Measuring methods for comfort rating of seats and beds

Comfort evaluation and bed adjustment according to sleeping positions

“…As Buckle and Fernandes (1998) have depicted, most pressure measurement technologies have been limited to plain and rigid surfaces. Recently, the measurement of pressure on seats and mattresses has received a great deal of attention (Buckle & Fernandes, 1998;Clark & Rowland, 1989;Hänel, Dartman, & Shishoo, 1997;Nicol & Rusteberg, 1993;Treaster & Marras, 1987). However, the technical difficulties of measuring this kind of pressure have been discussed by most studies in this field.…”

Research of Temperature and Moisture during Sitting on Office Chairs

“…Metabolism causes continuous radiation of heat and moisture. Consequently, perception of comfort depends on equilibrium between the receipt and release of heat and moisture at the contact point of the body and base (Hänel et al, 1997). As shown by Zacharkow (1988), the resistance to changes is highly related to the size of contact area and contact pressure.…”

Thermal Comfort While Sitting on Office Chairs – Subjective Evaluations

“…of airing (Arens et al, 2006) The human body generates thermal energy all the time (Grbac and Dalbelo-Bašć, 1994). The regulation of the normal physiological skin microclimate is necessary for the maintenance of the thermal equilibrium between the heat generated by inner metabolic physical processes and the heat lost from the skin in the surroundings (Nicholson et al, 1999;Hänel et al, 1997). In the early 1970s, Fanger found that being thermally neutral guarantees comfort, because in optimal condition, no specifi c sensation of feeling warm or cold is to be expected by the subjects (quoted in : Candas, 2005).…”

“…Therefore, upholstery materials must enable the transfer of moisture when touching the body. Hänel et al (1997) showed that below a certain degree of compression, moisture and heat are mostly transported in the surface layer, while Shitzer et al (1978) revealed that subjects determine the comfortable temperature for themselves according to variations of their own body temperature. "The ideal" environmental temperature varies from one person to another and in the course of time with regard to variations of the body temperature.…”

“…Besides warmth, the human body constantly excretes moisture (liquid) through the skin. According to Reed et al (1994), a sitting person perceives moisture on the skin surface as discomfort (quoted in: Stumpf et al, 2002), because wet skin increases the friction coeffi cient, causes sticking to clothing or chair upholstery and prevents small movements necessary to shift the weight from the pressure points (Hänel et al, 1997). Therefore, a moisture increase on the skin surface leads to uncomfortable sitting.…”