Title
Self-actuated Stretchable Partitions for Dynamically Creating Secure Workplaces
Abstract
BSTRACT The configuration of office environments is related to worker satisfaction and can improve work efficiency. Although open offices promote communication among co-workers, privacy issues surface as well as increased risks from such health concerns as viral infections and pandemics. On the other hand, territorial offices protect worker privacy and reduce infection risks. Unfortunately, such arrangements often hinder communication among co-workers. Although a physical office must satisfy different needs under various scenarios with limited space, the lack of flexibility in furniture designs prevents dynamic space management. In this paper, we propose a self-actuated stretchable partition whose physical height, width, and position can dynamically change to create secure workplaces (e.g., against privacy and infectious risks) without inhibiting group collaboration. To support secure workplace layouts and space reconfigurations, the partitions’ height, length, and position are adapted automatically and dynamically. First, we consider the design space of a self-actuated stretchable partition and implement a proof-of concept prototype with a height-adjustable stand, a roll-up screen, and a mobile robot. We then show some example application scenarios to discuss potential future actuated-territorial offices.
Year
DOI
Venue
2021
10.1145/3411763.3451607
Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Keywords
DocType
Citations 
Shape-changing Interface, Spatial Configuration, Territorial Office, Privacy, Virus infection, Social distancing
Conference
0
PageRank 
References 
Authors
0.34
0
4
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Yuki Onishi101.69
Kazuki Takashima218029.89
Kazuyuki Fujita33416.15
Yoshifumi Kitamura41040117.66