Unless you grew up in a culture that routinely rests in a deep squatting position, that particular posture can be tough on the joints. French industrial designer and ECAL grad Camille Ringenbach, observing the poor postures of laborers at a vineyard, saw the physical stresses that grape-pickers suffered from.
She then designed a rather brilliant solution:
"This object in tinted waterproof foam offers a comfortable mobile seat," she writes. "The study of different positions of the foam gives a surprising but perfectly balanced result once it is placed above the heel."
The design's winking name? Achilles.
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Easy does it guys: just because you recognize this as a specialized product that already exists in a particular field doesn't mean everyone else does.
They sure spent a lot of effort to reinvent knee savers for baseball catchers.
I was just going to say the same thing.
A big thanks to everyone who had my bad on this. Yes, I invented the knee saver. See kneesaver.com. We also had these foam knee savers for workers as well. This all started in the 90s. AliMed is an occupational health supply company. We made both types. But I guess this guy validates my idea so thanks to him too!
I wish Core77 would do a better job of recognizing when a design is a literal line-for-line copy of an existing design instead of making it seem like this is a new invention. Absolutely nothing new here. I'm surprised they can produce these without hitting a patent issue....
I think to say its a 'copy' of an existing design is unfair as that implies intent. The problem will be universal for anyone working in that position for any period of time, and if form-follows-function, then the solution is going to be a variation on a theme.
Yes, how many times has the tea mug been reinvented?
There is difference in design and application anyway, for this.