Suggestions to Make Working in a Sitting Chair more Comfortable

Telecommuting is now being promoted as a way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The amount of money distributed in the seat category on the Rakuten market in April 2020 was a significant 280% higher than the same month last year. This shows that more and more people are using a seating chair to work on their computers in order to improve the environment for working at home. However, the 2016 study found several issues with working in a seated chair, such as poor posture and problems due to the height between the chair and the table. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the factors that cause problems when using a sitting chair and the factors that make work comfortable, and to make suggestions accordingly.First, we conducted a basic experiment to identify problems when working in a sitting chair. From this result, this study proposes a cushion that makes PC work in a sitting chair more comfortable and a device that assists in standing up. The flow of the research is to pursue the functionality of the cushion itself, and then to clarify the elements of the necessary functions as a stand-up aid, and to consider adding these functions to the cushion.Experiments were conducted on existing smartphone cushions to identify factors that make working with them comfortable. Based on the experimental results and discussions, the height was set to 150mm and the size was set according to the results of the experiment. The surface is made of leather to improve stability.When we conducted a market survey on standing aids, we found that most of the ready-made products were pricey because they were for nursing care, and their appearance did not fit in with the interior design. In addition, most of them were over 300mm in height and required the user to stand up by grabbing the device with their hands, which is not familiar in daily life.In the end, we produced a final proposal that incorporated a standing aid into the cushion. Inside, a mixture of beads and cotton was placed in the gaps between the auxiliary devices to further enhance stability.The following five elements of peripheral devices that make working in a sitting chair comfortable were identified in this study.1) the height of the cushion should be 150mm, 2) the base of the cushion should be large enough to hold both arms, 3) the surface on which the PC is placed should be made of frictional material, and the surface in contact with the legs should be soft enough to fit the legs, 4) The auxiliary aid should be 300 mm in height, 5) The upper part of the auxiliary aid should be made of a material that fits the hand and makes it easy to find a place to place the hand.