Showing posts with label Embody Chair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Embody Chair. Show all posts
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Embody 3D Model
This Embody Chair model is available on the Google 3D Warehouse at
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/details?mid=3fc6ab5d3c52c128d810b14a81e12eca&prevstart=0
Is the Embody Poised to be the Next Big Thing?
At $1600 a pop, is the market really ready for a new big thing?
Herman Miller says its got the next big thing and it went into production last October. It’s the Embody chair. Embody is the last concept of the late Bill Stumpf, perhaps the greatest work-chair designer we’ve seen, whose many design (and codesign) contributions to MLHR– Ergon, Equa, and Aeron chairs and HMI’s Ethospace system – have brought revenues of about $3 billion to the company. Mr. Stumpf, of course, had collaborators, and Embody was conceived with Jeff Weber in Stumpf Weber + Associates (now, Studio Weber + Associates), and developed with a cross-functional team from Herman Miller and consultants from academia, with experts in the fields of healthcare and ergonomics.
If Herman’s Miller’s enthusiasm is at a high pitch, the company has earned its soap box. Few will question that HM’s introduction of the Aeron chair in 1995 popped the cork on what turned out to be the most successful office furniture product in history and, in its wake, brought along what is now a growing array of fine work/task chairs from diverse manufacturers. In the thirteen years since Aeron’s introduction, many have wondered how HMI wouild follow that act. The answer has been, “more Aeron,” as the chair was improved very substantially by the addition of the Posture Fit back support and the very attractive and refined pellicle offerings designed by Martha Burns. In the meanwhile, the company introduced a two additional task chairs – Mirra and Celle; while these chairs are at slightly reduced price points, each is a very fine chair in its own right that introduced new technology and concepts that are carried forward into Embody. What does it take to create a great chair. Herman Miller thinks it has the answer.
Herman Miller says its got the next big thing and it went into production last October. It’s the Embody chair. Embody is the last concept of the late Bill Stumpf, perhaps the greatest work-chair designer we’ve seen, whose many design (and codesign) contributions to MLHR– Ergon, Equa, and Aeron chairs and HMI’s Ethospace system – have brought revenues of about $3 billion to the company. Mr. Stumpf, of course, had collaborators, and Embody was conceived with Jeff Weber in Stumpf Weber + Associates (now, Studio Weber + Associates), and developed with a cross-functional team from Herman Miller and consultants from academia, with experts in the fields of healthcare and ergonomics.
If Herman’s Miller’s enthusiasm is at a high pitch, the company has earned its soap box. Few will question that HM’s introduction of the Aeron chair in 1995 popped the cork on what turned out to be the most successful office furniture product in history and, in its wake, brought along what is now a growing array of fine work/task chairs from diverse manufacturers. In the thirteen years since Aeron’s introduction, many have wondered how HMI wouild follow that act. The answer has been, “more Aeron,” as the chair was improved very substantially by the addition of the Posture Fit back support and the very attractive and refined pellicle offerings designed by Martha Burns. In the meanwhile, the company introduced a two additional task chairs – Mirra and Celle; while these chairs are at slightly reduced price points, each is a very fine chair in its own right that introduced new technology and concepts that are carried forward into Embody. What does it take to create a great chair. Herman Miller thinks it has the answer.
Can a Chair Be Good For You?
Herman Miller Claims the Embody is "Good For You". Can a chair really be good for you?
From psfk.com
Herman Miller’s heir apparent to the Aeron Chair, the Embody series, is a design that promises to promote clear-minded thinking by lowering the stress placed upon the body while sitting. With that in mind, they’ve created a microsite called Thought Pile that invites users to participate in an ideas forum by answering weekly questions that are meant to provoke conversation and innovation. The results are displayed visually in a mind map on the screen, the circles displaying individual concepts growing in real time as the audience votes. Interaction can be as simple as clicking agree or disagree based on an opinion to the responses or by writing comments that further the discussion within the community. At the end of the week, the person whose solution or thought has received the most positive reactions will be awarded an Embody Chair.
