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We start the project lounge-book targeting relax and comfort but developing the idea we found also many ergonomics issues.
In this section we collected news and links but also strange adverti-sing picture proposing unlikely or dangerous use.
Laptop comfort zones
 
Extract from the "The New York Times"
Personal shopper; Laptop Comfort Zones
By MARIANNE ROHRLICH

WITHOUT the proper accessories, a laptop computer can be a pain in the neck -- literally. The portability of these little powerhouses is appealing but doesn't automatically turn a train, plane or bed into a suitable work space. Even though laptops may be plug-in-and-go machines, laps can be too unsteady, beds too soft and hotel desks too high to be ergonomically correct: next thing you know, you may have sore shoulders, an aching back or painful wrists. So it's worth thinking about how to create a safe and comfortable work area.
Dr. John Kella, an ergonomic consultant to The New York Times, explained that incorrect posture is one of the leading causes of painful injuries. ''While typing, your shoulders should be relaxed and your arms should always be supported with your elbows at a 90-degree angle,'' Dr. Kella said. ''And the keyboard should be at elbow height. The monitor should be angled so that you look downward in order not to extend your neck and tense your shoulders.'' And what about working in bed? ''Try not to,'' he said, ''but if you must use a laptop in bed, get good back support from a backrest or pillows. Try to have your legs and back form a 90-degree angle.'' And he added: ''Always extend your legs. If you must bend your knees, support them with pillows.'' If you use your lap as a work surface, be sure to elevate your feet. A phone book is fine.
''This will help stabilize the computer,'' Dr. Kella said. ''And if the computer is on your lap, keep your knees comfortably apart to reduce back strain.''  (...)
Aching back? sitting up straight could be the culprit
 
Extract from RSNA (Radiological Society of North America)site , complete article on http://www.rsna.org/rsna/media/pr2006-2/aching_back-2.cfm
Reclining backward in a 135-degree position constitutes optimal sitting posture.


(...)
"A 135-degree body-thigh sitting posture was demonstrated to be the best biomechanical sitting position, as opposed to a 90-degree posture, which most people consider normal," said Waseem Amir Bashir, M.B.Ch.B., F.R.C.R., author and clinical fellow in the Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Alberta Hospital, Canada. "Sitting in a sound anatomic position is essential, since the strain put on the spine and its associated ligaments over time can lead to pain, deformity and chronic illness."
Back pain is the most common cause of work-related disability in the United States, and a leading contributor to job-related absenteeism, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. By identifying bad seating postures and allowing people to take preventative measures to protect the spine, Dr. Bashir and colleagues hope to reduce back strain and subsequent missed work days.

(...)
The researchers studied 22 healthy volunteers with no history of back pain or surgery.
(...)
The patients assumed three different sitting positions: a slouching position, in which the body is hunched forward (e.g., hunched over a desk or slouched over in front of a video game console); an upright 90-degree sitting position; and a "relaxed" position where the patient reclines backward 135 degrees while the feet remain on the floor. Measurements were taken of spinal angles and spinal disk height and movement across the different positions.

Spinal disk movement occurs when weight-bearing strain is placed on the spine, causing the internal disk material to misalign. Disk movement was most pronounced with a 90-degree upright sitting posture. It was least pronounced with the 135-degree posture, indicating that less strain is placed on the spinal disks and associated muscles and tendons in a more relaxed sitting position.

The "slouch" position revealed a reduction in spinal disk height, signifying a high rate of wear and tear on the lowest two spinal levels. Across all measurements, the researchers concluded that the 135-degree position fared the best.
As a result, Dr. Bashir and colleagues advise patients to stave off future back problems by correcting their sitting posture and finding a chair that allows them to sit in an optimal position of 135 degrees.
(...)

Co-authors are Tetsuya Torio, M.D., Malcolm Pope, Ph.D., Keisuke Takahashi, M.D., and Francis W. Smith, M.D.

 
LAPTOP THINGS
                                                                                         
erg1.jpgfrom PCMagazine USA Aug 2007
extracted from an article about mobile technologies hazards.

First- or second -degree burns on thighs (even through clothing) from resting a notebook on your lap. Could also affect fertility in men.
Treat superficial or first- degree burns with a cool, wet compress (not ice) and atibiotic ointment. For more sorius burns (with blistering) do not remove blisters and seek medical attention.
Use a lap desk, cooling pad, tabletop, or even a book instead off your lap.
 
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