Our modern lifestyles feature a lot of sitting, and while standing desks can be healthier options, they have their own problems. The new Ergo Desk combines both and adds a third option: a reclining desk, to ease chronic back pain.
Sitting desks, or “desks” as they are more widely known, have been the default work surface for schools and offices for centuries. Standing desks have gained popularity recently, but they aren’t as new as you might think – the likes of Dickens and Hemingway used variations of them.
The problem is that people with chronic back pain can struggle to get comfortable and stay productive in either of those settings. That was what inspired accountant Mitch Kahn to develop the Ergo Desk.
Kahn hit upon the idea after suffering a herniated disk that led to chronic back pain. He found that the only position he felt comfortable in was leaning back, but that makes it hard to reach the keyboard and see the screen. So, he prototyped a desk that would meet those needs.
The solution sounds simple enough: the Ergo Desk can not only switch between regular sitting and standing modes, but can also raise the surface up to a 45-degree angle. There’s a little shelf at the bottom to hold your keyboard and mouse on the sloped surface, and an included mount keeps your monitor attached at the top. There is still a section on the side that doesn’t tilt, so you’ve got somewhere to put a drink or decorations on the desk.
Kahn wanted the Ergo Desk to meet other criteria too: it needed to be a practical size that can fit in a normal space in a home or office. Style is important, and of course it shouldn’t be crazily expensive either.
The surface of the desk is 48 x 30 in (122 x 76 cm), and the monitor mount can apparently hold up to 40 lb (18 kg), which would be enough for two 32-inch displays. It’s also compatible with other monitor stands, if you’ve got your own.
Kahn says that the Ergo Desk will be launched through Kickstarter in February, with pre-orders available for US$449 – 40% off the eventual retail price. They’ll be available in black, white and wood tone options, and other detachable add-ons will be in the mix too.
Source: Ergo Desk