The company says, that it lets your body move and keeps you well supported, because your mind works best when you move freely and stress is minimized on your muscles, bones, and tissues. Blood circulates better, heart rate goes down, more oxygen flows to the brain, and there is no distracting discomfort or physical constraint. That's critical in our idea economy where innovation drives success and people get paid for their thoughts and creativity.
Healthful MovementNew tilt technology. Embody's rotation points are within the seat and back, and the base of the back remains fixed relative to the seat; this encourages the body to move naturally into the most positive seated postures.
Consistent support. Whether you lean forward or recline, your lower back support remains constant--no adjustments needed; users of all sizes can easily assume and maintain a reclined position.
Working recline posture. Embody encourages this most healthful posture for computer users; working recline reduces compression of the spine and slows fluid loss from discs; plus, your head stays in line with your computer display.
Narrow backrest. Your arms move unimpeded, adding comfort and encouraging additional air movement into the lungs to feed your brain.
Supporting You NaturallyMimics the spine. The back is "alive," adapting to the shape and movement of your spine; it automatically adjusts to your shifting positions and supports you through the full range of working postures.
Supporting You NaturallyMimics the spine. The back is "alive," adapting to the shape and movement of your spine; it automatically adjusts to your shifting positions and supports you through the full range of working postures.
Backfit adjustment. No matter what your spinal curvature, this adjustment lets you achieve a neutral, balanced posture and stay aligned with your computer display.
Gentle contact. Embody has no hard, rigid frames; edges flex so there is no pressure on your legs and arms.
Gentle contact. Embody has no hard, rigid frames; edges flex so there is no pressure on your legs and arms.
Conforming to You Pixelated support. A matrix of pixels creates dynamic seat-and-back surfaces that automatically conform to your every movement and distribute your weight evenly.
Reduced stress. By fitting your form and reducing seated pressure, Embody increases blood circulation, which improves the flow of oxygen and decreases heart rate.
Reduced stress. By fitting your form and reducing seated pressure, Embody increases blood circulation, which improves the flow of oxygen and decreases heart rate.
One chair size fits every body. Embody automatically adapts to the wide variation in people's size, shape, posture, and spinal curve; seat depth adjusts to different thigh lengths; armrest motions fit the broadest ranges.
Form = Function The look communicates performance. The chair's profile, which mimics the spine, is driven by its health-positive features.
Visual contrast and balance. When viewed from the back, the technology is exposed; when viewed from the front, you see organic shapes and curves.
Textiles add warmth. More like a skin than a covering; textiles are meant to enhance, not cover up; they have "loft" for a cushy feel; light and air pass through; colors pair with two frame colors and three base colors to simplify choice and appeal to universal tastes.
Helps the World Around YouStrict standards. The Embody chair adheres to the McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) Cradle to Cradle protocol and supports Herman Miller's commitment to the environment.
Certifications. Embody is MBDC Cradle to Cradle Silver certified and GREENGUARD certified; Embody can also provide credits for LEED certification.
Recylable. Embody is 95 percent recyclable, has 42 percent recycled content, and contains no PVCs.
Embody is Good for You
Herman Miller Embody Chair
The look communicates performance. The chair's profile, which mimics the spine, is driven by its health-positive features. Visual contrast and balance. When viewed from the back, the technology is exposed; when viewed from the front, you see organic shapes and curves.
Textiles add warmth. More like a skin than a covering; textiles are meant to enhance, not cover up; they have "loft" for a cushy feel; light and air pass through; colors pair with two frame colors and three base colors to simplify choice and appeal to universal tastes.
Embody lets your body move and keeps you well supported, because your mind works best when you move freely and stress is minimized on your muscles, bones, and tissues. Blood circulates better, heart rate goes down, more oxygen flows to the brain, and there is no distracting discomfort or physical constraint. That's critical in our idea economy where innovation drives success and people get paid for their thoughts and creativity.
