Human Factors Inspired Chair Design II

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Active seating is a new approach to promoting body movement while sitting. Traditional designs have focused**on non-stable platforms to promote motion and therefore engage muscle activity in the legs and lower back.**These designs have not been widely adopted due to the challenges in maintaining work productivity whie**concentrating on balance and proper sitting postures. Lifeform Furniture Manufacturers incorporates a new**'Core-Flex' technology in their office chairs that could help address concerns associated with prolonged sitting**and promote a natural active movement similar to walking. The Core-flex technology allows for movement for**the seated worker by engaging the legs and abdominals while remaining productive at the workplace. The**Core-Flex technology consists of a split seat pan that promotes back, pelvic and hip motion by alternating**active ankle and hip motion similar to a walking action. To date, this "active sitting" approach has no empirical**evidence to support its inclusion in office seat design. The original Engage project conducted in the**Occupational Perforamnce Lab at the University of New Brunswick had the goal of assessing and better**understanding the human-factor outcomes of using an active office chair. The project provided the industrial**partner with research design modifications. To further enhance the design requires the understanding of the**natural swaying (shifting) that occurs during natural unsupported standing. This movement protocol needs to**be incoprotated in The Core-Flex design modifications to increase blood flow to lower back and legs and**reduce muscle fatigue as well. This project will be conducted by two research students in Dr. Abert's lab.**Results from the multidisciplinary approach of assessing biomechanical, neuromuscular and motor control**aspects of active sitting will be communicated with the Core-Flex design team throughout the project.