By virtue of its very purpose, a chair is used for sitting. Unfortunately, recent scientific studies suggest that sitting for most part of the day could be actually harmful for our health (with even reduced life expectancy). So, what is the solution that would maintain the ‘sweet spot’ between rigorous standing and leisurely sitting? Why, the answer is of course a flexible chair design that can be carried along with you.
Well, the designers at Zurich-based start-up ‘noonee‘ has done one better by contriving the so-named Chairless Chair – a seat/exoskeleton that can be strapped on to your legs!
In other words, it is a lightweight device cum chair (2 kg) that acts as a physical extension of oneself. Quite incredibly, the setup never touches the ground in its ‘packed’ mode. This is because a belt is used for securing the contraption with the hips, while straps are used to safely tether it with the legs. Additionally, a shock-absorber is utilized for supporting the body weight, and the entire mass is focused in the direction of the heels of our shoes.
There are also variants to this main line of design – with alternative mechanisms that eschews the need for a dedicated damper, thus working with our regular footwear. In any case, the Chairless Chair works in a pretty simple manner: one just has to make his/her preferred pose and then activate the exoskeleton. The single 6V battery-powered device then takes control and provides the much needed seat when you need the rest.
The best part is – the Chairless Chair exoskeleton is not only contrived to relax our leg muscles. The ergonomics of the setup also allows optimal posture with its specific angles keeping our spine and back straight. This user-oriented ambit will certainly avoid the common health predicament of Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD), which is one of the leading causes of work injuries in United States. Furthermore, the posture weight is efficiently balanced by the combination of aluminium and carbon fiber frames – thus making the design well suited to different weight-types in humans.
And lastly, the good news is that the contrivance is already expected to go on trails by this year, with the help two major automotive companies BMW and Audi. The commercial potential surely mirrors the practicality of the scope, as put forth succinctly by Keith Gunura, the co-founder of noonee –
Imagine if you had one of these while you were riding on a crowded train: it would make for a much more comfortable commute. But we’re also thinking about people behind the counter in retail, farmers picking fruit and even surgeons in the operating room. A chair would be impractical, but the Chairless Chair would fit in nicely.
Via: CNN
