Designing chairs with mounted desktop for university students: ergonomics and comfort

Abstract

The chairs with mounted desktop are widely used in the lecture halls of Sri Lankan universities. An anthropometric survey was carried out among the university students in Sri Lanka to design fixed-type and side-mounted desktop chair and to assess the comfort levels of it based on the design dimensions. The first part of the study focused on design dimensions of the mounted desktop and recommended the dimensions for it. The side-mounted desktop chair needs to be tested for its effect on posture and comfort with proposed dimensions on user population.The existing design of side-mounted desktop chair is unlikely to satisfy the postural and comfort requirements of university students in their learning environment. The chair that supports the development of healthy and comfortable posture is considered important for students to produce healthy workforce to the industries.