Upholstery Tacks- any better options?  

I would
think that a second application of nails -- the first reupholstery, in other words -- would not be too much for the wood to bear. But if you insist:
Your special tack would need a point at both ends, to facilitate piercing the fabric while stretching it over the frame. And, it would need threads below the point, to screw on the head -- the only reliable means of applying the head to the tack. Such a tack -- pointed at both ends -- would be difficult to apply to the chair; I'd say you'd need a special nail-set with a conical recess at the "business end."
The strongest objection would come from persons familiar with upholstery technique, I'd think. That is, one wants to stretch the fabric tight and then drive the tack; with your special nail, the folded edge of fabric needs to be over-stretched a bit to get it to pass over the raised point, after which it would relax slightly when seated. This would make it difficult to get an even degree of tightness, from one tack to the next. Alternatively, a whole row of tacks would need to be surmounted at once. I don't know how this would be done, unless a special combed (toothed) stretching plier were used, co-ordinated to a predetermined spacing of nails.
I'm no enemy of new and improved techniques -- but the difficulties need to be accounted for. What have I missed ? Bravo for at least approaching the issue with fresh eyes !

Sorry for the delayed...
Sorry for the delayed response, I've been mentally toying around with this. Really appreciate your feedback (and kind words). Your right about the obstacles imposing setbacks. Manufacturing would be cost intensive for all the special touches required.
I guess the best way to remedy this problem is quite simple. Drill a small hole where the tack would be nailed, something like 2x the diameter of the tack. Insert a dowel, with space allowed for expansion once the tack nail has been hammered in. Some glue could be applied for additional hold. Once this has been done, the integrity of the wood frame remains intact. As I'm now discovering, my Risom chair is riddled with holes from staples & nails...each new hole weakens the respective area and prone to cracking/breaking. The dowel approach allows for infinite nailing, with only the "used" dowels requiring replacements.
Any perspectives on this?

Two comments and a possible alternative
1. Plugs, not dowels. Grain goes the wrong way in a dowel.
2. How's the upholsterer going to know exactly where to drive the tack? Seems to me that plugs only 2x the diameter of the tack would be hard to hit. Plus -- speaking from experience here; I spent a week doing it on a boat -- what a pain to drill and plug all those holes. And then you have to drill the plugs out whenever you reupholster? Forget it.
How about something like a carpet tack strip instead?

This thread confuses me.
First of all, the tacks shown are usually just decorative, added after the fabric has already been stapled or tacked to the frame with smaller, more discreet tacks.
As for the permanent tack-shaft idea: sounds like a crazy difficult upholstery job! Feeling around for that tiny shaft... deftly poking the fabric through... furiously screwing on the head, all while positioning the fabric with the proper tension. (Never mind spots where several layers of fabric need to gather!)
I do recognize the destruction wrought upon wood by the third or fourth upholstery go-round-- often too chewed to hold a fresh tack.
Alas, I think the only solution to the destructive forces of upholstery is no upholstery. Or, indestructible upholstery that never requires a re-do. Or, wood putty.