Gupta
Ask anyone who’s ever taken a timed, hand-written exam about the disadvantage of using a poorly-designed pen. Not only can writing with a sub-par utensil cost you time, but pain too. That’s because standard pens are not made with your ergonomic well-being in mind. In fact, the typical, “run-of-the-mill” ballpoint pen is designed to do one thing and one thing only: write.
But as you grip the simple, straight shaft of the average pen, you begin to realize that it takes an increasingly high amount of pressure to keep the pen in your fingers. Indeed, because your fingers are fatiguing, and your fingertips sweating, more and more pressure is needed to continue to write. The problem with this of course, is that for all the pressure you exert on the pen, it exerts an equal amount of force on the bones, ligaments, and tendons of your wrist and forearm. This kind of random pressure can wreak havoc on your joints. In fact, it’s one of the leading causes of Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs) and Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs).
Luckily, this problem has been recognized by the designers of several leading pen manufacturers. These companies have stepped forward, creating writing utensils made to eliminate pressure points, allowing you to write with ease for hours on end.
Introduction
The design of hand writing instruments has been based primarily on touch, feel, aesthetics and muscle exertion (Kao, 1977, 2004), and has mostly being related to writing instruments that are commercially available. Kao (1977,1979) produced the following results in his studies: 1. Ball point pens yield the fastest and fountain pens the slowest writing speed. 2. Writing pressure was highest with ball point pens and lowest with felt tip pens. 3. In terms of the tip design, the pen contact was lowest for tilted pen points followed by straight points and then curved points.
Thus, it is clear that different pen characteristics have to be considered along with hand-instrument interaction in the design of writing instruments.
The “dynamic-tripod” is one of the most common ways to hold a writing instruments (Wynm-Parry, 1966; Wu and Luo, 2006c). This is where the thumb, index finger and middle finger graso the writing instrument so that they function together. Rosenbloom and Horton (1971) found that such a grip requires fine motor coordination. Callewaert (1963) described the grip where the writing instrument is held between the index and middle fingers with the wrist more canted. He claimed that such a grip was superior as the muscles would be more relaxed. Some researchers (Sassoon et al., 1986, Jacobsen and Sperling 1976, Ziviani and Elkins, 1986) have shown that pen grip does not influence speed of writing.
Hand writing performance however, appears to be directly affected by finger pressure on the writing instrument, point pressure of the writing implement on the writing surface and the pressure of the hand on the writing surface (Bailey, 1988). High point pressure is related to high grip pressures (Herrick and Ottu, 1961) even though the amount of finger flexion and the pressure on the index finger when writing tends to reduce in children with increase in age (Zibinai, 1982). Repetitive Stress Injuries are well known to relate to the risk factors of force, frequency and posture (Eutz-Anderson, 2006, Druroi, 1987). Hence, it is not surprising that some studies have been primarily driven by the need to better understand disorders such as Mogigraphia, a special case of Tenosynovitis better known as Writer’s Cramp (Chakarov et Al,.2006; Udo et Al.,2000). The researchers such as Udo et Al. (2000) have attributed writer’s cramp to the increased muscle force in the forearm needed to hold the pen without slipping and to generate the force at the pen tip required to write. The authors of that paper propose that increasing the gripping area, increasing the pen diameter in the gripping area and/or increasing the friction coefficient between the pen and the hand can reduce the muscle load. But Gross et Al. (1996) have shown that smaller handed writers prefer smaller pen sizes. Relaxation training can improve writing performance, as it helps reduce muscular tension while writing (Jackson et Al., 1980; Carter and Synolds, 1974). Muscular stress can also be reduced through modifications to the writing instrument.
Even though hand grip strength variations with grip size have been extensively investigated (Greenburg and Chaffin, 1977; Ayoub and Lo Tresti, 1971). The effect of pinch grasp force on writing pressure has yet to be determined. Kao (1979) has mentioned that pen shafts with larger diameters tend to be preferred. Udo et Al. (2000) has reported that gripping pressure can be reduced by using a pen 12-14 mm in diameter. Gross et Al. (1996) concluded that pen preference is related to a pen’s texture, balance, grip diameter and length, and that ease of writing measured in terms of ink flow also appears to contribute to pen preference.

Aim
This research report aims to develop a new design for pen after research, keeping in mind the characteristics of a qualitative ergonomic pen so as to reduce the risk of injury due to prolonged use and also the added feature of being aesthetically pleasing. The design developed has incorporated the improved features of the various pens developed over the years and certain parts have been developed based on the pure theoretical research that calls for the product to be developed in that particular manner. A new design has also been developed for a pen keeping in mind the future possibilities of a pen in the year 2025.

