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.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Seems like Ikea has found a way to back into the $137 billion video game industry. Read more at Fast Company.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
‘Are we just going to stand in passive witness to the degradation of our democracy?’
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Do Republicans have a health care plan?
Today's Big Question The shutdown hinges on the answer
-
The new age of book banning
The Explainer How America’s culture wars collided with parents and legislators who want to keep their kids away from ‘dangerous’ ideas
-
Gold tops $4K per ounce, signaling financial unease
Speed Read Investors are worried about President Donald Trump’s trade war
-
Electronic Arts to go private in record $55B deal
speed read The video game giant is behind ‘The Sims’ and ‘Madden NFL’
-
New York court tosses Trump's $500M fraud fine
Speed Read A divided appeals court threw out a hefty penalty against President Trump for fraudulently inflating his wealth
-
Trump said to seek government stake in Intel
Speed Read The president and Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan reportedly discussed the proposal at a recent meeting
-
US to take 15% cut of AI chip sales to China
Speed Read Nvidia and AMD will pay the Trump administration 15% of their revenue from selling artificial intelligence chips to China
-
NFL gets ESPN stake in deal with Disney
Speed Read The deal gives the NFL a 10% stake in Disney's ESPN sports empire and gives ESPN ownership of NFL Network
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance