Ikea is using 3-D printing to make your butt more comfortable


In the immortal words of Sir Mix-a-Lot: "Baby got back." And Ikea wants to use that back to make big bucks.
The Swedish furniture chain recently announced that it is partnering with e-sports group Area Academy and 3-D printing company Unyq to bring customizable chairs to gamers, reports Fast Company. Getting your butt scanned for a chair may sound funny, but sitting comfortably is no joke — especially when the average gamer is glued to a chair for at least six hours a week. That's why the three companies are joining forces "to develop ergonomic equipment for a better gaming experience."
Although it's unknown how the process of 3-D scanning and printing a customer's backside will play out in stores, the chairs are expected to be available by 2020. They'll resemble the average stool, but set themselves apart with "a two-panel mesh platform" that has been specially 3-D printed for the customer's derrière.
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Seems like Ikea has found a way to back into the $137 billion video game industry. Read more at Fast Company.
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Amari Pollard is the social media editor at The Week and has written for Reader's Digest, Parents, and Inside Lacrosse. She studied journalism at Le Moyne College and can usually be found exploring Brooklyn, thrift shopping, or spending way too much money on brunch.
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