IKEA has shown a prototype of the Ubik chair it is working on. The intention is that in the future gamers can have their bodies scanned at an IKEA store, so that the company can tailor ergonomic and comfortable parts.
The Ubik chair consists of a base on which a seat and backrest part can be placed. Those individual parts can be personalised. To do this, the customer must undergo a body scan in an IKEA store and save this 3D scan on his smartphone. The chair can then be ordered and IKEA will 3D print the parts, so that it can deliver it to the customer after two weeks.
IKEA announced its work on the Ubik concept during its IKEA Democratic Days. To this end, it works together with UNYQ from San Francisco. The Swedish furniture company focuses primarily on gamers, because they sit for long periods and benefit greatly from ergonomic chairs. “Gamers are an extreme use case. They are athletes and they compete with their brains and bodies,” said e-athlete Tommy Ingemarsson, who attended the presentation. In time, the project can also be used for office staff.
By the way, IKEA showed a prototype without a backrest. The final design must have these and the base must already be comfortable without personalized parts, so that it can be used immediately.