back to article Brit firm levitates floating chair

It may not be the flying car we've been waiting for since the mid 1950s, but Brit firm Hoverit has come up with what may prove to be the next best thing: a Newton-snubbing maglev lounger. The Hoverit floating chair The company's Steve Wild explains: "The Hoverit Lounger is British designed and built. It is precision …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Chris Morrison
    Unhappy

    Guide Bars

    "hovers through the use of powerful magnets, floating up and down on two guide bars to give the feeling of lying in mid-air."

    I'd have one if it wasn't for the guide bars. Just makes it look like it's them that supports its weight.

  2. Matthew Smith

    Please put your cars keys and spare change in the tray, sir

    Just make sure you empty your pockets before you sit down, else you won't be getting up again easily.

  3. GottaBeKidding
    Boffin

    Acrylic? You're kidding, right?

    That's a nasty abuse of the phrase 'engineered'. Acrylic is strong (ish) in compression. It does not cope well with "pinch" type loadings.

    This chair may work well enough for a specific user, due to the magnets being specified with various strengths at the four different supporting points. However, with a different user (due to differing center of gravity), the "sliding" column will probably not in fact slide due to off-axis loading. This may cause the column to be the only thing supporting the user.

    Also, getting on and off will not be a fun exercise.

    To me, it looks like it's been designed by the sales team :(

  4. Simon Round
    Paris Hilton

    Yes Please!

    Cool. I'll have one. No. Better make that two.

    There you go nice mister salesman, one shiny new credit card.....

    What do you mean 'It doesn't work'? But it hasn't been near any powerfull magnets......

    ...... Oh Bugger!

    Paris, because she can float up and down on my guide bar any time she likes.

  5. Tim
    Unhappy

    Bah! It doesn't go anywhere.

    I'd much rather spend the money on a lazy boy with all the multi-media attachments. Why don't the compine this lounger with the technology in a seg way and have it floating around like those robots in "The black hole"?

  6. Eden

    Just don't forget

    To remove all electronic devices, credit cards and loose change from your pockets before you lean back!

  7. Jon Green
    Coat

    Just don't use your laptop at the same time...

    ...unless it's got an SSD instead of a whirry thing!

  8. paulc
    Thumb Down

    credit cards???

    It'll wipe them... also don't get on if you use a pacemaker

    what idiot thought massive magnets were a good idea???

  9. Phantom Wibbler

    Really!

    Not so much like lying in mid-air, but lying on a bed of acrylic. I guess comfort comes as an optional extra!

    Still kinda cool though!

  10. Gianni Straniero
    Stop

    Pffft!

    "The sensation that you feel as you lay back and close your eyes is totally different, like floating on a cloud."

    Or, more accurately, like sitting on a plastic chair that's floating on a cloud.

    "Permanent magnets can also help back, muscular problems and headaches, so our furniture not only looks good - it may make you feel good too."

    But kiss goodbye to your wristwatch, and probably your TV & loudspeakers while you're at it.

  11. Ash
    Thumb Down

    I have a bed which does a similar thing...

    ... with springs.

    !Innovative.

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Want One

    Dunno why. Just want one.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Doesn't look too comfortable

    For 5.8k I'd expect some cushions.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    All that money...

    ...and they couldn't get someone to design it ergonomically, so left it as a slab of flat plastic, bargain, I'll take 10.

  15. Dan Silver badge
    Joke

    Microsoft have done this already and levitates faster and in more directions

    That is all.

  16. Timbo
    Coat

    Powered by electricity no doubt?

    ...and let's just hope the firm has enough legal cover for when owners get injured (when the "chair" falls) due to electricity brown outs....

    And I wonder what the 'leccy bill will be for it? Powerful magnets usually require powerful power supplies to generate the magnetism.

    Unless of course, we're talking about massive Neodymium-Iron-Boron permanent magnets...in which case, I assume that the chair will only support up to a maximum weight limit......so no point selling this in the US, coz they are all, apparently, "obese" over there...! So that's one export market they can't sell to....

    Mind you.....we Brits love these wacky ideas......only to find that someone in some other country figures out how to make it work at a sensible price...

  17. BossHog
    Thumb Up

    Magnetic stripes...

    Oh no - my ID card was in my pocket... :)

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    i know what the next new hype will be

    Forget memory foam and water beds, hover beds will be the new rage soon! Bet Paris would like to test the bounceyness :P

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Eek

    It looks not only spectacularly uncomfortable, but actually like some sort of modernist nightmare torture restraint throne originally designed for Mr Bond to occupy one time only within one of Blofeld's hollow-mountain lairs.

  20. Ted Treen
    Gates Horns

    Pressie Time

    I want to send one to Mr Ballmer. Methinks 'twould drive him potty...

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Credit Cards

    And don't forget to take all magnetic swipe cards out of your pockets.

    Plus it might be a bad idea to use a laptop while in the chair.

