Wonderful Computer Furniture (3)

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.