Japanese researchers have developed a wearable chair called Archelis that can help surgeons when they are performing long surgeries.
The wearable industry is growing at a rapid pace, warranting the need for a wearable chair. Archelis, which means walkable chair in Japanese, has been developed jointly by Nitto (a Yokohama-based mold factory), Chiba University's Center for Frontier Medical Engineering, Hiroaki Nishimura Design and Japan Polymer Technology.
The researchers of the novel chair explain that some medical surgeries can take hours and surgeons have to continuously work on patients. Archelis reduces fatigue by allowing surgeons to sit down during long surgeries.
At first glance Archelis does not look like a chair at all. The wearable chair looks more like a leg brace. The wearer of Archelis will not get full comfort of sitting on a chair but the gadget actually wraps around the wearer's buttocks and legs, providing support that effectively allows them to sit down wherever and whenever needed.
The developers of Archelis suggest that even though the chair is targeted for surgeons performing long surgeries, it can be used by anyone in fields that require a lot of standing. Moreover, the chair may also assist people who have to sit briefly after walking for a while.
Archelis may also be helpful in situations in which chairs are occupied and people have no option but to stand.
Archelis is not the only wearable chair that users can benefit from. Swiss startup Noonee also has a similar concept called the Chairless Chair. The hydraulic powered chair offers lower body support to people who have to stand for longer periods of time.
Just like the Archelis, the Chairless Chair also looks like a leg brace. Keith Gunura, the co-founder of Noonee, says that people wearing the Chairless Chair gets a feeling of sitting on a barstool.
Big factories and assembling facilities have optimized floor plans to maximize efficiency of workers. In such conditions, using a traditional chair may not be possible. With the help of Chairless Chair, users can carry their chair wherever they want without affecting their walking movement.
Products such as Chairless Chair and Archelis can also benefit people who want to take micro-breaks of less than a minute. Micro-breaks can reduce fatigue and also increase productivity of the wearer.
Check out a short video of the Archelis, expected to hit markets this summer.
