A Machine For Living: Rething The Way We Sit At Work

Niels Diffrient is a pioneer of ergonomic design -- taking the radical approach of examining the human body as it interacts with furniture, and asking, 'Is there a better way to sit?' His three-volume reference work, Humanscale, explores the relationship of spine to chair and other "human engineering" data necessary for highly specialized workplaces such as a cockpit or a truck cab, as well as aiding in the search for the perfectly comfortable place to sit down.

Niels Diffrient's Freedom Chair (1999) was a breakthrough in ergonomic task seating. With a height-adjustable headrest, the Hi Back version offers customized support for the head, allowing for proper eye-level positioning when working long hours at a computer station. The Freedom Chair is designed to fit almost all body types. The seat depth is adjustable to properly support the seat and thighs, while the adjustable back support helps to keep the lumbar region of the body in line. A unique counterbalancing tilt mechanism self-adjusts according to the user's weight and movement, thus eliminating the need for manual fixes. Because of a natural lift-and-release action, the armrests are effortlessly repositioned depending on the task at hand, and unlike other ergonomic chairs, the armrests work in tandem.