PALLIATIVE CHAIR

PALLIATIVE
CHAIR

NikhilS,KruthikBS,SumanthKS,SanjayC,Dr Dattathreya,Dr PeterFernandes

1Student,ECE,Alva'sInstituteofEngineering&Technology,Mijar,INDIA

2Sr Prof.&DeanPlanning,ECE,Alva'sInstituteofEngineering&Technology,Mijar,INDIA

3Principal,Alva'sInstituteofEngineering&Technology,Mijar,INDIA

ABSTRACT

Indifferentsectorsofindustry,sedentaryemploymentfrequentlyresultsinphysicaldiscomfortandpain,whichlowersproductivity Withthepurposeofreducingpain and enhancing wellbeing, a modified palliative chair is suggested. The chair offers support for the lower back, neck, and shoulders and incorporates on demand massageandheattreatmentelements.Theresearchonthehealthadvantagesofmassageandheattherapyisdiscussed,emphasizingtheirpotentialtolessentheadverse consequencesofextendedsitting.Theadopteddesignmayincreaseproductivityandwell-being,whichwouldbeadvantageoustobothemployersandemployees.To completelycomprehendtheeffectivenessandusersatisfactionofthistechnology,moreresearchisrequired.Employeescanimprovetheirphysicalwell-beingwhile atworkwiththehelpofthisupdatedergonomicchairdesign.

KEYWORDS:Sedentaryemployment,Ergonomicchairdesign,Massagetherapy,Heattreatment,Productivity,Workplacewell-being.

INTRODUCTION

Sittingforextendedperiodsoftimeisbecomingcommoninfieldssuchasinformationtechnology,highereducation,andmanagementpositions.Thiscanresult in physical discomfort and suffering, which in turn lowers productivity.While designed to support and comfort workers during long shifts, ergonomic chairs maynotalwaysbeabletofullyalleviatethepainanddiscomfortbroughtonby prolongedsitting.Inresponse,wesuggestamodifiedpalliativechairwithfeaturesforondemandheattherapyandmassagetoreducepainandenhancephysicalwell-being.

Thisreviewpaperexamineshowthesuggestedmodifiedpalliativechairdesign can help sedentary workers.We will go over the research on the health advantages of massage and heat therapy, emphasising how they might lessen the impactsofprolongedsitting.Wewillalsolookatthedifficultiesandrestrictions thatcomewithusingthistechnology,suchastheprice,technicalneeds,anduser preferences.

Thisredesignedergonomicchairdesignhasthepotentialtoincreaseproductivity and well-being, benefiting both individuals and employers, by offering an affordableoptionforprofessionalstoimprovetheirphysicalwell-beingwhileat work.Otherfieldsthatnecessitateextendedsitting,suchcallcentersandfinancialinstitutions,maybenefitfromtheproposeddesign.Tocompletelycomprehendtheeffectivenessandusersatisfactionofthistechnology,moreresearchis required.

LITERATURESURVEY

In their study, Mohanty et al [1] provide a comprehensive approach that combinesstatisticsandartificialintelligencetocreateindustrialorofficeworkspaces that consider the physical and psychological needs of employees, resulting in greater effectiveness and production.They use measurementsfrom the Bureau of Indian Standards to conduct a case study on office chair design to evaluate theirmethodology Theauthorsdiscoverthatcreatingitemswiththebestcriteria canincreasecustomerattractivenesswhileminimizinguserwearinessanddamage.Workplacesettingscanbecreatedtoencourageproductivityandwell-being byconsideringthephysicalandpsychologicaldemandsofemployees.

AccordingtoSamad[2],ergonomicsisbecomingincreasinglycrucialinboosting efficiency, safety, and comfort in industrial production as technology progresses.Ergonomicsseekstooptimizetheinteractionbetweenpeople,tools,and the workplace, which includes designing tools and equipment to match the worker's demands and tailoring the environment to the worker's requirements. Backaches,neckpain,andmusclestrainscausedbyinadequateseatingandposturearemajorconcernsinergonomics.Thiscanbeaddressedbycreatingpleasantanduser-friendlyworkplaces,givingworkerswithidealsurroundings,loweringphysicalworkload,andoptimizingworkingpostures.

Chandraetal[3],highlightshowtheadvancementofinformationtechnologyhas resulted in the establishment of "office ergonomics," which entails creating desks,workplaces,andworkstationsthatmaybeutilisedbydifferentpersonsat different times. This includes examining corporate operations and creating workstations with furniture, equipment, computer systems, and environmental

aspects in mind. Overexertion and repetitive strain injuries at work underscore the need for a better understanding of workplace ergonomics and workstation design,especiallyinflexibleofficeemployment.Thepaperincludesanin-depth examination of these problems, as well as the development of flexible office design to reduce negative consequences and boost good ones, while also emphasisingworkerhealthandsafetyandanalyzingthecriticalergonomicchallengesinofficework.

