(Reuters) - Getting back pain from
sitting still for too long or in a bad position could be a thing of the past
thanks to a chair developed by a German scientist which makes noises to tell
users when they need to move.
Risto Koiva invented the "Intelli Chair"
after researching "sonification" -- the use of noise to convey
information -- with his colleagues at Bielefeld University in northwestern Germany.
"Four touch-sensitive sensors in the seat of the
chair and another four in the back of the chair detect how the user is
sitting," Koiva said. "The data they collect is sent to a computer
via a bluetooth module."
If the chair detects that its occupant is sitting in
the wrong position or has remained seated for too long, it makes a noise to
tell the user it is time to change position.
Physicist and computer scientist Thomas Hermann said
the Intelli Chair was mainly intended for use in a home office, but could be
useful elsewhere.
"It could be used in school classrooms, or in big
offices to optimize workflows by determining when employees need to take a
break," the 40-year-old said.
(Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Steve Addison)
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