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DRM Chair Self-Destructs After 8 Uses

unts writes "Taking DRM further than it's gone before, a group of designers have built a DRM'd chair that will melt its own joints and destroy itself after 8 uses. The chair uses an Arduino and sensors to monitor the number of uses, then triggers the melting of a set of joints that hold it together, making the product unusable without some carpentry skills. The video of device at work is both amusing and a little disconcerting."

11 of 215 comments (clear)

  1. This might be... by fyngyrz · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...excellent for congress.

    --
    I've fallen off your lawn, and I can't get up.
    1. Re:This might be... by splutty · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I think in congress you might want to melt the occupants after 8 uses, not the chair.

      --
      Coz eternity my friend, is a long *ing time.
    2. Re:This might be... by confused+one · · Score: 5, Funny

      They'd have to be in attendance for this to be of any use.

    3. Re:This might be... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's longer than chairs last at Microsoft

  2. Sounds familiar. by splutty · · Score: 5, Funny

    At least we can be sure that Ikea isn't interested, since their chair already do that by default.

    (And I had a good laugh about the article :)

    --
    Coz eternity my friend, is a long *ing time.
    1. Re:Sounds familiar. by NewWorldDan · · Score: 5, Funny

      Great. Now buying a pair of wire cutters at the hardware store will be a violation of the DMCA (if it wasn't already).

  3. Re:Nothing new... by Kinwolf · · Score: 5, Funny

    If they've been around for years, then their system obviously failed ;)

  4. Re:!DRM by drinkypoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This is called Planned Obsolescence

    No, this is Programmed obsolescence. Planned obsolescence depends on statistics. This is much more reliable, and should really help with the spreadsheets.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  5. Re:That's not DRM by BorgDrone · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This could be applied to anything. Imagine if the whole world worked like the content mafia does and people don't get paid for the work they do but every time the result of that work is used.

    You don't pay the plumber for the hours he worked, you pay a little for every time you sit on the toilet, every time you flush, etc. You don't pay the guy who tiled your kitchen, instead there's a micro transaction for every tile you step on. Couch in the living room ? Few cents every time you sit down.

    And if your grandfather used to be a plumber, you'll get paid for his work until 90 years after his death.

    Brilliant!

  6. Re:That's not DRM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "you pay a little for every time you sit on the toilet"

    shitcoin?

  7. Re:How's this DRM? by TheRaven64 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    And it's a good metaphor for DRM. It costs more to make, because this chair has a microprocessor. That cost gets passed on to the consumer, yet makes the product less valuable to them.

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