This desk changes with your mood. A new project from MIT Media Lab, Mediated Atmosphere, seeks to improve productivity and happiness at work through design, technology, and psychology. The desk reads over 30 biological signals like heart rate and body temperature to change lighting, images, and sound so hours spent at work are more pleasant.

Researchers at MIT Media Lab have designed a desk that adapts to the mood of the user by adjusting lighting, changing images on a screen (attached to the front of the desk) and playing different sound through a set of speakers. The project, called “Mediated Atmosphere,” is based on psychological studies about the way space impacts productivity.

Researcher Nan Zhao said the desk is a combination of technology, psychology, and design. The prototype collects over 30 biological signals including heart-rate, facial-expressions, and posture. The workspace adapts to what the sensors indicate, like showing a video of running wanter if the user is stressed.

But the researchers will need to do a lot more testing to get it working at its full potential. Eventually, they hope to customize the desk to the workflow of a specific user.

Zhao also thinks the desk can work in open plan offices without interference, but they have yet to test it in a real-life environment.

via qz.com