AN ANALYSIS OF SOME FACTORS INFLUENCING SEAT COMFORT

Abstract This study presents a re-analysis by correlation and factor analysis of data on the relative comfort of six Air Force pilot and crew seats. On the basis of the results obtained, the following conclusions may be drawn: 1. Seats are rated in the same relative order of comfort after only 5 min of sitting time has elapsed as after 4 or more hours of sitting on the seats. 2. People tend to rate the overall comfort of a seat mainly on the basis of the comfort of their backs and buttocks. The comfort of the neck and shoulders plays a secondary role while thigh und leg comfort seems to have little relationship to judgements of the overall comfort of a seat. It was found that the following seven types of measurements wore measures of the same quantity, Overall Comfort of a, sent: (a) Actual time a subject is willing to sit in a scat (up to a maximum of seven hours). (b) Ratings of overall comfort after 5 min of sitting. (c) Predictions of total time he would be willing to sit in the seat made after 5 min ...