TheCOVID-19epidemichasraiseddemandforergonomiccomputerworkstationchairs,asmoreindividualsworkfromhomeusingcomputers.Accordingto Mathetal[4],theglobalmarketforthesechairsispredictedtoreach$29.67billion.Inresponsetothisdesire,theauthorscreatedanergonomicofficechairfor laptopusersusingIndiananthropometricdataandSolidWorks,withthepurpose ofdecreasingmusculartensionandincreasingproductivity ACADmodelofthe workstation's parts was created using design inputs derived from common human traits.This project focuses on laptop users, who have fewer ergonomic designrequirementsthandesktopusers.

Xuetal[5]emphasizetherelevanceofemployingergonomicprinciplestoanalyzehumansittingpositionanddynamicbehaviourincurrentofficework.Toproducenewdesignconceptsforofficechairsthatarepleasant,productive,andsafe forhumanhealth,extensiveresearchisrequired.Modernofficechairsshouldbe constructed with the body's posture in mind to reduce negative health impacts while also promoting comfort and productivity The authors recommend that whiledesigningergonomicworkplacechairs,numerouselementsbeconsidered, includinghumanpostureandinteractionsbetweenpeopleandseats.Theauthors illustratehowtodevelopsafeandcomfortableworkplacechairsbyusingdesign examplesthat combineergonomics concepts. By taking these factors into consideration, ergonomic office chairs can increase workplace efficiency while decreasingtheriskofmusculoskeletalissues.

Employees must sit in a supported and comfortable position in office chairs becausemanymodernwesternjobsrequirethem.AstudywasdonebyRoland Zempetal[6]toevaluatetheprecisionofobjectivemethodsforcalculatingsittingcomfort.Theydiscoveredarelationshipbetweenusers'perceivedlevelsof comfortordiscomfortandofficechairpressuremeasures,suggestingthatpressurereadingsmayprovidesomeinsightintohowcomfortableusersare.Tocompletelycomprehendtheconnectionbetweenobjectivemetricsanduniquesitting comfort experiences, more investigation is necessary The study stresses how importantitistoevaluateofficechairergonomicsanddesignfrombothanobjectiveandsubjectivestandpoint.

Intheiroverviewofinternationalergonomicsregulationsandrecommendations for designing computer workstations, E.H.C. Woo et al [7] note the variations and their effects on health issues. To address the accelerating development of computer technology and its effects on computer users' health and wellbeing, theyofferargumentsandsuggestionsformodificationstothecurrentstandards and guidelines. The best practises for input devices, visual displays, lighting, environmentalfactors,andfurniturearrangementanddesignaresuggestedinthe article. The authors stress the significance of upholding current ergonomics norms and recommendations in order to reduce the risk of health problems

Copyright©2023,IERJ.Thisopen-accessarticleispublishedunderthetermsoftheCreativeCommonsAttribution-NonCommercial4.0InternationalLicensewhichpermitsShare(copyandredistributethematerialinany mediumorformat)andAdapt(remix,transform,andbuilduponthematerial)undertheAttribution-NonCommercialterms.

broughtonbyprolongedcomputeruse.Thisarticleservesasafoundationforthe development of new guidelines and standards that are better suited to meet the changingneedsofcomputerusers.

AnewworkseatforindustrialsewingoperationswasdesignedbyChi-YuangYu etal[8],consideringthebiomechanicalgeometryofalowsit-standposture.The traditionalseatresembledanofficechair,whereasthenewseathadapelvicsupport, thigh support, lumbar support, and thoracic support. According to the research,thenovelseatwassuperiortotheconventionalseatinloweringtrunk andupper-limbmuscleactivity Thefindingsimplythatbyminimizingmuscle activityinthetrunkandupperextremities,awell-designedworkseatwithprecise seat-pan and backrest features can improve industrial workers' ergonomic performance. The study highlights the significance of creating work seats that takeintoaccountthebiomechanicalgeometryofalowsit-standpostureforthe comfortandproductivityofworkers.

