Gone are the days of the “stupid” desk that just sits there on the floor, holding your desktop or laptop while you peck away at the keyboard. That’s the Stone Age way of living compared to the new “smart” desk sold by Autonomous: The new SmartDesk 3. It can order your lunch, call an Uber, and will even rise to the occasion automatically if you need to stand up to work. No kidding.
At its core, the SmartDesk 3 is a motorized desk that can lift or lower the working surface if you’re in a standing or sitting position. It’s powered by two linear actuators and a dual-motor design that can raise the desktop from 24 inches to 50 inches in height. It can lift up to 300 pounds at 2.3 inches per second.
But the brains behind the SmartDesk 3 reside within an embedded touchscreen (tablet). It resides toward the left edge of the desktop. It’s tilted on the surface by 25 degrees so all you need to do is glance at the screen instead of angling your head.
The integrated tablet is powered by the company’s proprietary Autonomous OS platform, which was written in GO and Python. It supports Google Suite, and features a virtual assistant that will learn all your working habits within a week. By then, you will likely have built up a collection of shortcuts on the main screen such as making coffee, checking the weather, loading up a playlist, and so on.
That said, this assistant will begin making suggestions throughout the day. These include staying hydrated, and lifting the desk into the standing position to reduce hip fatigue. There does not appear to be a built-in microphone or speaker, so all interactions between machine and man will be through the 10-point touch input.
The artificial intelligence will also suggest times to eat. Autonomous OS supports Delivery.com, an online platform for ordering food, alcohol, groceries, and having your clothes dry-cleaned. This is a convenient way of getting lunch without having to leave the desk, but Delivery.com doesn’t support all areas.
Because the desk syncs with Google Calendar, it knows all appointments, birthdays, and more that are associated with that specific calendar. The AI even uses Google Calendar to schedule time for you to “recharge.”
The “smart” desk is compatible with Nest, Uber, Wemo, Spotify, Meet, and more. It can synchronize with your other devices through the associated apps on Android and iOS. Autonomous says your information is safe due to the use of 256-bit encryption, and the https protocol. An on-device marketplace will be provided soon to acquire additional apps.
The SmartDesk 3 can be purchased now for $549 and includes free shipping throughout North America.
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