Japanese office furniture manufacturer Okamura fuses robotic technological innovations with smart design to create even smarter chairs.
June 3rd, 2011
The human body is the inspiration for many an amazing new technology in the field of robotics, and fittingly the technologies have come back around to benefit the human body. Meet Leopard and Luce, two chairs infused with robotic technological innovations.
Leopard was developed when a designer at Okamura saw how a robot leg created by Japanese robotics specialist Oki could jump and land by itself! Amazed, he could not get the images out of his mind and was inspired to develop Leopard.
One of the driving concepts behind Leopard is titled “Seat Cradle Design”: they wanted to create a chair that literally cradles you like a parent would cradle a child. The robot leg technology is instrumental in providing this feature. Derived from the mechanisms that human muscles have, the innovations behind the robot leg were adapted so that Leopard intuitively provides continuous support for every possible posture change.
Leopard’s form stemmed from the need to combine the technology with an advanced sophisticated chair design, and a mesh was specially used for the backrest for the ultimate in soft, sturdy and airy comfort.
Luce
The reaction to Leopard was so heartening that the team behind it realised that a chair like the Leopard, with a little refinement and adaptation, would be perfect in the workplace where people were constantly sitting and standing.
This time, by collaborating with Italian design studio Giugiaro Design as well as Oki, Okamura developed Luce which combines the comforting feel and the soft but sturdy support of Leopard with a polished, airy form.
The Seat Cradle Design was refined so that the mechanism absorbs most of the impact to the body regardless of height or weight, and whether the user is sitting or getting up.
The mesh used for the backrest was given particular attention. It features areas of high weave density in order to support the lumbar region while other areas are left with a broader weave density for a soft fit.
Hero image: Leopard
Okamura
okamura.jp/global
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
Create a configuration to suit your needs with this curved collection.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
The shortlisted projects in The Living Space category of the 2023 INDE.Awards have been announced and they are all homes that raise the bar on creativity and innovation.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Set to undergo a $60-million revitalisation, the National Gallery of Australia has announced the launch of a landscape design competition for its Sculpture Garden.
In our series spotlighting aficionados across the design industry, we spoke with Alexandra Guglielmino, who leads the Art Advisory team at Bluethumb Art Gallery.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Welcome to the year of the Design Effect. This year’s theme aims to showcase the profound ripple effects that exceptional design can have on people, place and planet. Join in shaping this narrative by contributing your perspective before May 3, 2024, and become a part of the Design Effect movement.