The Ariel Chair

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The patented rocking mechanism lets the seat move in all directions effortlessly. It feels like floating. However the crux of the design is there are no moving pieces. It's all done with a unique geometric solid that took Dr. Osler over a year to develop. By letting the seat move, the chair engages the core, improves posture, and relieves back pain.

Dimensions & Packaging

508-685.8 mm height adjustability. 495.3 mm star base. seat 330.2 mm x 228.6 mm with small back height of 165.1 mm
weight: 8.16kg

Tags

chair, active sitting, posture, core, back pain, movement, qor360, Dr. Turner Osler, move while you sit, effortless, geometric solid, patented

Production Technology

injection molded polycarbonate rocker, hand stitched leather upholstery, 1in rubber motor mounts for bumpers, office chair parts: level 4 gas cylinder and aluminum base. Dipped red nylon handle. CNC cut Baltic birch painted with non-toxic black finish.

Design Challenge

The hardest part of this design was making it affordable. It would be easy to make an insanely complex mechanism and spare no expense, but to make it as simple and affordably as possible, this is another challenge entirely. The Ariel was successfully completed to be manufactured at scale for a reasonable price. And the mechanism is the simplest for a chair that moves directly underneath the seat.

Project Duration

Project was started in 2016 and is continuing to evolve each year. It was designed in Colchester Vermont USA.

Operation Flow

The unique rocking mechanism is a geometric solid. The seat is attached to the rocker with rubber connectors. There are no moving parts, the seat rocks in all directions on the geometric solid thus letting you move while you sit. The rubber mounts merely keep the chair from falling apart, and the 1in rubber mounts on the back and sides limit the rocking range and keep people from rocking too far backwards or sideways. The gas cylinder provides rotation and elevation. There is a handle designed into the back which you can carry the chair with, which is easy because it is only 15lbs. There are hand holds cut into the underside of the seat which allows for a handle to pull the chair forward or sideways when sitting in it.

Research

2,500 people have purchased the chair and use it daily. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. People have said everything from, they don't feel stiff after sitting in the chair for hours, to it cured their back pain. Others have commented it improves their posture and helps with certain medical conditions (arthritis, scoliosis, disk herniation ...)

Inspiration

Dr. Turner Osler MD, the inventor, was a trauma surgeon for over 30 years, he is now an emeritus professor at the University of Vermont where he does epidemiologic research. He was dogged by constant back pain when he moved to a desk job and he also saw that sitting was an immense health problem. Prolonged sitting increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer. The rate of back pain in America is over 80%. Dr. Osler set out to find a solution for both sitting disease and back pain and designed the Ariel chair. By allowing the seat to move in all directions, he injected effortless movement into the seating experience.

Image Credits

Main Image #1. Scott Brightwell Photography
Optional Image #1. Scott Brightwell Photography
Optional Image #2. Scott Brightwell Photography

Patents

Patented. Patent No.: US 10,010,758 B2. Osler et al. Jul. 3, 2018
Trademark. Reg. No. 5,560,171. Registered Sep. 11, 2018. Int. Cl.: 20
Trademark. Reg. No. 5,574,091. Registered Oct. 02, 2018. Int. Cl.: 20

Colors of The Ariel Chair