An inflatable bladder includes, but is not limited to, a bladder body having a wall, a longitudinal dimension, and a lateral dimension. The wall defines an interior volume enclosing a fluid. The wall further defines an opening in fluid communication with the interior volume. The bladder body is fluid tight when the opening is closed. The wall is configured to facilitate an expansion of the longitudinal dimension during an ingress of the fluid into the interior volume and a contraction of the longitudinal dimension during an egress of the fluid from the interior volume. The wall is further configured to maintain a constant lateral dimension during the ingress of the fluid into the interior volume and a constant lateral dimension during the egress of the fluid from the interior volume.

Adaptive-support furniture includes several support rungs, a first and second frame members, several pulleys as well as first and second elongate flexible members. The support rungs each have first and second ends. The first frame member at least partially houses the first ends of the support rungs while the second frame member at least partially houses the second ends of the support rungs. The pulleys are provided to the first and second ends of the support rungs and to the first and second frame members. The elongate flexible members are threaded through the pulleys of the frame members and the pulleys of the ends of the support rungs such that motion of the ends of the support rungs is interdependent.

A piezoelectric adaptive mesh includes multiple piezoelectric fibers that include piezoelectric structures that can act as sensor and/or actuators to enhance a person's comfort. The piezoelectric structures communicate with a controller and/or a software processing system and may identify the position of a user and make adjustments through the actuators to increase user comfort by providing support, assistance, treatment, and/or temperature adjustment.

A chair can be configured for synchronized movement with visual content, such as a video game or movie, presented on a display. The chair can include a seat portion. A plurality of actuators can be operatively positioned to cause a movement of the seat portion. The actuators can include one or more shape memory material members. Each of the actuators being configured such that, when an activation input is provided to the one or more shape memory material members, the one or more shape memory material members change from a first configuration to a second configuration and cause the actuator to morph into an activated configuration. One or more processors operatively connected to selectively activate one or more of the actuators by causing the activation input to be provided to the one or more shape memory material members of at least one of the actuators.

The invention provides a customizable seating support for a seat base that is particularly useful for supporting a physically disabled person in a chair, such as a wheelchair. The seating support includes a posterior portion and a pair of thigh supports that are connected to the posterior portion, via a multi-directional connection, so that the position of at least one thigh support is independently adjustable to tilt upwardly or downwardly or to pivot outwardly relative to the posterior portion to an abducted position. In some embodiments, at least one of the thigh supports may be configured to pivot inwardly relative to the posterior portion to an adducted position.

A seat apparatus having a simulated force feedback and a method for simulating a force sensation of driving are provided. The seat apparatus includes a seating unit, a rotary platform, and a realistic seat pallet. The seating unit includes a seat pan. The rotary platform includes a chassis and a rotary motive module. The seat pan is disposed on the chassis along a rotation axis in an inclinable manner. The rotary motive module can control the seat pan to have a forward or rearward inclined angle. The realistic seat pallet is disposed on the seat pan, and includes a movable contact cushion and a pallet motive module. Through the pallet motive module, the movable contact cushion is slidable relative to the seat pan. The pallet motive module can control the movable contact cushion to have left and right displacements, front and rear displacements, angular displacements, or yaw rotations.

A seat cushion includes a plurality of inflatable cells, a pumping mechanism, and a manifold or valve system fluidly between the pumping mechanism and the inflatable cells. The manifold or the valve system, which may include a clutch and a motor, connect the pumping mechanism with the inflatable cells such that a plurality of zones are created. A valve assembly can include a plurality of valves and is adjustable among at least three valve configurations to vary fluid connections to the inflatable cells to produce rearwardly advancing waves. The pumping action produced by the inflation and deflation of the inflatable cells assists in pumping blood in a user's legs back toward the heart.

The presently claimed subject matter is directed to furniture elements. Further, the presently claimed subject matter concerns a furniture covering element configured with a cushioning arrangement.

A seat cushion includes a plurality of inflatable cells, a pumping mechanism, and a manifold or valve system fluidly between the pumping mechanism and the inflatable cells. The manifold or the valve system, which may include a clutch and a motor, connect the pumping mechanism with, the inflatable cells such that a plurality of zones are created. A valve assembly can include a plurality of valves and is adjustable among at least three valve configurations to vary fluid connections to the inflatable cells to produce rearwardly advancing waves. The pumping action produced by the inflation and deflation of the inflatable cells assists in pumping blood in a user's legs back toward the heart.

An adjustable stool having a support connected to a base at one end and seat at the opposite end. A foot rest is adjustably connected to the support. Adjustably connected to the seat is a back support. A lumbar support is adjustably connected to the back support. The back support has a horizontal portion and a vertical portion.