Automated Chair Position Control for Prolonged Sitting Risks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Office furniture, particularly chairs, do not effectively encourage natural position adjustments to mitigate health risks associated with prolonged sitting or standing, leading to muscle fatigue, reduced blood flow, and decreased focus.

Innovation Solution

An intelligent automated chair system that alternates between positions based on user input, biosensor data, and historical usage patterns, using motors, sensors, and a cloud-based analysis module to generate and update operating models for optimal health benefits, with features like haptic and visual notifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If office furniture is designed for comfort during extended periods, then user comfort is improved, but health risks from prolonged sitting or standing increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser comfortVSAvoidhealth risks from prolonged sitting or standing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The automated chair system implements periodic position changes by alternating between sitting and standing positions at predetermined time intervals. The controller automatically initiates position transitions without user intervention, ensuring regular movement patterns that mitigate health risks while maintaining comfort during each position phase

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The chair system dynamically adjusts between different positions (sitting, standing, transitioning) based on elapsed time and user needs. The mechanical components enable smooth transitions between positions, and the system adapts its behavior based on sensor feedback and programmed operating models, making the furniture actively responsive rather than static

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If reminder apps and sensors are used to encourage movement, then health awareness is improved, but user compliance remains low due to ability to ignore notifications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehealth awarenessVSAvoiduser compliance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The automated chair performs the health-monitoring and position-change functions automatically without requiring active user participation. The system self-manages the health promotion task by sensing user presence, tracking time elapsed, and autonomously initiating position transitions, eliminating the need for users to manually respond to reminders or make conscious decisions about movement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11918124B2Intelligent automated chair and methods of using the same

Publication Date: 2024.03.05 MOVABLY INC

AI summary

An intelligent automated chair that is configured to have uploaded various operating models to run a sequence of patterns that cause the intelligent automated chair to alternate between various positions. An intelligent automated chair system configured to receive data from various inputs including user input, sensors, biosensors, historical usage, profile, and others to generate a recommended operating model for the intelligent automated chair. An intelligent automated chair system running an operating model that is interruptible manually by a user or as a result of sensed date, which can alter the pattern or parameters of the operating model.