The “wearable chair” could make your long work days better

As weird as a “wearable chair” sounds, if you’ve ever worked a retail or service job that requires you to be on your feet for hours at a time, it could be heaven on earth.

A company in Japan has created a wearable chair called the Archelis. Upworthy reports that the “chair” is essentially a pair of fancy leg braces that support your body weight while you stand upright, recreating the sensation of sitting.

Digital Trends reports that the Archelis (which translates to “walkable chair” in Japanese) was originally designed to help people working in hospitals and performing complicated surgeries for hours at a time.

It was produced by a Japanese mold company called Nitto in collaboration with Chiba University’s Frontier Medical Engineering Center. The chairs makers are hoping to expand their market to anyone that might be on their feet for extended periods of time.

[YouTube/NITTO]

Another company, Zurich-based start-up noonee, has also created a wearable chair. The Independent reports that it will be marketed towards factory workers.

It’s a set of prosthetic limbs that strap to the back of the wearers legs and then lock into place whenever they moves into a sitting position. But while the Archelis uses the wearer’s own body to act as a counterweight, noonee’s chair need batteries, meaning it’s definitely less green.

If either company succeeds in commercializing their products, pretty soon people are going to be walking around with “chairs” strapped to them. Thanks, technology!