June 8, 2018

Getting Active With Good Design

Close up of the LINAK DPG control panel. Photography courtesy of LINAK.

With the advent of the personal computer and the accompanying digital revolution, the majority of our days are spent sitting down. We’re finding all sorts of health-related consequences of this new sedentary lifestyle. Multiple studies have confirmed that prolonged sitting can negatively affect our posture, our weight, and even our brain activity.

Glowing screens and incessant alerts distract us, keeping us chained to our desks and forgetting to move—even if we have sit-stand desks. LINAK, a Danish manufacturer, decided to override this entrapment with the Red Dot Design award-winning DPG control panel. Designed to shape behavior with a nod to the user’s personal preference, the DPG control panel reminds workers to sit or stand with an unobtrusive light display and programmable mobile reminders. The device sits discretely underneath the desk and can be accessed by simply reaching under and tilting the panel up or down.

Example of the DPG’s ease of use. Photography courtesy of LINAK.

“We want to help people live a healthier, more active life, while improving ergonomics in the workplace,” says Michael Cook, director of the DESKLINE division at LINAK. “When designing this product, we wanted a simple, elegant, and intuitive interface that doesn’t interrupt a person’s workflow.”

People working in formal workplaces, co-working spaces, and residential offices can all benefit from a polite reminder to move. Designers working with clients interested in customization can point to the product’s ability to digitally feature a company’s name, logo, or even an employee’s name. The LINAK Desk Control app, where users program their personal sit-stand preferences, can also be utilized to interface with other equipment, helping users take their sit-stand preferences wherever they go. An extra perk for designers is the fact that this product has been used to support qualifying a project for a WELL Building certificate.

“We advocate a more active way of working, combining a responsible blend of sitting and standing,” says Cook. “We believe that we have created a product that motivates users of sit-to-stand desks to use them. Despite the fact that we make solutions to get people standing, it’s okay to sit, and it’s even better to move.”

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