When you work in an office, you do invariably stand up to get more coffee, lunch, meet a co-worker you like by the water cooler and it all gives you a break from the constant sitting. Similarly, there are also jobs that require people to be standing for a long period of time and most of them are in the service industry. We all need to take a break from being in one single posture all day long. To make things easier and healthier for those spending all day on their feet, Designer Ming Shiu Lee created Standly Bao – an assistive device for workers that keeps them in a healthy standing posture and mental state while still having mobility.
The stand is a slightly tilted structure designed to support three different pressure points – the hip, knees, and feet. The aim is to provide support to these points and reduce the pressure on lower limbs thus keeping workers from becoming habituated to a wrong standing posture which can result in long-term health problems. When using Standly Bao, the user rests in a position between standing and sitting. The stand can be folded up and is able to fit in narrow spaces without obstructing anything. Users can also fold up the mat at the bottom into a footrest-like step that helps them shift their balance and stretch their legs discreetly. The stand helps to correct your posture and alleviate headache, shoulder pain, neck stiffness, lower back pain, and more.
Multiple people were interviewed to understand the problems they face when working jobs that require them to stand for long hours and the design was made to solve issues with posture, space, and comfort. Physical therapists were also involved in the research and prototyping to ensure maximum benefit of the design. There were nine prototypes to test every modification to make sure it aligned with the purpose. Standly Bao doesn’t obstruct the user’s movement and saves space compared to any other solution. It also keeps them alert and rested at the same time, allowing workers to be productive because they are in a better mental state of mind when their bodies are at ease. It is a universal design that serves anyone looking for an alternative to a standing desk as well as someone with mobility issues who now has a window for more opportunities with support from Standly Bao.
Designer: Ming Shiu Lee
