2023-05-07 09:04:42
Keep an eye on this Ikea Markus chair, it might just mean you harm. It is, in any case, that an engineer discovered.
Ah, the days when furniture was just furniture. Now office chairs have superpowers that can make your screen disappear. Do you doubt it? Just ask Felix Häcker (his name is already quite a story), a German engineer who discovered that his Ikea Markus chair was responsible for his PC monitor display issues.
At first, our dear engineer logically thought that the problem came from the cables or the connectors. But, no, Scandinavian furniture is smarter than that. After some research, Felix Häcker discovered that the issue was affecting other users, all of whom have the same seat. Apparently, a plastic cover becomes electrostatically charged, thus disturbing the screens.
The famous static electricity
Static electricity is related to the presence of an imbalance of electrical charges on the surface of an object. Atoms, which make up everything around us, are made up of protons (positively charged), electrons (negatively charged) and neutrons (neutral). Normally, objects are electrically neutral, because they have as many protons as electrons.
However, when there is friction between two objects, electrons can be transferred from one object to another. This creates a charge imbalance, and one of the objects becomes negatively charged (more electrons) while the other becomes positively charged (less electrons). Let’s take a common example: when we move on a carpet in socks or rubbing our feet, we create friction between our feet and the carpet. This friction can transfer electrons from our feet to the mat, or vice versa. This creates an imbalance of loads on our body.
Then, when we touch a metallic object, like a doorknob, the accumulated charges seek to rebalance. Electrons move rapidly from the body to the metal object (or vice versa) to restore electrical balance. This sudden movement of electrons is what we experience as a ” juice shot or electrostatic discharge.
Generally, the electrostatic discharges we feel in our daily lives, such as touching a doorknob following walking on a carpet, are low power. They produce a voltage of a few thousand to a few tens of thousands of volts (1,000 to 30,000 volts), but the current and duration of the discharge are very low (on the order of a few nanoamps to microamps and a few nanoseconds to microseconds ).
This is why these discharges are generally not dangerous for human beings. However, even if these electrostatic discharges are not harmful to us, they can cause damage to sensitive electronic components. This explains why we advise you to take protective measures when you handle the components of your fixed PC, for example.
Our recommendation: Before handling your computer, remember to eliminate the accumulated static electricity by touching a device or a conductive object, such as a radiator or a metal water pipe. Although it may be slightly unpleasant, it will ensure that you do not cause any damage to the electronic components of your PC.
« Welcome to 2023 – your Ikea Markus is not compatible with your monitor »
You would think that Ikea would mention this little detail in their description of the Markus chair. Alas, even looking carefully, no indication appears on their site. Häcker sarcastically summed up the situation: Welcome to 2023 – your Ikea Markus is not compatible with your monitor ».
The solution to solve this problem? Either ground the chair or replace it. At 190 euros, it’s a bit expensive for a chair that plays the electronic spoilsport.
To follow us, we invite you to download our Android and iOS app. You can read our articles, files, and watch our latest YouTube videos.
1683460662
#careful #Ikea #chair #disrupt
