The days of technology being confined to computers is well and truly over, according to many people in industry. The era of new innovations is here, and many people expect that the working environment is about to change massively.
Part of this change is being driven by the growth of embodied computing. The idea is to literally embed it in the fabric of buildings so that they are more functional for the people wanting to use them.
What this means for businesses and employees right now remains to be seen. However, many people with an eye for change are expecting enormous transformations in the coming years, along the same lines as the internet in the early 2000s. But what specifically is going to happen?
Better Access Control
At the top of the list of changes will be better access control systems. Companies are constantly looking for ways to ensure that only authorized personnel can gain access to specific parts of the building. This approach massively increases and improves security while also, paradoxically, protecting employees at the same time.
These systems used to be quite expensive and required teams of people on help desks to implement them in-house. However, today, the situation is different, and that’s no longer the case. More and more companies are leveraging the power of AI and smart technology to ensure that all firms have more control over who enters, and who exits, reducing all the guesswork.
Better Lighting
Another big problem in business premises is the effect that harsh lighting has on employees. A lot of lights are just too white, meaning that they disrupt body clocks, especially among employees who work later into the evening.
Fortunately, the situation is changing over time and things are moving forward in the direction of health. Many companies are now introducing variable lighting systems that actually change in color throughout the day, dimming into the evenings so they don’t disturb employee’s body clocks. The technology for this has been around for a while, but it is only recently that it has been implemented at scale.
Fire Automation
Fire hazard automation is also taking off, especially in high-value office buildings. More companies want to be able to suppress fires before they start to get out of control.
The idea with the latest system is to literally use cameras to spot fire. If something looks like fire, the sprinklers switch on, even if there’s no smoke for any detectors to detect.
Adjustable Wiring Panels
Lastly, there’s been a surge in interest in adjustable wiring panels among many enterprises. Companies want to be able to use their space how they want, and they don’t want to be constantly changing all the infrastructure behind the scenes.
The idea, therefore, is to standardize wiring and ensure that new sockets and plugs for computers can go anywhere. These systems also often have redundancies built in, meaning that they can support more intensive usage where needed by employees, reducing the need for constant voltage testing by experts.
