Offices of the future will forgo open cubicles for ‘sentient’ pods that adjust the indoor environment the moment you step inside and close the door.
I ventured outside my home office to try out what is deemed ‘the work from home killer,’ finding the structure was packed with the lasted tech, including software used in self-driving cars.
Sitting down in the 4G-connected Smart Pod, ventilation automatically started up, flushing air through the pod every minute, and lights instantly adjusted based on the surrounding illumination.
While the pods feature glass sidings to provide a window to the outside world, the inside was incredibly quiet – you could hear a pin drop.
Framery, the mastermind behind the plan to get employees back into office, offers several options for staff – from a pod with a single desk to a table that seats four and a larger meeting room for around six employees.
I ventured outside my home office to test what is deemed ‘the work from home killer,’ finding the structure was packed with the lasted tech, including software used in self-driving cars
Framery’s hi-tech office pods are billed as ‘the ultimate privacy pod’ (Framery)
More than four million Americans are still working from home at least half of the time years after the pandemic was declared over.
Some companies see remote working as a cost saver – not having to spend money on an office space – but others have grown tired of Zoom meetings and Slack messages.
Angela Ferguson, founder of workplace strategy and design company Futurespace, told NCA NewsWire more leaders could be expecting a full-time return to the office this year.
But she said it would be important to motivate, not mandate it with creative in-office incentives and renovations – such as pods built by Framery.
Samu Hällfors, CEO and Founder of Framer, said ‘The function of an office is no longer simply about providing a place to work.
‘With Smart Pods, we’re helping outdated offices and workspaces adapt to the needs of the people inside them as opposed to it being the other way around.
‘Smart Pods’ adaptive and intuitive tech ensures people have enough space and convenience to focus and collaborate without compromising on anything.’
I opted to test Framery’s Contact, a pod that offers a life-size teleconferencing screen with a visually and acoustically isolated interior.
And it felt like I was sitting in the room with someone – when I sat down in the pod, and the other person said, ‘Hello,’ I nearly jumped out of my skin.
Framery’s hi-tech office pods are billed as ‘the ultimate privacy pod’ (Framery)
The pods are equipped with radar sensors and 4G connections (Framery)
The hi-tech pods ensure no one can ‘listen in’ outside (Framery)
The pod also boasted a high-performance cardioid microphone, which is specifically designed to capture sound in front of it and block out anything behind.
The new Smart Pods include Wi-Fi connection, radar sensors that watch for new visitors and a patented acoustic structure designed to block human speech from outside.
Rob adjusts settings inside a pod (Rob Waugh)
Also inside the closures is Framery’s Office Sound Masking System Embedded, which blasted ‘pink noise’ (like white noise, but at a lower frequency) into the area around the pod, so no one could overhear what I was saying in my meeting.
There are light switches placed throughout the interior – one overhead natural light and another at brow height – that are designed to make faces clear and glowing on video calls.
And you can either use your own laptop, or the pods can be fitted out with screens and speaker systems.
As soon as I sat down I could feel the environment becoming a pleasant cool temperature due to that air conditioning automatically adjusting itself based on the heat my own body was giving off.
But I was overjoyed to learn I wasn’t breathing in air from the previous occupant thanks to a feature that flushes out inside air every 60 seconds.
Sit down in one, and the pod itself brings up an automatic reservation screen – but you can also pre-book directly from Microsoft and Google calendars.
The pods are equipped with radar sensors and 4G connections (Framery)
The pods are equipped with radar sensors and 4G connections (Framery)
Offices that use the pods can use Framery’s Connect app to see which pods are being used most and move or remove pods automatically.
Office pods have boomed since the pandemic, and Framery was the first to make them – can the ‘privacy pods’ persuade young people to swap their pyjamas for a daily commute?
For me, the fact you can say things inside them without worrying whether people outside can hear makes them an instant ‘sell’ – although, like most office pods, they come with an eye-watering price tag of $4,000 per pod…
The cheapest option is $6,000 for the ROOM Phone Booth, which has room for standing and a small table connected for the wall.
This version is for making private phone calls in a busy office.
The most expensive version is the Focus Room for $19,000, which fits one employee – but is the same size as a traditional cubicle.
