Altwork Station is a Mighty Morphing Computer Desk [w/ Video]

Computers – whether you’re looking at their design or their capabilities – are constantly evolving yet the way we orient ourselves when using them hasn’t. We still sit behind a desk bolt-upright in a chair the same way our forebears sat down to operate typewriters, telegraph machines and what have you. Shouldn’t the way we interact with technology at home and in the workplace have advanced even a little by now? Well, there’s a Northern California startup called Altwork that certainly seems to think so.

Called the Altwork Station, this all-in-one desk and chair – which has been in development for five years – can be used as a normal place for parking your posterior if you wish. But it does far, far more than that. At the press of a button, the monitor and keyboard/mouse shelf rises up to put those peripherals at the perfect height for standing users. You can also swivel the monitor mount to let people sit or stand next to you to see what you’re working on without having to look over your shoulder or otherwise invade your personal space.

But the mode that really intrigues us is what Altwork calls “Focus Mode,” in which the whole assembly tilts backward, allowing you to work in a reclined position. The keyboard and other items are held in place via magnets, though we have to wonder how you’re supposed to move a mouse that’s being held on the desk magnetically. We’re also wondering how many Station users will nod-off after spending extended periods of time in such a relaxed position, though Altwork is quick to point out that multiple studies have shown that the more relaxed and comfortable a person is, the more productive that person tends to be. If you want to test that theory for yourself, it will cost you $3,900 if you order soon; if you wait until closer to the on-sale date sometime in the middle of next year, it’ll cost you $5,900. Definitely not cheap, but there’s a good chance your body will consider it money well spent.

Source: Altwork