  22. Chris
    Coat

    It's translucent to me.......

    that you probably don't want to wear a skirt while on this thing.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Oh, dear!

    "Permanent magnets can also help back, muscular problems and headaches, so our furniture not only looks good - it may make you feel good too."

    Do they, then? It's odd how EM kills you when it's emitted by a cell phone, but magnetic fields cure you when emitted by a bullsh*tting new-age salesman.

  24. Mike Crawshaw
    Go

    Can I....

    power it with a knee generator phone charger pacemaker thingy that's just been invented too?

    ( http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/02/08/knee_generator_phone_charger_pacemaker_thingy/ )

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Maglev Chair

    Doesn't this just make it easier for Ballmer?

  26. Sam

    Economy version

    Buy a fucking hammock.

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    More details to hand -

    Lead designer, Magneto (alleged "master of magnetism"), denies all claims of being inspired by furniture present during his recent Incarceration.

  28. Alan Doherty
    Thumb Down

    @Timbo @Mike Crawshaw :Powered by electricity no doubt?

    guys? its maglev, strong magnets!! {permanent unpowered}

    not electromagnets {temporary requiring power}

    so many willing to comment without any knowledge

    {yes mike i know yers was more of a joke about the other article}

    on the other hand silly to spend so much effort /money and not make it look comfortable

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Rails

    Put it on a suitable track and we could all have our own maglev monorails.

  30. Graham Dawson Silver badge
    Paris Hilton

    A pedantic tit speaks (and if you don't get it, tough, um, noodles)

    "And I wonder what the 'leccy bill will be for it? Powerful magnets usually require powerful power supplies to generate the magnetism."

    A few people mentioned electricity bills and apparently haven't read the definition of "permanent magnet".

    Paris, cos if I sit in front of her you might start thinking of Total Recall.

  31. Miami Mike

    No problem, what's all the fuss?

    No problem, no danger, this absolutely won't work anyway - but you better have some cushions and a seatbelt. Didn't you see the little plaque on it which clearly says "Design by Steorn, Electricals by Lucas"?

  32. johnB

    Mekon

    Didn't Dan Dare's nemesis, the Mekon, have something like this ?

  33. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    Ouch

    So what happens when a guide rail fails and the bed rotates 180 with you on it?

    Ouch!

  34. Matthew Smith

    Office Railgun

    Much mirth can be had by sneaking up on a colleague and kicking the lever which adjusts the height of their bog standard office chair. Well, what happens if you were to kick away one of the guide bars on this thing? Would the resultant projectile penetrate the wall?

  35. tfewster

    "..to give the feeling of lying in mid-air."

    No, it'll give the feeling of lying on a plastic slab that is supported by something with a bit of "spring" in it - In this case magnetic repulsion rather than a quaint old spring.

    Uncomfortable & impractical, but I still wants one - maybe for the poolside?

  36. Josh
    Coat

    Poor aesthetic design

    At first glance (or if you squint your eyes), this thing looked like one of the tools at the Gynos office.

  37. Bob Howard

    A Gibson-esque future echo?

    Oddly similar to the mag-lev bed in Gibsons `Spook Country`...

  38. Anonymous Coward
    Heart

    Cool Chair

    I want one! I saw this chair on Richard & Judy Wednesday and Richard was bouncing on it, and surfing on it. IT Was Cool!

    The guide bars are aparently to stablize movement, without them, we would fly (cool too eh?)

    If you were watching the BBC the other night, the presenter said that it was comfy - while sipping a cocktail! My ideal heaven.

    Heavy weight - not a problem as this baby is customized.

    If we all had Paris's dosh, we could have it ergonomically designed perhaps with a pooch pouch for FeeFee as well, and in Pink!

    SWEET.

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Nice

    Send it

    ATT: IT Department

    Discription: New server comfort chair.

    I am sure they will love it.

    I bet we read a story like this some time.

  40. Brian Hall

    Double the fun.

    Sounds like a fun ShareChair!

  41. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Been there

    Its a novel idea but not really a new one, at least two high end audio companies have been making mag-lev turntable stands for years now, with similarly astronomical pricetags. You can, of course achieve the same effect for your turntable or rump by lying a chunk of particle board over some tennis balls, without the risk of giant, ultra powerful permanent magnets flying loose and crushing your skull.

  42. Beelzeebub
    Thumb Down

    Static MagLev?

    What's the point?

    As Sam said, our furniture designers have been doing this for centuries ( supporting our weight above the ground).

    Actually, sitting on this would be just like sitting on the ground.

    Obviously only for those with more money than sense.

  43. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Pr0n Industry

    I can see the adult industry buying these up.

    Paris: Because she is a star herself.

  44. Waldo
    Heart

    Cadbury's LIGHT

    Humpff

    According to T.V. all I need is a LIGHT hot chocolate drink and seat belt to levitate...

    £5875 per chair vs 48p (OTA) a sachet......

This topic is closed for new posts.