How long have you been at the PC ? How many times have you said you would just work an hour, just browse a few websites, and ended up hugging the the VDU till your eyes drooped ?

While Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI) are fairly well appreciated, other dangers of prolonged PC use, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), which affects visual acuity, are only beginning to be understood. The intensive nature of the tasks we do at our PCs, the degree of attention needed to get the work right, makes it extremely hard for us to judge time, or our own state. Bad posture, bad lighting, and static vision, all creep up on us as the hours slip by, causing aches and pains, tired eyes, undue fatigue, and potentially more serious long term effects on the musculoskeletal structure.

BreakTime allows users to use their computer in bursts of effort that are appropriate and sustainable to them. You can keep track of how long you've been using the computer in the current session, and how fast you have been typing and mouse clicking. Schedule rests at particular times of the day, or to occur on a regular basis. The time between these breaks can be extended when keyboard and mouse activity are high, and decreased when there is little user action.

The configuration of specific times of the day for rest, periodic breaks, and the effect of user activity, can be saved. This allows different users on the same machine to tailor work & rest patterns to their needs, or for one user to have profiles to match different types of activity, or taste for effort.