Measurement of Seat Pressure Distributions

Abstract

Knowledge of seating pressures is important for proper chair design. This study demonstrates the usefulness of a new methodology for measuring pressure distributions. It refines and advances an optical-reflection technique introduced several years ago. In this way precise quantitative measures of the pressure distribution can be obtained. Video image digitization, which converts analog video signals to digital ones, provided data in a form that could be easily submitted for computer analysis. Additionally, a novel method of analysis is presented that allows for the measurement and evaluation of the distribution of seated pressures, rather than peak pressures alone. A preliminary experiment with eight subjects was conducted to demonstrate the validity of the experimental apparatus and the data treatment.