Development of thin-type rocking device mounted on office chair for supporting falling asleep

As we know a power nap during the lunchtime break helps improve work efficiency. It is also known that vibration induced environments -such as in a moving car-enhances sleepiness. And, as office work prevails in the workforce, the authors have focused on adapting a standard office chair by sandwiching between the seat and the user a thin cushion-size mechanism oscillating up and down for inducing sleep. This device is constructed based on wedge mechanism that includes a counter-weight function. Although its compactness, this device can lift a user up to 100 kg. Adjusting to the user's preferences, the rocking motion can be tuned while respecting a maximum stroke of 5mm at a peak frequency of 2 Hz.