Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.17559/TV-20210306023605

Influence of Body Mass Index on Comfort and Parametric Optimization Design of Seat

Jianhua Lyu ; Sichuan Agricultural University, College of Forestry, Department of Product Design, 211 Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
Qiaomeng Peng ; Sichuan Agricultural University, College of Forestry, Department of Product Design, 211 Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China
Ming Chen orcid.org/0000-0001-8792-5353 ; Sichuan Agricultural University, College of Forestry, Department of Product Design, 211 Huimin Road, Wenjiang District, Chengdu, Sichuan 611130, China

Abstract

The influence of body mass index (BMI) on seat comfort was studied. 50 subjects were tested for body pressure distribution experiment about seat factors and BMI, and 118 subjects were tested for comfort survey experiment about the factors combination of seat height, backrest angle, and different body type on the perception of comfort. The experimental results revealed that there was positive correlation between the perception of comfort of foot and shin, foot and front of thigh, foot and back, foot and shoulder, foot and waist, with Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0,608; 0,584: 0,672 and 0,620 (p < 0,05) and 0,853 (p < 0,01) respectively. Besides, there was negative correlation between body type and maximum pressure, body type and average pressure gradient, body type and maximum pressure gradient, with Pearson's correlation coefficients of −0,673; −0,589 and −0,635 (p < 0,05) respectively. This study found that there was negative correlation between body type and shin, contact area and front of thigh, average pressure and front of thigh, average pressure and shoulder, with Pearson's correlation coefficients of −0,769 (p < 0,01); −0,636; −0,682 and -0,605 (p < 0,05) respectively. In addition, this study also found positive correlations between maximum pressure and shin, average pressure gradient and front of thigh, maximum pressure gradient and front of thigh, average pressure gradient and shin, maximum pressure gradient and shin, with Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0,681; 0,638; 0,694 (p < 0,05); 0,765 and 0,785 (p < 0,01) respectively. Moreover, when the seat height was set as knee height, and backrest angle was set as 120°, the subjective evaluation scores of three body types' subjects were the highest. This study provided additional evidence that seat parameters may be a design approach for improving different body type user's experience.

Keywords

body pressure measurement; comfort survey; ergonomics; perception of comfort; seat

Hrčak ID:

279476

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/279476

Publication date:

17.6.2022.

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