Our Design Challenges are Too Complicated... We should be solving the real problems..

cstanton said:

if someone can get away with selling this kind of thing on amazon, phew do we overthink things :D

I'd be more concerned about the people who can be convinced to buy such a thing and leave a 5* review ...

- Gough

Hehe heatpipes would be very neat. I'm not used to the climate we get in recent years, and homes are not built for it, and yet we have to work in them all day. In some countries there are air ducts in walls etc. but UK homes have never typically needed that, maybe a few tiny holes in an air brick, etc. Also, backside is uncomfortable, since that area on foamy padded seats is hitting high dew point : ) All to do with the backside area microclimate! according to this: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276199910_Research_of_Temperature_and_Moisture_during_Sitting_on_Office_Chairs

I keep thinking to buy a decent office chair and never get around to it, since one really needs to try it in person. I tried a foam riser type thing more for posture purposes, but it was a waste of effort, it was uncomfortably hot and not very effective for posture either, since it compressed fully over time.

So why not have a challenge to design the best chair......as long as it has some useful electronics in it?

Everybody needs or at least wants a good chair and every chair ever made can be improved on.

Or maybe the contest could be just the best chair add-on....

I'm beginning to think all 5 star reviews are either astroturfed or the product of lazy reviewers. I tend to focus more on the 4 star reviews and lower.

Have you tried an Aeron? The "pellicle" fabric really works at allowing airflow and is very comfortable.

www.hermanmiller.com/.../

heatpipes are uncomfortable.   Didnt ZZ Top write a song called "All I need is a Cool Tush" ..    :-) 

A WRONGCO comfo-cool chair seat would be kind on your tushy. Based on technology developed for the Solar Powered tropical Beverage Cooler, using a network of peltier modules to chill your gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and posh posterior, and maybe even an occasional vibration to draw in fresh blood circulation, a mesh network of temperature and pressure sensors would be monitored and used by an AI neural inerface system to maintain personalized maximum comfort. 

/challenges-projects/project14/off-the-grid/b/off-the-grid-blog/posts/solar-powered-tropical-beverage-cooling-mug--blog-4-learning-to-cool-with-peltier-modules 

It cant get any simpler than that. 

PS Chris 84F isnt a heatwave, its swimming pool weather and your heiney is being punished for sitting in a chair rather than lounging poolside. 

If you just want cool, .... Get a canvas beach chair, get it wet, put a fan under it, strip off your pants, and have seat. Of course, this assumes you are not in an open concept office....

They are great. I spent many happy years doing software development on those, although that was in an air-conn'd office, I've not tried it at home (UK homes don't normally have air-con).. I really hope all of element14 web development team, or actually all of the teams, each has one of those chairs (if they want them that is). 

Perhaps what is really needed .... is a heat-pump. Obligatory XKCD - this week's too: https://xkcd.com/2790/

We've had refrigerated CPUs in overclocked PCs ... (like this https://www.trustedreviews.com/reviews/asetek-vapochill-xe-ii-refrigerated-pc-case) perhaps it's time to do the same for the seat. If it's reverse-cycle, it'll heat your bottom too in the cooler months (like we're experiencing here in Australia).

- Gough