Using Eye Tracking to Identify Comfort Attributes in Office Chairs

The study analyzed the perception of comfort and discomfort in office chairs, key factors in the purchase decision. Traditionally assessed by subjective tests, this study incorporates objective measurements with eye tracking to identify attributes associated with comfort. Fifty office workers with a minimum of 6 months’ experience in such environments evaluated five different chairs; half responded about comfort and the other about discomfort. The data collected for the two treatments included the number of fixations, number of revisits, total dwell time, and gaze order, using specific areas of interest (AOIs), applying non-parametric statistical tests (Kruskal-Wallis test). The results allowed the identification of key areas in the perception of comfort, with the lower backrest standing out as a determining factor in this case study.