Japan's latest invention: The wearable chair
A new gadget eases the stress of long hours spent on foot and targets doctors, surgeons, hospitality workers and retail assistants.
Apple Watches and Fitbits may be all the rage, but a new product from Japan is redefining the phrase "wearable technology".
Archelis, a collaboration between Yokohama-based Nitto and Chiba University, is a wearable chair that eases fatigue by supporting key pressure points of the leg, such as the top of the thigh, the front of the calves and the balls of the heels. With extra joints at both the knee and ankle positions, it also provides a full walking range of motion, eliminating the need to constantly remove the apparatus.
The device was initially conceived for the likes of doctors and surgeons, who spend long and often intensive hours on their feet with little time for rest and recuperation. It's designed sleekly enough to fit under clothing, Nitto claims, extending its use to retail assistants, hospitality workers and convention goers. The Archelis could also prove a worthwhile accessory to office workers who have taken to standing desks.
The wearable chair isn't the only technological innovation born out of Japan's medical field. It follows Innophys' Muscle Suit, a weight-bearing device that was partially designed to help health care workers better physically assist those in their care.
Currently there's no word in regards to pricing, but the Archelis wearable chair is expected to go on sale some time in summer 2016.
