The unnatural requirement for most office-bound workers to sit for eight hours a day is not only an exercise in boredom but unhealthy to boot. Not being active enough throughout the day because reports need to be typed up and emails need to be replied to is harmful to one’s health in a myriad of ways, something that has prompted many inventors and small companies to remedy the situation.
From wearables to standing desk, every team has a solution. The GAZELAB team’s? Its Gaze Desk, a connected standing desk with a few tricks up its sleeve. For one, both of its sections — front and back — can be independently controlled so that the monitor and keyboard are at different heights, something that helps avoid awkward and sometimes painful positioning of the elbow and neck. This all happens automatically after inputting height and weight into the Gaze Desk’s companion app so that it calculates the optimal height for itself. In addition, the Gaze Desk can connect to other smart objects like coffee machines or Nest thermostats. This makes scenarios where a fresh brew is started when approaching the desk for a day’s work possible, for instance. Meanwhile, a smart foot mat encourages proper balance and weight distribution, ensuring the Gaze Desk has your back while sitting or standing. A single Gaze Desk in a variety of materials can be had for $699, while the kid’s version with a tilting desk for drawing is $859, both of which are slated to ship November 2016 should its Kickstarter campaign raise $100,000 by September 29th, 2016.
The Gaze Desk is practically a gadget in and of itself. With its automatic concern for a user’s posture and optimal positioning, it isn’t any easier to ensure a healthy workday even if stuck at a desk the entire time. The companion app’s achievement badges and social media functionality gives those who love being connected that extra push to keep up a positive sit-stand routine. While other standing desks are not as connected, those like the Refold and the Edge Desk tend to be more portable, something that might prove more attractive to some.