Buzz
From homes to workplaces and everywhere in between, the bulk of our lives unfold indoors. Often unnoticed, these environments are as intricate and diverse as outdoor ecosystems. Factors like furniture, lighting, air quality, and temperature all play a role in influencing our well-being.
To delve into these dynamics, the Mayo Clinic established the Well Living Lab. This facility mimics a standard office but is embedded with advanced sensors capable of monitoring everything from test subjects' posture to the microbial composition of the environment.
The lab's modular design allows for the seamless replacement of walls, furniture, lighting, and even plumbing systems. While the prototype resembles a conventional office, it can be reconfigured to replicate various professional and residential settings.
To develop the lab, the Mayo Clinic has partnered with Delos Ventures, a firm specializing in creating healthier living and working environments. Rich Macary, Delos' president, explained to WIRED that previous studies on indoor health often focused on isolated factors, such as lighting, without accounting for temperature or humidity. He posed the question, “If we lower the temperature slightly before bedtime, does it send a stronger or weaker signal to the body compared to light cues?”
In contrast, the Well Living Lab adopts a comprehensive approach, examining multiple factors simultaneously. It aims to serve as a hub not only for medical research but also for companies testing the health effects of their products. As WIRED reports, the overarching mission is to uncover design principles that promote well-being, exploring ideas like, “Could adjusting office furniture help with weight loss?” or “Could walls and ceilings be designed to remove VOCs, improving air quality?”
