Xiaomi has put a new desk accessory on sale in China for people who spend the day in an office chair. The Mijia Heated Posture Support Cushion (also listed as the Mijia Heated Seat Cushion) sits on the chair and adds lumbar heating and a sensor that tracks how long you’ve been sitting. It costs 186.65 yuan (about $26-28) at launch. The regular price is 249 yuan.
Mijia Heated Posture Support Cushion Price and availability
Before the launch, Xiaomi ran a crowdfunding campaign on Xiaomi Youpin from October 21 to October 28 at 179 yuan. The cushion is listed for China only so far.
Design and build
The frame is a one-piece nylon composite that passed 25,000 bending-cycle tests. The foam on top is high-resilience memory foam supporting the lower back, hips and legs, and it is reportedly tested to 50,000 compression cycles. The shape fills the gap between your lower spine and the backrest, so your weight spreads out and you stay upright. Two vent holes in the base keep heat from building up in the foam. With the electronics off, it is just a lumbar cushion.
Sitting timer and heating
An infrared sensor tracks how long you sit. It reminds you to stand up after 40 minutes and alerts you again at 90 and 120 minutes. Leaving the chair for more than two minutes resets the timer. (unverified)
The heating uses NTC temperature control, with three levels aimed at the lower back. It cuts out after 15 minutes. That is short for a full workday, but you can switch it back on manually.
Battery
The built-in 1,900mAh battery means no cable across the floor. (unverified) When it runs low, the cushion still works in wired mode while charging.
If you like this kind of product, Xiaomi also recently launched the Mijia Smart Waist Massager 2, which has dual-sided heating.
