Optimizing Foam Construction for Seat Comfort - An Investigation into how the Shaping and Layering of Foams with Different Hardness Affects Seat Comfort

Abstract

The gaming chair market has long been dominated by maximalist aesthetics and designs inspired by motorsport without prioritising comfort. This thesis, conducted in collaboration with Fractal Design, investigates how varying the cushion hardness across the seating area can be used to optimise seat cushion comfort for gaming chairs. Through a pre-study comprising of a literature review, patent research, competitor analysis, user studies, and expert interviews, a user needs list was established to guide the design process. Furthermore, the competitor analysis found that gaming chair aesthetics are highly flexible, allowing seat cushion geometry and material selection to be optimised for comfort without compromising market relevance. Two iterative design phases followed. In the first, 12 concepts were generated and evaluated using a Kesselring matrix and user tests on low-fidelity prototypes, leading to the selection and subsequent manufacturing of three higher-fidelity prototypes. In the second iteration, the two best performing concepts were combined into a final design, a two-part foam cushion with an engineered mating surface that effectively varies foam hardness across the seat interface. Three final prototypes with identical average densities, but different hardness ratios between their top and bottom halves, were manufactured using 3D-printed moulds and evaluated by 15 participants. The results demonstrate that a horizontally layered foam construction, with a softer upper layer and a harder lower layer, outperforms a homogeneous foam of equivalent average density in, terms of perceived comfort, by changing its pressure distribution properties. The concept with a 17% denser bottom layer ranked highest in comfort and was perceived as the softest, suggesting that engineered foam constructions can create a more comfortable seating experience, simultaneously providing a soft initial sensation and adequate structural support.