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Steelcase Walkstation

The Steelcase Walkstation ($6,500) is no gimmick. Straight from the august maker of Frank Lloyd Wright office furniture, in association with the respected Mayo Clinic, comes the Walkstation -- a combination computer desk and treadmill.

Don't expect to work and run, however. This treadmill is capable of a maximum speed (or should we say "terminal velocity"?) of just 2 miles per hour, in 0.1-mile increments, so you're in no danger of working up a sweat. But merely by standing and walking at a leisurely pace, you'll burn as many as 100 extra calories per hour, elevate your base metabolic rate and increase your focus and productivity, according to Mayo research. A privacy screen and near-silent operation make the Walkstation usable in open-cubicle settings, and you can order it in any of Steelcase's usual wide array of colors and finishes.

The logistics of the Walkstation seem a tad cumbersome, however. Presumably, most users will opt to work on the treadmill for only part of the day, which would necessitate moving their computer back and forth between treadmill and desk, and employing two sets of keyboards, mice and monitors. To avoid the resulting hardware overload, consider the Sit-to-Walkstation model, which simplifies the transition between the two positions.

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2. X-Rocker Pro Gaming Chair

Serious gamers will covet Ace Bayou's new X-Rocker Pro-Series chair (expected to sell for $199), which is scheduled to ship next fall. Like earlier X-Rockers, this one keeps you low to the action, envelops you with sound, and has adjustable armrests so you can wave your Wiimote as freely as you like.

The X-Rocker Pro comes with four internal speakers and a subwoofer for twice the power of the previous X-Rocker. It also has wireless audio capabilities, so you won't be tripping over cords on your way to the fridge for some Red Bull.

A side panel with an array of ports and controls accommodates all your gear. You can even use the chair as a iPod listening station when you aren't playing games. The chair's hollow core resonates with the bass in music and sound effects, providing vibrations to accompany the audio, greatly enhancing the gaming experience. A headphone jack holds out the possibility of keeping parents or roommates happy.

A final bonus: Socially oriented gamers can daisy-chain multiple X-Rocker Pros, so all participants in a group game can experience the full intensity of every blast.

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A B-52 ejection chair, a computer bed and a walking station: These and other far-out creations will make your work space look anything but average.

Looking for a computer desk and chair as hip and eye-catching as your new Alienware Area-51 or Macbook Air? These five wacky computer furniture pieces will put you in the pilot's seat -- literally -- or make you feel like an astronaut, a race-car driver or a marathon runner.

With prices ranging from $200 to $6,500, they're not cheap. But if you spend 40 hours a week in your work space, isn't it worth splurging for a cool setup?

1. Vision One Computer Workstation

Want a workstation as comfortable and ergonomically healthful as the cockpit of your car (or the car you wish you had)? Look no further than the Vision One line, which comes equipped with your choice of genuine car seats in various colors, finishes and configurations. The 12-way-powered Porsche leather bucket seat (pictured) is the most popular upgrade; Corvette and Viper seats are available as well. Prices start at $1,700.

The Flagship model shown ($2,600 and up) supports three flat-screen displays , brackets for a 5.1-speaker surround-sound system, padded and pivoting elbow supports, and an adjustable metal footrest. Together with the optional matching side rack, it supports multiple PCs and game consoles, as well as a plethora of peripherals -- all made to order in the United States in the finest hot-rod tradition. But where's the rear-view mirror?

Seating Office Chair Conforms To Your Spine

At first glance this office chair might appear to be ridiculously over-engineered but rest assured all that hardware on the back of the seat has a real purpose. Each of those 11 sections are actually torsion spring-loaded bearing joints that are capable of taking an exact impression of your spine. To make said impression all you need to do is ‘unlock’ the joints with a specific lever and then lean back into the chair with enough pressure to move the springs. Once you have the back of the chair shaped into your ideal posture simply sit in it and over time ‘muscle memory’ will naturally improve your posture while you surf YouTube and Digg all day.

The Vert? can be ordered from the Anthro Corporation for $1,500 and comes with everything you’d expect from a high-end office chair including a gel-filled leather seat and back, three levers for adjusting the chair’s height and tilt and a padded two-way adjustable head rest.