Interface essay

Basically, a sofa is traditionally associated with a sedative lifestyle and the lack of activities since many people spend their time just sitting on the sofa and doing nothing. Naturally, such a leisure time is absolutely useless and, what is more, it can be potentially dangerous for human health because people can develop habits of a sedative lifestyle and it will difficult for them to change their lifestyle and start practicing sport or other useful activities. In such a context, it is important to analyze the potential of a sofa as a tool with the help of which people can change their lifestyle and change their view on a sofa in general. What is meant here is the fact that it is important to make the sofa work for human health and active lifestyle. Obviously, this is not an easy thing to do, but the development of modern technologies allows making a sofa a truly multifunctional device which can perform multiple tasks along with the conventional function of a sofa.

At the same time, the change of traditional functions of a sofa implies the necessity of the introduction of new devices and technologies that can be installed into a sofa. In fact, it is even possible to speak about certain revolution in the sofa manufacturing and potentially it can be very helpful and useful to people. On the other hand, it is important to understand that it is necessary to change the attitude of people to a new type of sofas because, if people are not willing to accept innovations, they will not buy and use new sofas no matter how useful they can be.

On analyzing the target customer group of a new sofa, it is important to primarily focus on people who are dissatisfied with their current physical shape and who want to change their lifestyle consistently, but are unable to do it because it needs too radical change in their everyday life. In such a situation, it is possible to offer a new, activities-oriented sofa to customers who spend a considerable amount of time while sitting or lying on their sofas and who are willing to give up the habit of spending their time in such a way. This is why it is important to focus on people who are concerned with their health but do not really know what they should start from. In fact, it is possible to use a new sofa as a kind of personal trainer for these people and offer them a special training program which can be controlled by the sofa or, at least, people should have an opportunity to get options of their training program or regular activities simply when they sit on their sofa. In such a way, they will be encouraged to start acting right now and what is more it is possible to make them spend less and less time on the sofa daily.

At this point, it should be said that the good will of an individual who owns a new sofa is an essential condition. Otherwise, if an individual is fully satisfied with his or her current lifestyle and is unwilling to change it, even the “smartest” sofa cannot change his or her behavior and lifestyle. At the same time, a new sofa should aim at customers at different age, from children to the elderly population since the problem of a sedative lifestyle and passivity is widely spread and people at all ages are vulnerable to this problem.

In order to make a sofa, a truly useful and effective device which can help people to lead an active lifestyle and focus on their health, it is necessary to install new devices and develop an effective and informative interface as well as systems of input and output of information, which is processed by a processor installed in the sofa. In this respect, it should be said that it is necessary to install sensor which measure the basic health indicators of an individual, including weight, pulse, blood pressure, etc. in addition, the sofa needs to have a software to be installed which allows to measure and analyze major health indicators and offer different options of training or physical activities which can improve the health of an individual or help him or her feel better. Obviously, to inform the user of his or her current physical shape it is necessary to install devices of output of information. For this purpose it is possible to install  loud-speakers and small monitor which can provide the user with all the information. At the same time, the information should not simply be delivered to the user, but it should stimulate him or her to start acting. For this purpose, it is possible to connect the sofa to other equipment such as TV set, DVD player, etc. which can be shut off by the sofa if the user does not stand up, if he or she gets the recommendation to start physical exercises at a definite time, which is scheduled by the sofa. In addition, it is possible to install the buzz which will bother the user and force him or her to leave the room and the house to do jogging, for instance.