Tag: seat

Categories
Travel

Back to the Backers: The Purrch

Your favorite chair/stool alternative is back! It’s the Purrch, people, and it’s back in the crowdfunding scene and back on Backerjack. This stool-like people-holder-upper that features essentially a bike seat on top of a curved stick ran an unsuccessful campaign on Indiegogo this past February. They did not reach their $75,000 goal, but were able to raise just over $2,000 and got to keep it, thanks to flexible funding. Now, Purrch is on Kickstarter with a $50,000 goal. The product looks to be the same as on the first campaign with the same prices. One of these people-sicles goes for $70 or $77 if you want the matching Strrap too (get it?!). A product like Purrch makes sense for people who work on their feet or who are disabled in some way and can’t stand to stand for long. Unfortunately, even with the Strrap, the Purrch doesn’t seem too portable, which is the whole point of having it, to be able to sit anywhere. It goes against all of this sitting-hating we’ve seen lately, but, hey, every now and again you may just need to cop a squat.

Categories
Luggage and Bags

NeXstep luggage holds your stuff, supports you as a stool

For those who are still willing to fly and endure the ever increasing list of airport insanities, there is now a piece of luggage that can at least always provide a predictable place to sit in the midst of the unpleasantries. NeXstep has a handle that acts as a built-in seat during those long waits in overcrowded airport holding areas. The seat holds up to 250 pounds, so those who are of a more hardy origin may not be able to enjoy this feature. The luggage is made of aircraft grade aluminum and polycarbonate, and also has waterproof zippers, four spinner wheels, and a TSA lock. Not only is it made in carry on size, but there is also a check on size available. Once travelers reach their destination, the stool can be converted to a luggage stand for easy and convenient unpacking. This campaign is seeking to raise $120,400 by November 24, 2014. Early bird backers can get the carry-on size in their choice of charcoal gray or red for $175, with an expected delivery of April 2015.

 

Categories
Safety Travel

Winks is one of the least awkward airplane sleeping aids

Even if one can get past the noise, sleeping on a plane can be nearly impossible because of the awkward positioning of the seats. The 40 Winks travel pillow aims to change that. This unique design supports a person’s head by using opposing pull from the user’s own body in order to offer optimum support and comfort for the head from either side or from behind.

The pillow must have proper pressure distribution in order to work effectively, which means that the arms of the pillow must be wrapped wide and flat around the user’s body so that pressure is evenly distributed over a broad surface. This provides that necessary counter balance action and a nice way to get some much-needed rest while traveling. For those interested in checking out other travel sleep aid ideas, Forward Front Face Pillow Cushion, BoosterPalz, JQ Headrest, and Sky Tent may be of interest. For $29, early bird backers get one pillow with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Health and Wellness Sensors/IoT

Darma smart seat cushion reminds you to take a stand

Back pain, poor posture and lots of lazing around are realities for many folks. Each one of these problems feeds into the other, so it’s hard to break the cycle of discomfort. Darma is a smart seat cushion that doubles as your posture coach. It monitors your sitting habits, posture, breath, and heart rate to give you helpful tips. If you’re slouching, Darma tells you to sit up straight through a smartphone alert. When your heart rate is high indicating stress, it suggests taking a walk to calm down. Similarly, if you’ve been sitting too long, Darma advises taking standing breaks.

Best of all, by collecting data about you specifically, it can give you customized stretches that will alleviate the pain present in different parts of your body. Designed with sleek black leather, it’s unobtrusive and will blend in well with your office chair. One will cost backers a $189 donation on Kickstarter.

Darma is an interesting new take on the type smartphone-powered health assistance we’ve seen a lot of recently. Most of these devices are wearables in the form of clip-ons or bracelets. While we’ve seen previous products aimed at improving posture, Darma blends into its surroundings. The constant alerts may prove to be annoying at first, like a nagging mother telling you to sit up straight. However, the long term health benefits will likely be worth the hassle. All in all, Darma is a great solution for the sedentary and actually one of the least obtrusive solutions to too much sitting.

Categories
Home

Odor-eliminating toilet seat fans your stink into the wild

Without getting into specifics, many people have a certain degree of embarrassment or even panic about dealing with the aftermath of using a restroom, particularly at a friend’s or date’s house. Many a comedic movie scene or shameful story has been made about these moments of desperately opening a window or finding a chemical spray to mask the smell.

The Fresh Air Plus is a toilet seat designed to prevent this situation from ever happening again  by pumping the foul air out of the toilet before it ever has a chance to escape. Powered using a nearby electrical outlet, the Fresh Air Plus uses a hose to an outdoor vent to remove the smell discreetly and privately. The Fresh Air Plus fits any standard toilet and replaces the existing toilet seat. It also includes a no-slam system that eases the lid down gradually.

This product offers people who are sensitive about bathroom matters a chance to avoid the stinky subject entirely, as the odors never even have to leave the bowl. Adam Payz, the inventor of the Fresh Air Plus, is trying to raise $80,000 to move the product from the prototype phase. It only costs $160 to get rid of the dirty bathroom smell forever, once the Fresh Air Plus ships in March 2015.

There’s a subtle contradiction in purchasing an item for your bathroom to hide the evidence of smelly behavior when that item requires hooking up a hose to your toilet, plugging it in, and adding more lights to the toilet than the average pachinko machine. The Fresh Air Plus is certainly doing its best to innovate, but when you have to drill a hole in the wall and run a hose to hide something that everyone goes through, maybe, just maybe, the issue is more mental than physical and odiferous.

Categories
Sports

PractiGOAL converts from part of soccer to solar blocker

PractiGOALSoccer is a great sport that is enjoyed by many all over the world. However, running around on a piping hot field can get pretty sweaty. The PractiGOAL is a typical soccer goal that converts easily into a shady spot for players and parents alike. This 65 lb heavyweight goal comes with seats to rest out of the sun. It is made out of aluminum and folds up for portability. One of these goal/shades will set backers back a whopping $400 for delivery in February 2015. PractiGOAL is looking to raise $35,000 in its 45-day run on Kickstarter.