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July 14, 2000/11 Tammuz 5760, Vol. 52, No.44
Chair is technological marvel
BARBARA MAYER
Associated Press
Rip Van Winkle could open his eyes today and easily recognize the tables, beds, easy chairs and sofas now in use. But there is one item of furniture that might really wake him up: the ergonomic desk or task chair.
This marvel of technology with - at its best -adjustable height, seat and arms, and its ability to swivel, rock and recline, is a product of the late 20th century. As the 21st century rolls forward, all bets are that ergonomic task chairs will continue to develop new bells and whistles.
At a recent NeoCon furniture trade show in Chicago in June, showrooms displaying the latest ergonomic chairs attracted crowds of design professionals eager to try out the next new thing.
Among the trends:
- The one-size-fits-all concept, with a single design that that can satisfy equally the needs of short, slight women and tall, husky men.
- Emphasis on chairs that adjust simply - or even better, automatically - without the need to manually adjust a variety of knobs and levers.
- Armrests that move up, down, in, out, and out of the way.
- Ideas adapted from health-care use, such as gel in seat and arms to disperse weight more comfortably.
The Freedom Chair ($885), designed by Niels Diffrient, was one of the chairs shown that reflected many of these trends. It offers "an intelligent mechanism that senses the weight of the user and automatically adjusts to provide optimal support," according to the manufacturer, Humanscale of New York.
A headrest moves into place as the sitter reclines, and adjustable armrests, longer than normal to provide more support for the forearms, can be moved completely out of the way. There is gel in the arms and an optional gel layer in the seat. The chair is said to accommodate sizes of 95 percent of the population.
Another model shown was the Leap Chair ($700-$1,400, depending on options) by Steelcase of Grand Rapids, Mich. (see inset). It has a flexible back that conforms to the sitter's movements. The sitter can recline without disturbing his or her feet or visual orientation, so it's possible to work at a computer screen while reclining - which some say is better for the back than sitting up straight.
The chair also has a seat adjustment and arms that slide up and down, in and out, and pivot.
A variety of features on this chair are covered by 26 patents, according to the maker.
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