Humanscale

Humanscale Corporation, based in New York, New York, is an American manufacturer of ergonomic office furniture and equipment. It is notable as the manufacturer of the Freedom and Liberty Chairs, designed by Niels Diffrient.

Products

Humanscale introduced the Freedom chair in 2000. Available with or without a headrest, the task chair’s counterbalance mechanism adjusts automatically to fit the user’s body. Manual levers are used to raise or lower the seat and adjust the seat depth and backrest height. Freedom features self-adjusting recline, a dual-pivot backrest designed to support the changing needs of the spine, synchronized armrests to prevent uneven arm positioning, and contoured cushioning.

Humanscale’s Liberty chair also adjusts automatically to accommodate different users. The design features a tri-panel mesh back designed to provide body-fitting comfort and lumbar support. Liberty is also outfitted with a balanced recline mechanism that is designed to move and support all sitters based on weight and body size. Seat height and depth require manual adjustment.

Humanscale also manufactures keyboard tray systems. The keyboard tray consists of a track attached to the underside of a work surface. A mechanism slides along the track to allow the user to stow the tray under the desk. The current model, 5G, allows users to raise or lower tray height, swivel left to right, and angle the keyboard tray at a negative slope.

Sustainability

, formerly known as the World Wildlife Fund. The company demonstrates its commitment to sustainability by manufacturing products that are recyclable and constructed from recycled materials. Humanscale seating and ergonomic tools are designed to require the fewest parts and materials possible. Its “material of choice,” aluminum, boasts a high scrap value and is more likely to be recycled than alternative materials. Humanscale seating ships blanket-wrapped whenever possible, but if boxes are required the company uses those constructed of at least 40 percent recycled materials.

In Film, On TV

The Freedom chair has appeared in films including "I Think I Love My Wife, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, The Lake House, Stay, Friends With Money, The Weather Man, Miss Congeniality 2, In Good Company, I Robot, Fever Pitch, Catwoman, 13 Going on 30, The Human Stain, Duplex, Legally Blonde 2, X2, About Schmidt, Two Weeks Notice, Brown Sugar, Planet of the Apes" and "Antitrust." The chair will turn up in "The Tourist", now in production.

On TV, Freedom has been featured in "Bones, Shark, Sex and the City, Vanished, Ugly Betty, Las Vegas, Medium, , Standoff, Vanished, Ally McBeal, My Wife and Kids, Real Time with Bill Maher," and "Weekend Today."

Liberty has appeared in films including "The Bourne Ultimatum," "Premonition, and Feast of Love;" and on TV in "Emily’s Reasons Why Not, Premonition, Boston Legal, Rules of Engagement, Heroes" and "Weeds." Liberty will also be on-set in "Old Dogs," a 2008 release.

Both chairs have been featured in the "Bourne Ultimatum", and on "24, House, Eli Stone, Heroes, Private Practice, Life" and "Pepper Dennis."

External Links, References

• [http://www.humanscale.com Humanscale Official Site]
• [http://www.shop.humanscale.com Humanscale Shop Site]
• [http://www.humanscale.com/products/seating.cfm Humanscale Seating]
• [http://www.humanscale.com/newsroom/index.cfm Humanscale Newsroom]
• [http://www.humanscale.com/about_us/environmental.cfm Environmental Information]
• [http://www.officechairadvice.com/ergonomic/executive/reviews/humanscale-freedom-chair.html Freedom Chair Review]