Remaining stagnant is horrible for your health
If you work at a desk, chances are you have heard about the dangers of sitting for extended periods of time. These dangers include an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and early death; even in people who get regular exercise. One solution for those of us habitually stationed at our desks: the standing desk, or a combination sit/stand desk. This allows you to get the blood flowing, without leaving your area.
Until now, most desks, were just that, a desk: four legs and a stable work surface; but not anymore. Autonomous (formerly Robotbase) has created a smart sit/stand desk and it is getting quite a bit of attention on Kickstarter, already raising three times their targeted goal. The Autonomous Desk, is like most adjustable standing desks, but it has a “memory pad” to help remember which height you prefer for sitting and standing, and then automatically adjusts itself accordingly. The smart desk goes one step further with its integrated voice-activated virtual assistant. That’s right, you can use simple voice commands to control your desk.
Your desk can order lunch or read your texts aloud. Seriously
This desk can schedule meetings, read message, connect your voice calls, order lunch, and call a cab, all you have to do is ask. According to the company, third-party developers will be able to build apps for te desk using an Android-based SDK (software development kit) and make them available to other users via the Desk App Store. The desk has already made arrangements with Nest, Philips Hue, Lockitron, Wolfram Alpha, and Yelp. The desk also includes USB charging ports, wireless charger, HD speaker, and hangers for bags and keys.
Video demo of the Autonomous Desk
I have a feeling this could be a glimpse into the future of what an office environment could be: smart devices that allows you to voice-control everything from the temperature of the room, to the time you clock out. On one hand, this can be a great boost to productivity; on the other hand, sometimes all you want is a quiet space, with no interruptions from your devices.
With any luck, these devices will come with a “sleep” or “do not disturb” function, so you can continue working without being alerted, buzzed, or distracted to do something else. The smart desk is definitely a step in the right direction for getting workers away from their chairs, but there are several apps on the market that perform similar tasks, like Move. If the smart desk is within your budget, however, I do not think you’ll be disappointed.
#AutonomousDesk
