Fit n Sit Chair System AN INNOVATION IN

Fit ‘n Sit Chair System AN INNOVATION IN CLASS ROOM SEATING

Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Typical school classroom chairs What are problems with student seating? Why was the Fit ‘n Sit Chair System designed? What is the Fit ‘n Sit Chair System? What are the target markets? What is the Justification for the Fit ‘n Sit Chair? Competition versus the Fit ‘n Sit Chair About the Fit ‘n Sit chair designer: Sanford Blackman Some References

1. Typical school classroom chairs http: //www. guardian. co. uk/society/2008/nov/05/obesity-children-chairs-school

2. What are problems with student seating? Some examples of discomfort and fatigue typical with standard school chairs: Pinch Points! Pinch Points Knee & Ankle Discomfort http: //www. agefotostock. com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/ISO-IE 049 -089 http: //www. agefotostock. com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/PDU-1785608

2. What are problems with student seating? (cont. ) Some examples of discomfort and fatigue typical with standard school chairs: Body posture affecting blood flow and energy level Pinch Point The difference between a small child and a tall child in the same classroom is enormous ~ some will not have their feet properly on the floor, while others will be seated cramped on chairs. www. betterseating. org/school. html http: //www. agefotostock. com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/ISK-ISPC 035034

2. What are problems with student (cont. ) seating? ! struction e f Mass D 69 ns o 3 a o s -- Wehttp: //Ezine. Articles. com/274 ool Chair Source: p Sch rticle an A ick Brenn By R http: //www. agefotostock. com/en/Stock-Images/Royalty-Free/SSD-1574 R-25400 http: //www. superstock. com/stock-photos-images/1826 R-7750

3. Why was the Fit ‘n Sit Chair System designed? To address growth and size diversity within the student experience. It totally reduces distraction coming from the discomfort and fatigue caused by ill-fitting classroom chairs affecting student’s health and performance. Its simplicity is an art and pure strength, a source of joy and beauty for student success. http: //www. tru. ca/hsafety/workinglearningsafely/ergonomics/ergoposture. html

3. Why was the Fit ‘n Sit Chair System (cont. ) designed? Chair discomfort and fatigue can be described as deviation from the following ideal: • Head held upright to follow the curve of the spine. • Arms horizontal ~90 -degree angle at the elbow to a corresponding desk height. • Thighs parallel to the floor- hip angle is 90 -degrees. • Correct popliteal height of seat, no cramping of legs and internal organs. • Feet supported, resulting in a 90 degree angle at the ankle, easy if the seat is height adjustable to the floor. • Back support for lower spine and pelvis (maintaining the natural curve of the spine).

4. What is the Fit ‘n Sit Chair ? A stackable, durable seat constructed to quickly adjust to a student’s body position/posture, to improve comfort and performance. • The average student size (per grade) does not cover the diversity of sizes in classrooms so the chairs do not fit every student.

4. What is the Fit ‘n Sit Chair? (cont. ) The Fit ‘n Sit chair represents a direct replacement of all current school chairs. Ergonomic fit for all elementary school to college students, is safe and easy to use, durable, is childfriendly for long-term seating and “kid-proof”. Provides health and comfort features to aid task performance and improved attention. A universal solution that elegantly resolves the old traditional ergonomic design problems Recyclable and can earn carbon credits

4. What is the Fit ‘n Sit Chair? (cont. ) Key aspects include: 1. Adjustable seat height and back support height corresponding to the individual student’s body size from 1 st -12 th grade. 2. Lightweight safely adjusting metal frame construction. 3. Economical high density plastic or laminated ply seat and back. • Customer colour and finish choice • Recyclable and sustainable design • Durability • Comparable cost with most exported chairs

5. What are the target Markets? Markets are elementary school to high school and can include home offices. ~The traditional US school chair is replaced within 3 - 5 years averaging 12 million chairs replaced each year. ~The US alone spends about 200 million USD a year on school furniture and has 200, 000+ schools. www. nces. ed. gov/ ~There are 32 million students in grades 1 -8 with a total of 49 million students including high school. www. census. gov/2008 The Fit ‘n Sit chair is not limited to the US market.

6. What is the justification for the Fit ‘n Sit Chair? ~ there has been no significant innovation in educational furniture in the last fifty years. http: //www. fira. co. uk/document/safe-seats-of-learning. pdf ~ chairs of inappropriate size, lacking ergonomic design, with incorrect height, lead to pain and traumas, the result from long term seating. BBC News, Tuesday, 4 November 2010, The British Back Pain Association ~ The British Educational Suppliers Association recommends a new standard for school furniture it wants the government to advise all schools to adopt. Adjustable furniture is one option so children could lower or raise their chairs to make sure they are sitting comfortably. Polly Curtis, guardian. co. uk, Tuesday 4 November 2008

7. Competition versus the Fit ‘n Sit Chair ~ chairs are one size and often cheap plastic with poor ergonomic design and support. www. betterseating. org/school. html ~ postures are painful due prolonged periods children sit in chairs of poor fit. school Aagaard-Hansen and Storr-Paulsen, (1995) ~ schools must buy from choices that are available since innovative, comparable cost seating solutions are not yet on the market. http: //www. ukfirst. org/documents/newsfirstsummer 2008. pdf

7. Competition versus the Fit ‘n Sit (cont. ) chair ~ school classroom furniture feature very similar styles and ergonomic size limitations. WHO cross-national study(HSBC) international report 1997 -8 (2002) pp. 36 - Copenhagen ~ there appears no viable solution to problems of student discomfort, physical traumas and poor task performance proven in HKSAR, UK and EU research studies. http: //www. ukfirst. org/documents/newsfirstsummer 2008. pdf ~ adversity can foster innovation which can convert adversity into advantage. Why Asia can take the lead, Iqbal Z. Quadir, 2011 www. mckinsey. com

8. About the Fit ‘n Sit chair designer: Sanford Blackman A Fulbright scholarship in furniture design at the Royal College of Art in London. Designed and built furniture in the US, Europe, China and Vietnam. In Asia from 2001, doing furniture design, company Q. C. , manufacturing consulting and also staff training. The chair was developed during a graduate fellowship in furniture ergonomics at Arizona State University. A US utility patent has been issued for this chair.

9. Some References FIRA, the U. K. authority, has a school furniture certification plan to help make pupils less prone to back and other physical pains. http: //www. ukfirst. org/documents/newsfirstsummer 2008. pdf School Chairs – Weapons of Mass Destruction!, by Rick Brennan, http: //Ezine. Articles. com/expert=Rick Brennan www. betterseating. org/school. html Anthropometric Evaluation for Primary School Furniture Design, PDF, Joanne Chung, et al, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, HKSAR Match Between School Furniture Dimensions and Children’s Anthropometry, Applied Ergonomics, M. K. Gouvali, et al, (2006)

9. Some References (cont. ) Musculo-skeletal outcomes in children using information technology – the need for a specific etiological model. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 35 (2) 2005, pp. 131 -138 Children’s behaviour and the design of school furniture. Ergonomics 42 (5) 1999, pp. 747 -760 Health and behavior among young people in school-aged children: a WHO cross-national study(HSBC) international report 1997 -8 (2002) pp. 36 - Copenhagen: WHO Recommendations on school furniture, www. backcare. org. uk