Research has proven that efficiency and productivity increases when you’re working at a standing desk and therefore, we have witnessed them being incorporated in the Silicon Valley where they impart health advantages to get the best out of their employees. However, owing to the high price that accompanies them, they have failed to catch on as of yet. IKEA plans to change that by introducing a desk that can convert from the conventional shape to a standing desk shape by simply pressing a button.
The gadget is known as Bekant and makes use of built-in motors to undergo transformation when required. The desk is also capable of being programmed to mimic slight movements such as moving up and down gently, akin to the speed of the human heartbeat when it is resting. This translates into a gentle breath that basically reminds the user to change position. In order to shift between the standing and seated position, the user only has to double-tap on the designated button.
JP Labrosse, founder and CEO of Stir, the company behind Stir Kinect, said, “Harvard Business Review called sitting ‘the smoking of our generation. It’s also been shown that switching between sitting and standing can generate an extra fifty minutes of productivity each day.”
He went on to generously welcome the Ikea launch and said, “IKEA’s height adjustable desk is great for opening up the lower end of the market, but the real issue with push button desks like this is engagement. 70% of people who have push-button height adjustable desks never move them out of the sitting position. An analogy is how most home exercise equipment ends up collecting dust in the garage. Based on our data, using a Stir Kinetic Desk, with its technology that motivates you to move throughout your day, triples the engagement over push button desks like the IKEA — and that pays for itself many times over with proven benefits to productivity, fitness and health.”
The Bekant costs only $500 and IKEA hopes that it will soon become a common sight.