The look communicates performance. The chair's profile, which mimics the spine, is driven by its health-positive features. Visual contrast and balance. When viewed from the back, the technology is exposed; when viewed from the front, you see organic shapes and curves.
Textiles add warmth. More like a skin than a covering; textiles are meant to enhance, not cover up; they have "loft" for a cushy feel; light and air pass through; colors pair with two frame colors and three base colors to simplify choice and appeal to universal tastes.
Embody lets your body move and keeps you well supported, because your mind works best when you move freely and stress is minimized on your muscles, bones, and tissues. Blood circulates better, heart rate goes down, more oxygen flows to the brain, and there is no distracting discomfort or physical constraint. That's critical in our idea economy where innovation drives success and people get paid for their thoughts and creativity.
The innovation of the decade, the magnificent new Herman Miller Embody Chair, redefines ergonomics and resets the bar for seated comfort! Its shape alone is groundbreaking: viewed from the front, you see the graceful, organic curves that make up this elegant masterpiece, and viewed from the back, the technology is exposed beautifully. The Embody Chair evolved from the concept that your mind works best when you move freely. With 6 ergonomic functions and endless intuitive functions, this is truly the greatest chair manufactured to date!
Embody Design Story
DESIGN STORY
The Embody story began in the design studio of Jeff Weber and the late Bill Stumpf. They had an idea: 'What if a design could go beyond just minimizing the negative effects of sitting? What if we designed a chair that positively impacts your life so you can work and live better?"
Stumpf, co-designer of Herman Miller's Aeron, Equa, and Ergon work chairs, came to Herman Miller and said, "I think I have one more in me." Stumpf passed away in 2006. Working closely with a cross-functional team from Herman Miller, Weber carried on. As Embody's designer, Weber gave the chair its function and form, building on Stumpf's inspiration.
Their idea arose out of their approach to design. "You can't design without empathy," says Weber, who also designed Herman Miller's Caper chair. "Since design has become more technology-based, we've had to sit in our chairs in front of computers for longer periods of time, just like everyone else. We identify with the problems people have as a result of sitting, and we identify with their need to produce ideas."
Throughout the development of Embody, over 30 professionals contributed a range of expertise. Physicians and PhDs in the fields of biomechanics, vision, physical therapy, and ergonomics helped test hypotheses, review prototypes, and conduct studies that helped guide the development of the first health-positive chair.
In the earliest discussions with the experts, three hypotheses were tested on them:
Office worker well-being and health can be health-positive or therapeutic, not merely health-neutral.Dynamic surface pressure on a chair and back will provide more comfort, liveliness, and health-positive benefits than non-dynamic surface pressure.Work chairs can allow us to naturally achieve postural equilibrium (the upright balance point when our eyes are vertically aligned with our hips), no matter what our spinal curvature.Expert input on these hypothesis fueled Weber and Stumpf's early thinking about the chair and formed the basis of experiments designed to establish if such a chair was possible. Prototypes followed, with experts sitting in them and offering appraisals of what was good and what wasn't. Researchers conducted laboratory experiments involving kinematics, preferred postures, pressure distribution, seated tasks, and metabolics. These guided the development of Embody and confirmed its health-positive benefits.
The Embody story began in the design studio of Jeff Weber and the late Bill Stumpf. They had an idea: 'What if a design could go beyond just minimizing the negative effects of sitting? What if we designed a chair that positively impacts your life so you can work and live better?"
Stumpf, co-designer of Herman Miller's Aeron, Equa, and Ergon work chairs, came to Herman Miller and said, "I think I have one more in me." Stumpf passed away in 2006. Working closely with a cross-functional team from Herman Miller, Weber carried on. As Embody's designer, Weber gave the chair its function and form, building on Stumpf's inspiration.
Their idea arose out of their approach to design. "You can't design without empathy," says Weber, who also designed Herman Miller's Caper chair. "Since design has become more technology-based, we've had to sit in our chairs in front of computers for longer periods of time, just like everyone else. We identify with the problems people have as a result of sitting, and we identify with their need to produce ideas."