Dhingra et al [13] provides an overview of the elements, such as static and dynamicpressuredistribution,lowbackpain,seatdesign,andsafety,thatinfluencecomfortintheseat-operatorinterface.Accordingtotheresearch,softseats haveapressuredistributionthatismoreevenlydistributedacrossalargereffective contact area than rigid seats. The seat height, posture, cushion type, frequency, and vibration all have an impact on how the pressure is distributed. Increasedexcitationmagnituderesultsinhigherischiumpressureandaneffectivecontactareaatfrequenciesbetween4.5and5.0Hz.Dynamicpressureatthe interfaceissinusoidalandrangesfrom1to10Hz.Posturalstress,whole-body vibration,andshocksarethethreemaincausesoflowbackpain,buttheycanbe preventedbyusingtherightkindofcushionandlumbarandsidesupport.

Extendedsittingcancausechangesinthepassivestiffnessofthelumbarspine, increasing the risk of low back injury The study by Beach et al [14] quantify time-varyingchangesinpassiveflexionstiffnessofthelumbarspinecausedby extended sitting and to see if men and women respond differently Participants wereaskedtositfortwohourswhiletheirlumbarflexion/extensionposturesand extensormuscleactivationlevelsweremeasured.Men'slumbarspinestiffness roseafter1hourofsitting,whereaswomen'sreactionsweremixed.Inthesecond hourofsitting,menadjustedforincreasedstiffnessbyassumingreducedlumbar flexion.Changesinlumbarspinepassiveflexionstiffnesscausedbyextendedsittingmayincreasetheriskoflowbackinjuryandcontributetolowbackpain.

ThestudybyDavisetal[15]lookedathowcallcenterworkersposture,pain,and productivitywereaffectedbyworkstationinterventions.Fourdifferentworkstationsettingswereusedintheintervention:traditional,sit-stand,traditionalwith remindersoftware,andsit-standwithremindersoftware.Thefindingsindicated that the reminder software was useful in easing pain in a variety of bodily regions,includingtheshoulder,hand/wrist,upperback,andlowerback,andhad aminorbeneficialinfluenceonproductivity Thesit-standdeskwassimilarlysuccessfulineasingdiscomfortwhilemaintainingproductivity.Hence,withminimalimpactonproductivity,regularpausesthatpromoteposturalmodifications canhelplessentheharmfulconsequencesofextendedstaticpostures,whichare frequentlyobservedinofficework.

Usinganewlycreatedmassagechairasshowninfigure1,Leeetal[9]conducted aclinicaltrialon38childrenaged11withheightsrangingfrom145.0to155.0 cmtoexaminethepossibilityofa24-weekmassageforpromotinggrowth.After focusing on the knee and ankle areas, the massage chair stretches the areas around the knee to help youngsters who desire to accelerate their growth. The goal of the study was to assess changes in body mass index, height percentile, height,boneage,growthrate,andanticipatedheightcalculatedfromboneage. Investigating related adverse events helped determine safety This study is uniquesinceitisoneofthefewtolookattheimpactofmassageongrowthafter infancy

TABLE 1:GREENINITIATIVESINTHEAREAOFWATERMANAGEMENT

AdynamicseatthatpromotespelvicmotionhasbeencreatedbyKusteretal[10] and has the potential to enhance physical well-being and lessen the hazards to healthbroughtonbyextendedsitting.Officeemployment,however,alsonecessitatesasecurepositionfortheupperbodyandheadtopreserveexcellentvision. Theresearchersadjustedcurrentdynamicofficechairstoconformtothenatural kinematicsofthehumanspineinordertoaddressthis.Bothasecureupperbody posture and supportive pelvic movement are provided by the resulting seat. It enables the spine to bend widely to the side, much like when walking, but still maintainingasecurepositionforjobduties.Withthestabilityrequiredforoffice work, this invention offers a viable way to reduce the negative effects of extendedsitting.

According to Hailee et al [11], repetitive jobs, excessive pressure, and uncomfortableposturesincreasetheriskofmusculoskeletalinjuriesinhealthcareprofessionals who manually treat patients. The depot wheelchair, which has few adjustments and is frequently utilised because it is inexpensive, is the patient transportchairthatismostfrequentlyusedinhealthcaresettings.Nonetheless, patients and carers may have discomfort and musculoskeletal problems as a result of depot wheelchairs' lack of adjustability In order to lower the risk of musculoskeletalinjuriesandenhancethewellbeingofhealthcareprofessionals who handle patients manually, this emphasises the need for better ergonomic designsinpatienttransportchairs.

For patients to continue their daily activities and to avoid developing pressure ulcers,adecentchaircushionisessentialasemphasizedbyMooneyetal[12]. Theidealcushionshouldbestable,light,low-maintenance,long-lasting,andreasonably priced. It should also evenly distribute pressure to prevent interfering withcapillarybloodflowtobonyareasoftheskin.Theserequirementsappearto be met by an experimental design using resin-impregnated polyurethane foam withacut-outareabeneaththeischialtuberosity Thefoamisstable,evenlydistributes pressure over a sizable skin area, needs little upkeep, and has a longlastingcovering.

