MIT has a habit of fostering the creative minds that envision our future.  So it should be no surprise to hear that these chairs, called SOFT rockers, come from architecture professor Sheila Kennedy and a team of students at MIT.

A built-in battery is automatically recharged when the sun appears thanks to a set of solar panels.  But that’s not the only eco credit this getup has.  Since they’re rocking chairs, the kinetic energy from shifting your weight back and forth can also be captured.

A set of internal lights can be powered off the battery for night time reading, while a USB plug charges whatever compatible gadgets you might be stowing in your pocket or backpack.

Still not convinced?  Go checkout them out.  They’re on display at the Killian Court at MIT in Boston, MA.

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Smart working starts with smart sitting.  Put don’t put too much cache in the chair, the feet matter too.  So much so to one guy that he created the Webble.  It’s a quirky and funny name which aptly (we ‘re not sure why) represents the product.

It’s a footrest that sits on 4 gliding casters.  The shape is very Herman Miller as is the flexible mesh finish that you lay your feet on.  The idea is that you can perch your feet and all the while shuffle them back in forth, much like a skate board.  If you’ve ever sat at a desk for hours on end then you know that the experience can become a leg numbing one, even with the most comfortable of chairs.  The Webble, at least in theory, should increase blood flow and hopefully negate that “ants in the pants” feeling after long periods of sitting.

The Webble is available in black, red and silver.  It costs $149.95

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What’s ugly and red all over?  No, not a Ferrari but a Ferrari Formula F1 lounge chair for your home.   Course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder so what might appear to be a furniture atrocity to some (me) is furniture bliss to others.  Actually it would go great in a car museum and the detachable footrest is a nice touch.

The prototype took designer Arthur Q. Reyes, Jr. three years to build.  Right now there is no mention of a price or production date, but considering the F1 fantatics out there, I’m sure it will go into some level of production.

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Keeping your bum warm in these winter months can be a challenge, especially when tailgating or sitting on the porch with a fine glass of scotch after a home cooked meal.  The Heated Portable Gaming chair does it all.

Woven into the ass part of the seat are a set of “undetectable” carbon fiber heating elements that can heat from 120º F to 140º F.  A built-in rechargeable battery should provide enough juice for up to 4 hours of butt warming on the lowest setting, or 2.5 hours on the highest.  But this chair just wouldn’t be complete if it wasn’t for the cup holder, table and pockets for storing some back up snacks in case your wifey or drinking partner leaves you unattended for more than a few minutes.  Hammacher has them for $120.

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In my mind relaxing means being on a white sanded beach or at home plunked down in front of the TV.  But if you’re always on the go and happen to have a few minions to help you drag your crap around, plus can’t find a better way to unwind than drowning your sorrows at the hotel bar, then you might want to take a look at the Pure Lady portable massage chair.

It’s finished in synthetic leather and folds up into a neat little cube for easy storage or travel.  And don’t let this thing’s diminutive size fool you.  The Pure Lady can massage the whole body including the calves, feet, back and waist – well, almost the whole body.

No word on price, but there’s a product page, so it’s gotta exist some where.

[via Ubergizmo]

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While the iBum Chair will most certainly hold its place as a testament for societies’ need to photocopy their body parts, there is an allure that seems to be missing.  I mean, after all the whole point of photocopying your ass, hand or squished face is that the machine was never built for that purpose.  But put it in a chair and make its sole purpose that of one that creates carbon copies of people’s rear ends and you suddenly have an uncomfortable chair that not only invades your privacy but is so obvious in its purpose that it deters anyone from dropping trow.  Then again I’m sure some solid art work could be garnered out of this machine, and by art I mean…well, you should know what I mean.

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It ain’t no Embody, but at less than half the price ($650), whose complaining?  Designed as multipurpose chair – I guess that means it can be used in conference rooms, at a desk or perhaps racing one and other down the halls of some uber trendy startup – the Setu is finished in mesh providing the same airy feel as the Aeron, but isn’t built to support one’s body for extended use.  Herman Miller will officially unveil the Setu at NeoCon in Chicago, which starts June 15th.

[via Gizmodo]

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Some days I just wanna fly away on a jet plane, or how ever the song goes.  Now my fantasy, well, ah, can be a more vivid fantasy.  From design Gianni Pedone comes the Orfojet armchair.  Unfortunately, its bark is bigger than its bite, as the jet engine design appears to be aesthetics only.  But the Orfojet armchair isn’t completely void of entertainment.  Integrated into the arms are speakers as well as a CD/MP3 player.  The chair will be on display as part of the Morfonauta collection at this year’s Milan Design Week.

[DesignBoom]

Tight on space and short on seating?  Well do I have the answer for you: the Magic Chair.  I didn’t say it would be comfortable, but it sure is efficient from a space perspective.  Much like a Russian Doll, 3 smaller chairs – each one subsequently smaller – reside inside one ‘mother’ chair.  They’re made of solid wood and crafted using bentwood, a technique that employs steam and heat to manipulate the wood into a desired shape.

No word on a price, but the Magic Chair will go on sale this Spring in Montreal.

[Freshome]

Live in NYC?  Then you probably live in a shoebox and store all your pots and pans in the oven, amongst other things that you do or don’t know about.  Save a little more space, or perhaps a little more seating with the HC Andersen lounge chair that folds down and converts into a table.  It’s lines are a bit harsh, but so is living in a 10 by 10 apartment.

Hurry, they only made 49 pieces (10 tell a story, literally) and who knows at what cost.

