New chair from legendary designer Niels Diffrient

Humanscale's new Diffrient World Chair is the latest outing from legendary designer Niels Diffrient, the man who (as Bruce Sterling points out) literally wrote the book on ergonomics. Reading this description is sheer chairporn. $740 is out of my budget, though I have no doubt that it's worth every penny.

Made from just eight major parts and weighing less than 25 pounds, the Diffrient World chair achieves Humanscale's signature weight-sensitive recline through an innovative new design that functions without a mechanism. Utilizing two frame components, the user's body weight, and the laws of physics, the Diffrient World chair's mech-free recline action automatically adjusts to the needs of each user, offering appropriate levels of resistance without unnecessary locks, dials or other manual controls.
Like its older sibling, the award-winning Liberty chair, the Diffrient World chair features Form-Sensing Mesh Technology that ensures perfect lumbar support for every user without the external, manually adjusted lumbar devices found on all other mesh chairs. Additionally, a mesh seat pan with a frameless front edge provides all-day comfort with soft support under the thighs.

Humanscale Sets New Bar With Ultra Simple Task Chair (via Beyond the Beyond)

Discussion

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#1 posted by Apreche, June 13, 2009 2:18 PM

Already got Freedom chair, but this one is looking good.

#2 posted by Marja, June 13, 2009 2:24 PM

Without a mechanism?

I guess I take cause and effect for granted... impressive.

#3 posted by PrettyBoyTim, June 13, 2009 2:47 PM

Actually, it was my grandfather who 'literally wrote the book on ergonomics':

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ergonomics-Man-His-Working-Environment/dp/0412078007/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s;=books&qid;=1244929370&sr;=1-1

Still, looks like a lovely chair...

#4 posted by AirPillo, June 13, 2009 4:29 PM

You can find some of the previous chair models on eBay for around $200-300, which is really rather fair for a high quality office chair, given that you're likely to be asked to pay $70 or more even for a piece of crap pleathersaurus with shoddy constuction.

I think I spotted one of the Humanscale chairs for $271 with free shipping.

#5 posted by Anonymous, June 13, 2009 4:45 PM

Yep, it's a chair.

#6 posted by Anonymous, June 13, 2009 5:09 PM

Ive had my freedom chair for nearly 10 years now.

It is /absolutely/ worth every single cent. Im on my 4th set of armrest pads too, and they still replace them under its warranty!

#7 posted by BrotherPower, June 13, 2009 7:26 PM

Not trying to be a dick at all, seriously, but $740 is out of Cory's budget? Really?

Suddenly I don't feel so bad.

#8 posted by zikman, June 13, 2009 8:42 PM

god I love chairs

#9 posted by mokey, June 13, 2009 9:31 PM

if chairs didn't exist, it would be necessary to invent them.

#10 posted by nehpetsE, June 13, 2009 9:37 PM

Dear number 5

As you glibly noted, it IS a chair.
But you fail to also note that it is chair that has been designed to be on the same scale as humans.

I.E. If you were presented with an actual photograph of a person beside the chair, you would see that they looked appropriately sized in relationship to each other, with neither person or chair appearing disproportionately small or disproportionately large.

unlike this chair-
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/2439

#11 posted by Anonymous, June 13, 2009 10:56 PM

But does it cure swamp-ass?

#12 posted by Pantograph, June 13, 2009 11:03 PM

This chair has zero presence.
A soulless chair for a soulless workforce.

#13 posted by neurolux, June 13, 2009 11:10 PM

This chair doesn't need it's own soul. It will gladly take yours. For $740 it better have activated charcoal in the cushions to absorb my SBDs.

#14 posted by larsrc, June 13, 2009 11:35 PM

Getting used office chairs rocks. We got a nice-looking chair from a second-hand store for $20. When we examined it more closely, we found it was a fancy Norwegian Håg chair that retails for $1000. Not only that, they have a life-time warranty, so when the gas cannister (w?) gave out, we had it replaced for free. Sweet!

#15 posted by jackie31337, June 14, 2009 1:01 AM

$740 is really not that bad for an exceptional chair like this considering that in Finland an average office chair (not intended for consumers, but for companies furnishing offices) will cost you several hundred euros anyway. I've seen some very nice "executive" office chairs in the 1000 euro price range. I look at it kind of like the rather expensive Hästens beds: considering you're going to spend 1/3 of your day in it, it's well worth making the investment for the long term.

#16 posted by thequickbrownfox, June 14, 2009 2:53 AM

Better than Homer Simpsons' budget Factory Second from Econo-Save, "All right, Econo-save, you just made the list!"

#17 posted by Marchhare, June 14, 2009 5:07 AM

Well, I'm glad they're using the laws of physics. That's a plus.

#18 posted by calabanos, June 14, 2009 6:17 AM

It looks like the chair from "Better off Ted" that increased productivity by being incredibly uncomfortable.

#19 posted by Ian70, June 14, 2009 4:31 PM

Wow.. it's a chair.

I, too, have a chair.

#20 posted by Takuan, June 14, 2009 4:58 PM

yeah, but your chair is lame.

#21 posted by Anonymous, June 15, 2009 12:41 AM