Throughout the development of Embody, over 30 professionals contributed a range of expertise. Physicians and PhDs in the fields of biomechanics, vision, physical therapy, and ergonomics helped test hypotheses, review prototypes, and conduct studies that helped guide the development of the first health-positive chair.
In the earliest discussions with the experts, three hypotheses were tested on them:
Office worker well-being and health can be health-positive or therapeutic, not merely health-neutral.Dynamic surface pressure on a chair and back will provide more comfort, liveliness, and health-positive benefits than non-dynamic surface pressure.Work chairs can allow us to naturally achieve postural equilibrium (the upright balance point when our eyes are vertically aligned with our hips), no matter what our spinal curvature.Expert input on these hypothesis fueled Weber and Stumpf's early thinking about the chair and formed the basis of experiments designed to establish if such a chair was possible. Prototypes followed, with experts sitting in them and offering appraisals of what was good and what wasn't. Researchers conducted laboratory experiments involving kinematics, preferred postures, pressure distribution, seated tasks, and metabolics. These guided the development of Embody and confirmed its health-positive benefits.
Overview of the Embody Chair
You point, click, and fixate on your computer screen. And you sit still for hours. Your body screams, "Move!" … Unless you're seated in Embody. 
Designed specifically for people who interact with computers for long periods of time, Embody is a huge leap forward in seating. With a back that is “alive,” mimicking your spine to promote health-positive sitting, Embody creates harmony between you and your computer. In fact, Embody is the first work chair that supports your mind as well as your body, enabling you to focus, think clearly, and create.
Rated Gizmodo's "Best Chair Ever Sat On"Visionary design juxtaposes exposed technology with organic curvesNarrow back for unimpeded arm movement, encouraging air movement into the lungs to feed your brain
Backfit™ adjustment instinctively adapts to your spine through the full range of working positionsTilt Technology™ naturally guides your body into the most positive seated postures
Designed specifically for people who interact with computers for long periods of time, Embody is a huge leap forward in seating. With a back that is “alive,” mimicking your spine to promote health-positive sitting, Embody creates harmony between you and your computer. In fact, Embody is the first work chair that supports your mind as well as your body, enabling you to focus, think clearly, and create.
Rated Gizmodo's "Best Chair Ever Sat On"Visionary design juxtaposes exposed technology with organic curvesNarrow back for unimpeded arm movement, encouraging air movement into the lungs to feed your brain
Backfit™ adjustment instinctively adapts to your spine through the full range of working positionsTilt Technology™ naturally guides your body into the most positive seated postures
Pixelated Support™ matrix makes you feel like you are floatingRecline flex provides constant lower back support with unparalleled recline positionsAdjustable seat depth and tilt control to conform to your exact shape
Optional arms adjust 6” horizontally and verticallyExposed back moves heat away from the bodySeat edges flex, eliminating pressure on your legs and arms”Loft” fabric has a cushy feel, allowing light and air to pass throughCradle to Cradle and GREENGUARD certified95% recyclable with 42% recycled content; contains no PVCsWeight capacity: 300 lbs.Made in the USA
Customizable
Chair available with or without adjustable arms
Frame available in White and Graphite
Base available in Titanium, Graphite, and Polished Aluminum
Option to include three different types of chair casters
Available in a variety of resilient, breathable fabrics
Chairs with Carbon or Black fabric have a Graphite grey back mat; all other fabric options have a translucent back mat
Backfit™ Adjustment
Instinctively adapts to your spine’s curvature and movement through the full range of working postures Increases blood circulation, redirecting oxygen to the brain while decreasing your heart rate Naturally keeps your head and hips balanced, and perfectly aligned with your computer screen
Recline Flex
Lower back support remains constant, whether you lean forward or recline
Working recline stabilizes pelvis and reduces compression of the spine, slowing fluid loss from discs
Seat stays flat as back reclines, keeping thighs parallel to floor for ideal seating posture
Tilt Technology™
