The Pennsylvania State University Schreyer Honors College
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHREYER HONORS COLLEGE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING DESIGN, TECHNOLOGY, AND PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS DESIGN OF A POSTURE-SENSING CHAIR TO DECREASE SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR USING MICROCONTROLLERS, ITERATIVE DEVELOPMENT, AND YOGA MANASWINI RAJARAM SUMMER 2016 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for baccalaureate degrees in Marketing and Information Sciences and Technology with honors in Engineering Entrepreneurship Reviewed and approved* by the following: Sven G. Bilén Professor of Engineering Design, Electrical Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering Thesis Supervisor Frank T. Koe Associate Professor of Engineering Entrepreneurship Faculty Reader * Signatures are on file in the Schreyer Honors College. i ABSTRACT In recent years, adults have spent increasingly larger amounts of time sitting for work, leisure, and transportation. Occupations in the Western world have become more sedentary and less physically demanding, resulting in an estimated one-third to three-quarters of work time spent sitting by American adults. Moreover, poor posture resulting from increased sedentary behavior is a major cause of lower back pain and, when combined with the 7.7 hours of sitting most adults do on a daily basis, the effects can be detrimental. Lower back pain has been reported by 80% of the adult population in the U.S., and accounts for $75 billion in costs to the American economy. Prolonged poor posture can lead to musculoskeletal disorders that can cause pain and other health issues. Alarmingly, the increase in sedentariness has also marked a rise in lifestyle disorders such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Studies have shown, however, that the negative consequences of sedentary behavior can be prevented through breaking up periods of sitting with light to moderate activity.
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