In the office of the future, the tech-savvy scenes common in science fiction movies will become a reality, and holographic receptionists, biometric refrigerators and tea delivery drones will become the new normal.

【World Tide of Science and Technology Innovation】

◎ Zhang Jiaxin, reporter of this newspaper

The way people work has changed a lot in recent years.

The pandemic has seen remote and hybrid work take on the rise, with some employees now able to work directly remotely and participate in virtual meetings. The United Kingdom, New Zealand, Iceland and other countries have piloted the "four-day work system". Modern businesses across the globe are working to provide employees with better working holidays, programs, and benefits.

With these changes taking place and rapidly evolving technology into people's daily lives, will the workplace of the future also change? What will it become?

The Science Times recently published an article introducing the new outlook for the office in 2050. In the office of the future, the tech-savvy scenes common in science fiction movies will become a reality, and holographic receptionists, biometric refrigerators and tea delivery drones will become the new normal.

Flexible and intelligent environment

When the current office is built, it is expensive to remodel. But the office space of the future will be easily reconfigured to accommodate different types of work. This relies on movable modular walls.

Modular walls mean that if employees want to have an intimate meeting, meditation or nap, they can easily move the wall to create breakout rooms or break rooms. Employees can also use it to recustomize meeting rooms or large floor space for specific projects, greatly improving the adaptability of the office.

Nanotechnology is expected to have a significant impact in the near future, and offices will also benefit. Nanocoatings can be used to create wall screens that can play videos, display calendars, and employees can interact with these "nanowalls" without leaving any permanent marks on office walls.

For office environments, IoT can come in handy, and it will be used to detect the environment, such as collecting data on air quality, temperature, and lighting levels. AI analyzes the data and makes real-time adjustments to ensure that workplace comfort is always optimized for employee productivity.

Cool sci-fi app

Offices are also where virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies come in.

For example, VR will be used to create immersive vocational training experiences that allow new employees to test their abilities in real-world scenarios. VR can also be used for meditation, creating a relaxing environment for employees to temporarily "disconnect" from reality and relax in the virtual world.

In addition, VR meetings will enable teams around the world to collaborate in a virtual office environment without having to be physically present. Employees attending meetings virtually can be displayed in the form of holograms, allowing them to interact with colleagues sitting in the office as if they were in the same space. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook's parent company Meta, was urging employees to use VR headsets for virtual meetings last October. In the future, virtual meetings will be more widely used.

The most classic picture of holographic projection is in "Iron Man" in which Stark clicks "air" to manipulate the screen. In the future, this technological experience may become the new normal in the office. With AR glasses, people can see the touchable screen that appears in the air and operate it.

In addition, the office will have a holographic receptionist who can speak in any language of choice and answer questions about work arrangements. According to the British "Daily Mail", in fact, as early as 2013, holographic receptionists who replaced front desk employees appeared in the town hall in Brund, London, England.

Relaxing and comfortable experience

Do you worry about food left in your office fridge being picked up by co-workers? With the introduction of biometric rotary refrigerators in the office of the future, this will soon be a thing of the past. The handle of the refrigerator will recognize the handprint and rotate the food belonging to you to the front.

In the office of the future, employees may only need to order a meal at the touch of a finger, and a drone will deliver takeaway. In the office, there will also be drones to deliver tea to employees.

Due to overwork and fast-paced life, many "migrant workers" are suffering from sleep deprivation. In the future, employees may have modular beds that can be reclining in the office to sit and lie down.

Furniture design can draw inspiration from this approach to biophilic design, a new concept that incorporates natural elements into the man-made built environment, for example, by designing a chair to mimic the shape and texture of natural objects such as tree trunks or rocks. In the workplace of the future, such "biophilic" furniture will appear. Employees can also see coffee tables with built-in displays or chairs designed with biofeedback technology for maximum comfort in the office of the future.

In addition, along with the pursuit of health and well-being, companies will also offer biofeedback wristbands to their employees. These bracelets will monitor employee health and performance, providing real-time feedback and recommendations to improve employee happiness and productivity.