Rotation points within seat and back provides three zones of support, naturally guiding your body into the most positive seated postures Eliminates pressure behind knees for people with of all leg lengths Tilt adjust lever and seat depth adjuster fit your exact needs - learn more with the Embody Adjustment Manual
Lower back support remains constant, whether you lean forward or recline
Working recline stabilizes pelvis and reduces compression of the spine, slowing fluid loss from discs
Seat stays flat as back reclines, keeping thighs parallel to floor for ideal seating posture
Tilt Technology™
Rotation points within seat and back provides three zones of support, naturally guiding your body into the most positive seated postures Eliminates pressure behind knees for people with of all leg lengths Tilt adjust lever and seat depth adjuster fit your exact needs - learn more with the Embody Adjustment Manual
Pixelated Support™
Pixel matrix creates dynamic seat-and-back surfaces that evenly distribute your weight at the tiniest movement
H-Flexors and coiled springs respond to movement individually, making you feel as if you are floating
Casters
Three caster options, each with black nylon double wheel and a 2 ½” diameter, accommodate all styles of flooring:
Standard casters – work well on most low pile office carpets
Hardwood casters – thin rubber coating prevents damage to flooring and provides greater traction
Deep-carpet casters – allows user to avoid snags and move easily across thicker carpets
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Does the Embody Chair Really Work?
If you sit at your desk for hours a day, you probably think of what you sit in as just another part of your body. It never occurred to me that what I sat in could actually help me feel better . . . much less think better. Nonetheless, with the new Embody Chair from Herman Miller, the maker of the chair (Herman Miller) claims to do just that.
But is it true?
After looking at dozens of options, it seemed to me that Embody Chair was the "state of the art." But could it really make you feel better at the end of the day and make you work/think better? I spent some time looking at the research for the Embody Chair.
Some of the articles are below:
Improving Oxygen Flow While Seated: How the Embody chair's design promotes tissue perfusion
Promoting Healthy Movement and Natural Alignment: The research and design behind the Embody tilt
Sitting Can Be Good for the Circulatory System: How the Embody chair lowers heart rate
The Attributes of Thermal Comfort: Ergonomic criteria for the design of "breathable" work chairs
The Art and Science of Pressure Distribution: Ergonomic criteria for the design of work chairs
Promoting Healthy Movement and Natural Alignment: The research and design behind the Embody tilt
Sitting Can Be Good for the Circulatory System: How the Embody chair lowers heart rate
The Attributes of Thermal Comfort: Ergonomic criteria for the design of "breathable" work chairs
The Art and Science of Pressure Distribution: Ergonomic criteria for the design of work chairs
The bottom line is that Herman Miller claims that the Embody Chair helps improve the flow of oxygen, supports you as you move in your chair, and uses its pixel system to distribute weight properly. In their words:
"Embody lets your body move and keeps you well supported, because your mind works best when you move freely and stress is minimized on your muscles, bones, and tissues. Blood circulates better, heart rate goes down, more oxygen flows to the brain, and there is no distracting discomfort or physical constraint. That's critical in our idea economy where innovation drives success and people get paid for their thoughts and creativity."
The science seems believable enough, but before making the plunge (about $1600!), I looked around to see what other were saying. People at Forbes said that it is the best chair yet. Really? It made rank on the Awesomer. At Gizmodo, they say "it is the most comfortable chair we've ever sat in." That's solid. Then Wired said:
"It may not have an accelerometer. Or an OLED. Or lasers. Or image-stabilization. You can't even plug it in to an electric socket. But the Herman Miller Embody chair has got its back (and yours) covered with meticulous engineering. The thing is adjustable to Asperger's levels of obsession; controls exist to cradle your lumbar, hips and neck. Plus the multilayered seat absorbs even the most microscopic shifts in weight, cupping your derriere no matter how much (or little) you move. It's the greatest breakthrough in ass-to-comfort technology since, well, the Aeron chair."
The greatest breakthrough in ass-to comfort--I'm sold.
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