BasedonamodifiedversionofYan'screativedesignprocess,Tzu-HsiaChenet al [16] provide a systematic technique for designing massage mechanisms for massagechairs.The14designoptionstheycomeupwith,includingthe"Curried Cut" design concept, which involves kinematic design, engineering drawing, andprototypeproduction,arebasedonanexaminationoftheexistingmassage mechanismswithbeatingandkneadingfunctions.Thenoveldesign,whichcan provide a wider variety of non-uniform output motion than earlier versions, is simulatedbytheauthors.Thisstudyshedslightonhowtoimprovemassagequalitybyoptimizingmotionparameters.Overall,thearticleoffersausefulmethod for creating massage mechanisms for massage chairs that can assist product designers in meeting consumer desires for synchronizing ergonomics, aesthetics,andfunctionalities.

In order to assess the user's feelings during a massage, Kazuya Hiyamizu et al [17]createda"HumanFeelSensor"thatcanmonitorthetemperature,pulse,and GalvanicSkinResponse(GSR)oftheperipheralskininreal-time.Theauthors developed a method of controlling a massage chair such that it responds to the user's experiences using data from a sensor This method enables the massage chairtoalterthemassageprogrammeinreal-timetodeliveramorecustomised andeffectivetreatment.Thestudyoffersanovelmethodforenhancingthemassageexperiencebyanalyzingtheuser'sphysiologicalresponsesusingstate-ofthe-art sensor technology and changing the massage programme accordingly Futuredesignsofmassagechairsandothermassageequipmentwillbesignificantlyimpactedbythefindings.

SalineeRattanaphanetal[18]soughttodesignandcreateamassagechaircapable of replicating the three basic Thai massage techniques, namely pull, press, andpin.Theprojectwasdividedintothreephases:research,design,andprototype and testing. Throughout the research phase, the researchers investigated Thaimassagethoroughlyinordertounderstanditsprinciplesandmethods.Duringthedesignphasethatfollowed,theycreatedamassagechairthatcouldmimic the3Ptechniqueutilisedbyhumanmasseurs.Themassagechairwasthenbuilt andtestedinBangkokwith40potentialbuyers.Theresultsofthetestsrevealed thatthechairperformedsatisfactorilyandprovidedamorehuman-likemassage thanexistingroller-typemassagechairs

Toprovidethermalstimulationusingheatingpadsplacedontheskin'ssurface, PathanFayazKhanetal[19]suggestedarevolutionarydigitalproportionalintegral(PI)controllerarchitecturebasedontheArduinomicrocontroller Thepurpose of the study was to determine whether an electric heating pad's thermode might be utilised in a specialised, inexpensive contact heat evoked potentials (CHEP)stimulator ThePIcontrollerisintendedtoproducedesiredtemperatures inapatternchosenbytheuseronthesurfaceoftheheatingpad.Thetransferfunctionoftheheatingsystemwasevaluated,andthedesignparametersforthecontrollerwereestablished,usingaparametricsystemidentificationapproach.The architectureofthesuggestedPIcontrollermayfacilitatethedesignoflow-cost, specialisedCHEPstimulatorsfortherapeuticapplications.

Figure1:MassageChair(BEG-100)

InastudybyHongxiangShanetal[20],theinformationarchitectureandinteractionstyleofthemassagechairinterfacewereexaminedinconnectiontohuman factorchallenges.Toinvestigatetheproblemswiththemassagechaircontroller's humancomponent,theresearchersrantwoexperiments:anassessmentexperimentandaneyemovementexperiment.Thefindingsofthestudycanserveasthe foundationforcreatingtheidealsmartphoneinterfacefortheInternetofThings. Thestudyemphasiseshowcrucialitistotakeuserexperienceandotherhuman variablesintoaccountwhencreatinguserinterfacesforsmartdevices.Inorder formassagechairsandotherInternetofThingsdevicestoworkasplannedand giveusersagoodexperience,thestudystresseshowimportantinterfacedesign is.

Theincorporationofavibrationmotorandheatingelementsintoanexistingergonomic chair has the potential to significantly benefit persons who suffer from backpainasaresultofextendedsitting.Massageandheattherapycanincrease circulation and relieve muscle tension, offering much-needed relief from the physicalstrainassociatedwithprolongedsitting.

Thesecharacteristicscanalsoimprovethechair'sgeneralcomfortandusability, makingitamoreappealingalternativeforpeoplewhospendalargeamountof timesittingatadeskorworkplace.Thiscanleadtohigherproductivityandahappierworkplace.

