Sometimes you just want to have a seat, but there are no chairs around on which to rest your behind. If only there was a chair built-into your pants. That’s not just a flight of fancy, it’s a real thing that exists now. The Chairless Chair is billed as the first seat that goes everywhere with you. It’s a light-weight aluminum and carbon fiber exoskeleton that straps to your legs and can instantly lock into place so you’ve got a place to sit down.
The idea for the Chairless Chair came to Noonee CEO Keith Gunura when he was working in a packaging factory as a young man. Factory and assembly line workers are usually standing for eight hours per day and get few breaks. The exoskeleton takes up no floor space like a regular char does, so it can be used anyplace there’s room for a person to stand. The handy thing, though, is that it doesn’t only work in full “chair mode.” The articulating legs can be locked in any angle, so they can keep you propped up higher, like a perch you can lean back against.
When you’re not using the Chairless Chair for sitting, it moves with you, even if you decide you need to run. The invisible chair is attached to the waste with a belt, and to the legs with a series of straps. That’s how it remains in-line with the legs while not in use. When locked into place for taking a seat, the wearer’s weight is directed to the heels of the shoes, which are part of the unit. There’s another version that can work with any suitable footwear using a special clamping mechanism.
It’s not just about comfort–research has shown that standing for long periods can be damaging to joints and muscles, and makes people less productive and attentive. The Chairless Chair supports up to 100kg of weight on each leg and runs for 8 hours on a charge (for the variable damper that locks it into place). Companies like BMW and Audi are planning to test the Chairless Chair on production lines soon.