KOKUYO Co. Ltd, a leading provider of office design and furniture in Japan, is setting the pace for office furniture industry with the unveiling of their breakthrough KOKUYO ING 360° Gliding Chair. The ground-breaking 360° gliding innovation keeps both the body and mind active, addressing the growing health and wellness issues among office workers who sit still in the office for prolonged hours at a time.
Varied findings have indicated that office workers in Singapore spend the bulk of their time sitting still at their desks, which is a key contributing factor in the increase in cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. It is also said to be hazardous to mental health as physical inactivity results in stress, anxiety and depression.
While employers have adopted various health and well-being programmes to encourage employees to get off their chairs and get active, KOKUYO approached the issue from a completely new perspective, embracing a new concept – that the human body is “Born to Move”. The human body has more than 360 joints and about 700 skeletal muscles – this was the basis for the development of their products, culumating into the revolutionary gliding mechanism in the KOKUYO ING 360° Gliding Chair that enables the body to stay in motion even when seated.
“This technology is the next step in the transformation of the furniture business – the master key that allows us to further drive our leadership in current markets and unlocks new opportunities as employers are actively stepping up in search of physical health and psychological well-being solutions for the workforce,” says Hiro Yamaoka, Managing Director of KOKUYO Singapore Branch.
About KOKUYO ING 360° Gliding Chair
The innovative 360° gliding mechanism is the result of four years of research and development. It mimics the hip-strengthening action of sitting on a balance ball. The chair’s 360° freely moving joints moves in according to even the subtle movements of the human body. Hence, the human body will naturally maintain a correct sitting posture to balance out the chair’s movement. In addition, this freedom of movement keeps the hips, waist and back muscles active while seated. This also aids in dispersing body pressure, which in turn reduces strain on the body.
The forward sloping design of the seat conforms to the natural S-shaped curve of the spine, thus alleviating stiff neck and shoulders. KOKUYO’s internal research showed that calories consumed while sitting on the KOKUYO ING 360° Gliding Chair for four hours is equivalent to walking 1.5km.
In addition to the muscular benefits, data also shows that sitting on the KOKUYO ING 360° Gliding Chair improves mental fitness. Findings from tests conducted by KOKUYO revealed that those ‘sitexercising’ – sitting while exercising – on the KOKUYO ING 360° Gliding Chair demonstrated higher levels of active thinking and concentration, driving up creativity and productivity.
The KOKUYO ING 360° Gliding Chair is now available and prices start from $988. For more information, visit www.kokuyo-furniture.com
Visuals courtesy of KOKUYO Co. Ltd.
