The lift chair industry as we know it today did not exist until the 1990s. Prior to the manufacture of modern lift recliners, which operate smoothly and utilize constant-pressure technology to ensure that the user has maximum control over the motion of the chair, liftchairs were manufactured by simply adding spring lift mechanisms to basic recliner models. When the spring release lever was pulled, the chair would immediately shoot up from its locked, seated configuration to an upright position.
This manufacturing standard for lift chairs in the 1980s had two effects. The first, and less noticeable, problem with lift chairs that used spring lift systems was that the recliners didn’t last very long. The chairs used to craft these early lift recliners were intended for stationary use, and the chairs’ frames weren’t strong enough to withstand being jolted into an upright position time and time again. Eventually, users noticed that the force of the spring mechanism actually caused the recliners to break.
The second effect was more obvious and problematic. Spring mechanism lift chairs could cause serious injury to users. The sudden force of motion created by these spring mechanisms was strong enough to catapult smaller individuals out of the chair, and since those individuals usually had mobility difficulties that led them to using a liftchair in the first place, they could all too easily lose their balance from the sudden motion; what should have been a mobility aid instead became a fall hazard. Larger individuals fared no better; since most liftchair users have neuromuscular problems or severe arthritis, the violent motion caused by the spring lift could actually contribute to the worsening of those conditions, putting tension on already-weakened bones, muscles, and joints.
12 Mar 2011
Tags: Chair, Lift Chair
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Looking around my own home I realized that there were some improvements that needed to happen. What to do with the dining and living room area was obvious. Both needed a new focal point. Decorative wall clocks were the answer to break the monotony of pictures with frames that all looked alike. So how to choose the right ones for these two rooms? What size should they be? What color – if any? and what style to give these rooms some pizazz?
Wall clocks come in multiple sizes these days. Large wall clocks can be overbearing in a small room. So how to decide on which decorative clocks to enhance these two rooms? My living room is long, but not too narrow so it could accommodate large wall clocks with no problem. The dining area is much smaller, so now I know I want a medium to small clock. Size and shape of the room really dictates the size of the clock that will accent the room best.
Next up is color. Well the large sunburst mirror in the living room would look great with a large decorative clock in its reflection, perhaps in the same color, thereby complimenting my decor. The dining area is a more formal area with more classic furniture. So my thoughts went to looking for an antique clock in a medium to smaller size. Matching the mahogany dining room table would be a great compliment for an antique clock, or better yet perhaps choosing a clock with a red or black hue to offset the mahogany. Either one would be a valuable asset to my decor.
22 Feb 2011
Tags: Clock, Time, Wall Clock
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The long awaited Apple tablet has finally been revealed. Steve Jobs pulled the wraps off on January 27th in a tense morning for Apple and tech fans all over the world. Now with the specifications and information out there it’s time to preview the iPad and its potential.
First of all the design is pretty spectacular. The front is dominated by the large 9.7″ LCD Led lit display that without a doubt will look great. Just below the screen you get the iPhone home button that allows you to go back to the beginning at all times. One less pretty feature for me are the black borders around the screen. They are a bit too wide for my taste, it would’ve been better if Apple was able to stretch the display a little and remove the borders. On the top you get the sleep button that will deactivate the display. On the right side you get the volume buttons and the silence switch, interesting is that the buttons have been moved from left (iPhone) to the right. On the back you get the large black Apple logo in the middle of a big gray (aluminum?) mass. It also says iPad on the back, the number of GBs and a few FCC things that are required to be there I think. It’s not impossible to assume that the new iPhone will feature a similar back. The tablet is really thin, in fact it’s just 0.5 inch thick, that’s as thick as an iPhone. Height and width measures come in at: 9.6 inches and 7.47 inch.
Now lets talk about the software of the iPad. It works very similar to an iPhone. Slide to unlock and you’re in the main screen with the typical iPhone icons. You get: YouTube, mail, Safari, contacts, iPod, iTunes, app store, video, settings, maps (by Google!), calendar, photos and last but not least notes.
The apps have been modified a bit for the new capabilities though. For example photos are now arranged by event blocks. Tapping on a block of photos will show you a preview of the photos in that event (or map for windows users). However you can also view your most treasured memories by list, location, faces or date. We can imagine that it will look really fantastic to manipulate the photographs on a huge touchscreen and to show it to your friends.
8 Feb 2011
Tags: Ipad, Ipad Apple
Posted in Gadget | No Comments »