Method
The research paper found was carefully studied and the different ergonomic interventions available in market were considered and analyzed based on the parameters considered to be important to create an Ergonomically Correct Pen.
Then a sketch of the proposed pen was made, specifying all the details.
A future image of the pen was also though of and sketched keeping in mind the technological advancements in pens to create the future of pens in the year 2025.
Results
1. New design developed: THE INTERVENTION * Since grip is the most important part of a pen, the pen would be made of a sponge grip that would have grooves in the same place, where our fingers would be in contact with the pen. The grooves would be of the same shape in which fingers would be placed on it, thus creating a cushion surface for our fingers to rest on. The diameter of the grip will be approx. 0.8 cm thus creating a circumference of 5 cm which would neither force a person to pinch their fingers while holding the pen, nor they would have to hold them further apart so as to accommodate the pen between their fingers. The length of the grip will be 4 cm. (Grip inspired from EZGrip pens™) * As one would move towards the clicker, at the top of pen the body of the pen would gradually get thinner and the clicker will be 2.5 cm in circumference and will be made of a metal. The length of the clicker will be 1 cm at the top of pen. * The clipper attached to the pen would be in shape of a decoration that would cover all sides of the pen so the user would not have to rotate the pen to locate the clipper, it would be like decorations on a Christmas tree, thus also increasing the appeal of the pen. Again these would be made of metal. The clipper will be 4 cm in length. * The tip of the pen will be made of fiber i.e. felt so least amount of pressure would have to be applied to write. (Tip same as the one used in Fiber tip pens) * The heavy metal top and the large spongy grip would balance each other so none of the sides of the pen would be heavier than the other. * Rest of the body of the pen will be made of thin Polyethylene Chloride, which would be translucent like in cold drink bottles so that the ink levels will be visible from outside. * The total length of the pen will be 14.5 cm.
Grip: 4 cm
Clicker: 1 cm
Body between the grip and clicker: 8 cm
Body below the grip (Including the tip): 1.5 cm * The pens would be use and throw and no refills would be made to use them again, once the ink finishes, the pens can be recycled.

2. Future of Pens: Year 2025
In our view, pens would be a thing of past by 2025. They would be placed in museums and looked at with awe, as to how people worked with them.
Pens and notebooks would no longer be used.
Maybe to save the environment from further harm, or Maybe because people are too advanced or lazy to use pens and notebooks.
Touchscreen Pads would replace notebooks.
Stylus like devices, used to write on pads would replace pens.
Today, Just like we see the tools used in the earlier era showcased in boxes, same would be the future of pens. Owning a pen would be part of hobby like collecting dinosaur bones. No more ink smudges, No lost caps, No empty refills would be found with a student. It would be an era of technology.
Properties of future Pens/Styluses: * No more inks, refills, clicker, clippers or different ink tips. * Styluses would be pens of the future, All the user would need to do is scribble on the touchpad like we did with some of the phones and the words would appear on the screen. * These future pens will be equipped with wireless technologies, thus when connected with wifi, one would be able to scribble the letters in space and the words would form on the touchpad, placed away from you. * The future pens would have some internal temporary storage that would save the last data scribbled by the user automatically, which would erase on its own once the memory is full, thus creating a temporary backup of your data. * The rear end of the future pens, where a clicker used to be will be equipped with a flash drive to transfer the data stored in pens to a laptop or ultrabook. * A small touch screen would be present on the body of future pens which would serve as a gateway to the world of internet. The user will be able to mail the last files he typed or the ones saved in the storage. * Further advancements that may happen would be the presence of a camera on the future pens to click a picture and make it a part of the file you have scribbled!

Conclusion
The need for an ergonomically correct pen arises from the fact that an intervention is very much required to minimize the increasing RSIs and MSDs developed in hands of individuals who are primarily engaged in writing for long hours (for example : students while taking their exams).
The study done was helpful in developing a design for the ergonomically correct pen; helped achieve the objective of the research done. The study of the design of different pens developed over the years plus the interventions on them helped achieve the flow in the process of developing the new design; the features of pens and the improvements on those features could be compared and analysis was done easily so as to assist in deciding which features would be the best to be included in the development of an ergonomically correct pen.
References
* Effects of pen design on writing and drawing performance
By R.S. Goonetilleke, E.R.Hoffman and Ameersing Luximon * http://www.slideshare.net/tboldt/pen-evolution * http://yesgrid.wordpress.com/2012/06/16/features-fountain-ball-point-and-roller-ball/
Features of Fountain Pen, Ball Point Pen and Roller Ball Pen
June 16, 2012 by YesGrid * http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081012003213AAS6oTy * http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/future-pen-innovation * http://www.thewritingpenstore.com/c-104-ergonomic-pens-and-pencils.aspx * http://www.jetpens.com/blog/ergonomic-pens/pt/84
Ergonomic Pens
April 23, 2012 - Posted by Lucy to Selection Guide, Ballpoint Pens * http://www.askergoworks.com/news/90/The-Science-of-Ergonomic-Pens.aspx
The Science of Ergonomic Pens
Friday, October 08, 2010
By Anne Kramer * http://www.trueart.info/pens.htm
The Definitive Guide to Artists’ Materials, by Steven Saitzyk © 1987