Theaccompanyingfigureillustratesthedesignofapalliativechairthathasbeen enhanced with the integration of vibration motors and heating elements, showcasing the specific placement and arrangement of the massage nodes and heatingelementswithinthebackrestandseat.

7. E.H.C.Woo,P White&C.W.K.Lai(2015),ErgonomicsStandardsandGuidelinesfor ComputerWorkstationDesignandtheImpactonUsers'Health–AReview,Ergonomics,DOI:10.1080/00140139.2015.1076528

8. Chi-YuangYuandW MonroeKeyserling,Evaluationofanewworkseatforindustrial sewingoperations,AppliedErgonomics1989,20.1,17-25

9. Lee,SunHaeng&Kim,Mia&Jeon,Chuljin&Cho,Soohyun&Choi,Min&Hwang, Tae&Lee,Jihong&Chang,GyuTae&Lee,Jin.(2020).Improvementofamassage chair(BEG-100)onheightgrowthinchildrenwithaverage:Humansubjectsresearch. Medicine.99.e20080.10.1097/MD.0000000000020080.

10. RomanPeterKuster,ChristophMarkusBauer,SarahOetikerandJanKool,HUMAN FACTORS Vol XX, No X, Month XXXX, pp 1–

DOI: 10.1177/0018720816646508

11. HaileeR.Kulich,SarahR.Bass,JeffersonS.Griscavage,AmoghaVijayvargiya,JonathanS.Slowik,AliciaM.Koontz,Anergonomiccomparisonofthreedifferentpatient transportchairsinasimulatedhospitalenvironment

12. VertMooney,MichaelJ.Einbund,JohnE.Rogers,E.ShannonStauffer,Comparison ofPressureDistributionQualitiesInSeatCushions

13. H.S. Dhingra, V.K. Tewari, Santokh Singh, Discomfort, Pressure Distribution and SafetyinOperator'sSeat–ACriticalReview

14. TysonA.C.Beach,RobertJ.Parkinson,J.PeterStothart,JackP Callaghan,Effectsof prolongedsittingonthepassiveflexionstiffnessoftheinvivolumbarspine

15. KermitG.Davis,SusanE.Kotowski,BalajiSharma,DonaldHerrmann,andAnitaP Krishnan, Combating the Effects of Sedentary Work: Postural Variability Reduces MusculoskeletalDiscomfort

16. Tzu-HsiaChen,Long-ChangHsieh,TheInnovativeDesignoftheMassageMechanismsforMassageChair,TaiwanAssociationofEngineeringandTechnologyInnovation:E-Journals.

17. Kazuya Hiyamizu,Yoshihisa Fujiwara, Hirokazu Genno, MasashiYasuda, Toshiki Koma,DevelopmentofHumanSensorySensorandApplicationtoMassagingChairs, Proceedings 2003 IKEE Inlemntional Symposium on Compulatiunnl Intelligence in RoboticsnndAutomation.

18. SalineeRattanaphan,andPanyaSrichandr,EngineeringtheHumanTouch:MimickingtheArtofThaiMassage,InternationalJournalofDesignandManufacturingTechnology(IJDMT).

19. Pathan Fayaz Khan, S. Sengottuvel, Rajesh Patel, K. Gireesan, R. Baskaran, and AwadheshMani,DesignandImplementationofaDiscrete-TimeProportionalIntegral (PI)ControllerfortheTemperatureControlofaHeatingPad,SLASTechnology1–10 ©2018SocietyforLaboratoryAutomationandScreening

20. HongxiangShan,XingsongWang,MengqianTian,YuliangMao,OptimalDesignof MassageChairInterfaceBasedonEyeTrackingTechnology,2020IEEE7thInternationalConferenceonIndustrialEngineeringandApplications

CONCLUSION

Ergonomicsseekstoimprovetheinteractionofpeople,tools,andtheworkplace toincreaseproductivity,safety,andcomfort.Ergonomicofficechairsthatconsider human posture and sitting comfort, as well as innovative work seats that include biomechanical geometry, have been developed as a result of research. ThepandemicofCOVID-19hasraiseddemandforergonomiccomputerworkstationchairs.Creatingergonomicworkspacesthatconsideremployees'physicalandpsychologicaldemandscanboostproductivityandwell-being.Basedon a review of the literature, a modified palliative chair with on-demand massage therapyandheattreatmentisofferedasalessexpensiveandmorespace-efficient alternativeto typical massage chairs. Industries might use this chair to provide healthcaretoemployeeswhilestillallowingthemtowork.

REFERENCES

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Figure2:ProposedIllustration