[Kallemo]

I’m not sure how I missed this at CES, but I did, so now I’m kicking myself in the ass.  The Emperor Workstation is the ultimate and most indulgent piece of computer furniture you can get your hands on.  For $40,000 you’ll get three synchronized 19-inch monitors for a total resolution of 3840×1024, a complete control center for operating the built-in full spectrum lighting system and chair adjustments, a THX certified 5.1 channel surround sound system from Bose, a leather Recaro chair, a HEPA air filter system, your choice of PC or Mac, a 3 hour backup UPS battery, iPod dock, webcam, microphone, media card reader, USB and other inputs, and last but most certainly not least a hydraulic tail that open and closes to allow entry (hit the video below to see it in action).

Product page here

[Thanks, Steph]

It’s pretty funny to see people’s reactions when they come face to face with the LumiSource Boomchair Shark gaming chair. Non-gamers immediately exclaim, “Wow, is that some sort of fancy schmancy massage chair!?”; gamers mutter in envious disdain, “You geek, I can’t believe you actually spent money on THAT! Can I try it?”; while marine biologists retort, “You fool, that’s not a shark!” Yup, interesting responses but after they’ve actually tried it, all agree that the Boomchair Shark is a comfortable, sweet looking chair with pretty cool multimedia features. We shall explore this further.

Key features at a glance:

• Contoured shape ensures correct posture
• Adjustable headrest
• Built in 3″ dual speakers, 4″ subwoofer
• Audio input/output
• Headphone jack
• Vibrating “rumble” feature
• Color LED that flashes in sync with the sound
• Sleek, hammerhead shark-shaped design
• Daisy chainable

The chair at first glance is striking in design, featuring an aggressive-looking hammerhead shape, outlined in black, red, and metallic-grey accents. It’s made of a durable, synthetic fabric that’s all but waterproof–you might get away with spilling a drink but please don’t take the shark for a swim. The twin 3″ side speakers and 4″ subwoofer, with adjustable volume and vibration controls, are embedded in the base of the chair and slanted toward the user. A sound-responsive color LED light and a built-in interactive vibrating motor round out the multimedia features.

So how does it perform? In terms of comfort, it really can’t be beat. During my usual gaming sessions, I’m so entranced by the game that I don’t remember whether I’m slouching, leaning back, or standing on my head to be honest. Whatever the case may be, my back is pretty much turned to mush by the time the angry she-monster aka wife pries the controller out of my weary hands. Playing with the Boomchair is an entirely different story, however. If it’s possible, I’m even more engrossed in the game thanks to the explosions pumping through the directional built-in speakers and the sensory feedback rumbling from the vibrating motor. And the best part? Even after several hours the ol’ back feels like I just got out of a $45/hour Thai massage. Exaggeration? Perhaps, but my back never felt better after a gaming session.

Well, that’s what I like about the chair. It’s time to rant. First off, with a name like the “BOOMchair SHARK!” one would expect a crankin’ beast of a sound system, right? Well, not exactly. It’s more of a “squeakchair sardine” when it comes to volume. Even at full blast the speakers are not that loud. That’s not to say the speakers are poor in quality, as the sound never distorts, but they could use a little more ‘oomph’. To be fair, I don’t believe the audio features were designed to be a standalone solution but rather a complement to a bigger surround sound system; so in that role it fulfills its purpose quite nicely.

At the end of the day, would I use this chair for my daily gaming activities? That would be an affirmative so says my grateful, pain-free back. With its distinctive design, numerous multimedia features, and comfortable seating the Boomchair Shark becomes a welcome, perhaps even necessary, addition to the gamer’s repertoire. Definitely recommended.

Pros:

• Very comfortable, keeps your back sore-free
• Sleek, sexy design
• Cool flashing LED lights
• Rumble feedback works well
• Adjustable headrest

Cons:

• Speakers could use some more punch
• Included audio cable is a bit short

Available here for $80

Comfort never looked to precarious.  You’re laying your eyes on a Special edition GRAVITY balans recliner.  Available in a limited run of 250, the special chair was built and designed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the recliner and is signed by its designer Peter Opsvik.  The GRAVITY balans recliner is available in 5 fabrics, 4 woods and over 250 colors and will surely sell for more than the standard edition GRAVITY balans recliner, which costs just a mere $1,200.

[Bornrich]

Merging James Bond elegance and the similar stylings of the Herman Miller Embody chair, the Daybed from Mauelsaez is designed to provide an ultra comfortable working environment with a touch of opulence.  It looks like Humanscale commissioned the design so you might be able to track it down in a retail store.  I checked HumanScale’s web shop and no luck.

[Dvice]

Features:

• Built-in speaker system for in game like experience
• LED light effects, volume control, headphone inputs and breathable material

Buy it: Pyramat S2500 Wireless Gaming Rocker – $60

Sporting 56 flexors in the back and 93 connected plastic discs in the cushion, the Embody chair, Herman Miller’s latest, is no slouch when it comes to comfort.  The chair adjusts with your involuntary movements providing an optimal sitting experience.  Apparently, it’s so effective that it will ‘slows your heart rate’, according to their Director of Product Commercialization and hence his title.

The Embody Chair comes in 13 colors and 3 finishes, will be available sometime next year, and will cost $1,595.

One more pic after the ‘leap’

[Freshome]

Don’t forget Office Depot’s $25 coupon: 53165330 (Expires: 9/29)

Features:

• Soft armrests and fine brown leather for ultimate comfort
• Tilt controls, 1 touch seat height adjustment, designed for casual use (3 hours a day)

Buy it: RS To-Go Carlin High-Back Leather Chair – $55