Designing for the Life Span Segment 4
Designing for the Life Span Segment 4 
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[D]
Chairs with Mechanical Lifting Seats are an obvious but unsatisfactory solution to the problem of egress for older people with low strength.
Sprung loaded chairs, such as the version depicted at the right, cannot serve the complete range of users and body weights that might occupy the chair. Designing a single spring mechanism that works for the 90th. percentile male would be unsatisfactory and too strong for the 5th. percentile female. This solution may be appropriate when the mechanism can be tailored for individual users in environments where the chair must fit only one person and there is complete understanding of that persons disability.
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Any number of solutions to rising from a chair surface have been proposed, designed and manufactured. These devices range from the use of sprung loaded mechanisms to electro-mechanical lift chairs. The degree to which these devices are appropriate varies greatly. Springs are difficult to use as a solution because they will have a specific strength to provide mechanical advantage. Unfortunately, it isn’t possible to design for the highest weight level because the chair may become a catapult for the smallest and lightest person.
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