Herman Miller
Embody
Designed by Bill Stumpf and Jeff Weber
So intelligent, sitting in it actually helps you think
Every part of the chair was designed to serve a very specific, healthful purpose.
Could We Build a Health-Positive Chair?
Bill Stumpf, who also designed our Aeron work chair and worked for Herman Miller for more than three decades, first brought the idea up. Could such a chair be designed and made? Early in the process, the idea was shared among experts to test three hypotheses: Work chairs can be health-positive or therapeutic, not merely health-neutral. Dynamic surface pressure on a chair and back will provide more comfort, liveliness, and health-positive benefits than non-dynamic surface pressure. Work chairs can let us achieve postural equilibrium (the upright balance point when our eyes are vertically aligned with our hips) naturally, no matter our spinal curvature.
Creating a Healthy Connection
Prototypes followed, with experts sitting in them and offering appraisals of what was good and what wasn’t. Researchers conducted laboratory experiments involving kinematics, preferred postures, pressure distribution, seated tasks, and metabolics. These guided the development of Embody and confirmed the benefits it offers.
Testing and Research
Expert input on these hypotheses fueled Weber and Stumpf’s early thinking about the chair and formed the basis of experiments designed to establish whether such a chair was possible. When Stumpf passed away in 2006, Weber continued with the project, becoming Embody’s sole designer. It was Weber who gave the chair its function and form, building on his former partner Bill Stumpf ’s inspiration.
A New Benchmark
More than 20 physicians and PhDs in the fields of biomechanics, vision, physical therapy, and ergonomics contributed their expertise to help guide the development of this chair. As a result, Embody has set a new benchmark for pressure distribution, natural alignment, and support for healthy movement in ergonomic seating.
Pixelated SupportTM
You feel Embody’s Pixelated SupportTM the moment you sit down—a sense that you are floating, yet perfectly balanced. Thanks to a dynamic matrix of pixels, Embody’s seat and back surfaces automatically conform to your body’s micro-movements, distributing your weight evenly as you sit. This reduces pressure and encourages movement, both of which are key to maintaining healthy circulation and focus.
Backfit Adjustment
Embody’s back is designed like a human’s, with a central spine and flexible ribs. The Backfit adjustment allows you to position the backrest in line with your spine’s natural curve, so you achieve a neutral, balanced posture. Once the chair is tuned to fit you, the backrest adapts to your movement, adjusting automatically to your shifting positions. Whether you lean forward or recline, support remains constant.
Layers of Intelligence
The Embody seat is comprised of four different support layers—each with its own set of material properties, and each created with a different manufacturing process, all working together, orienting themselves to your shape with a degree of fidelity so high they even accommodate pockets. These layers were designed for airflow, keeping you cool and comfortable as you sit.
