If you’re missing the office, this ingenious site has you covered

By Trevor Mogg April 9, 2020

Missing your workplace? Of course you are. Lockdowns around the world have forced millions of people to swap their regular office for a home office. But, really, working from home isn’t quite the same.

For a start, the ambiance is completely different — because your co-workers aren’t there. That may be a blessing for some, but for others, suddenly finding yourself all by yourself can feel a little, well, lonely.

So be sure to check out this ingenious site from Kids Creative Agency that endeavors to replicate the calming sounds of your regular workplace.

The Berlin-based agency describes its creation as an “office-noise generator” designed to provide you with “the soothing tones of modern office life to help you focus when working from home.”

The great thing about the generator is that it’s interactive, so you can click on the office fixtures that you’ve been hankering to hear — things like the gentle hum of the photocopier, the bubbling of the water cooler, and the clickety-clack of someone else on their keyboard. And it all comes with a reassuring backing track of co-workers’ muffled conversation from around the room.

Even better, you can choose the number of co-workers that you want to have in your virtual office. Finally, hit the play button to let the various sounds populate your home office, providing you with that comforting feeling that, once again, you’re among friends.

If you still need some help setting up your home office, then Digital Trends has some great ideas to get you started.

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Space

NASA is operating its Mars Curiosity rover from workers’ home offices

Curiosity Rover

The coronavirus pandemic has led millions of people around the world to swap their regular office for a home-based alternative.

NASA, for example, last month instructed all of its employees nationwide to work from home in an effort to protect them against the virus and also to help slow its spread.

Smart Home

Wayzn sliding glass door opener can let pets out when you’re not home

open sliding doors remotely with wayzn glass door opener

There are connected accessories for most every entryway in your home. Smart locks unlock both internal and external doors, while smart garage door openers make pulling your car in easier. Until recently, however, sliding glass doors had not connected with the smart home market.
Wayzn used CES 2020 to announce its connected sliding glass door opener, a device that can automatically open and close the sliding glass doors in your home. It’s an ideal solution for letting a pet out to use the bathroom when you're not home or for letting guests in through a back entrance. According to Wayzn, customers will soon be able to purchase a sensor that attaches to their pet's collar. When your four-legged friend approaches the door, it will open automatically to let them take care of business.
The sliding glass door opener has an elegant design that looks significantly better than a pet door. It uses adhesive pads to attach to either side of the frame, and when you aren’t using the sliding glass door opener, the moving arm can be lifted up and out of the way with ease. It’s also totally DIY, so you won’t need to shell out for professional installation. Wayzn says the sliding glass door opener is compatible with all 5-, 6-, and 8-foot, two-panel sliding glass doors.

The sliding glass door opener has built-in resistance detection that triggers the auto-open function. This means there’s no need to worry about a pet or a small child getting wedged in the door while it's closing.
The door can be opened via a motion sensor, through a smart speaker, or through the Wayzn mobile app. Other features are on the way, including a collar-mounted sensor that tells the door to automatically open when your pet walks up to it. Users can also schedule specific times for the Wayzn to activate and control it from anywhere if guests show up.
If you’re interested, you can sign up to reserve the Wayzn sliding glass door opener now. The initial retail price is $400. While not the most affordable smart home device on the market, it’s less expensive than installing a pet door and more secure than using an insert. The initial release will have limited supplies as the company ramps up production. The Wayzn sliding glass door opener received the CES 2020 Smart Home Division Mark of Excellence for its innovative function and attractive design.

Health & Fitness

Bisu Body Coach can tell if you’re at risk of a gout attack by analyzing urine

bisu body coach analyzes your urine better health

Smart health technology has come a long way from its conception, and at CES 2020, we saw the introduction of smart devices that monitored everything from the way you walk to your blood pressure. One of the most interesting devices debuted was the Bisu Body Coach, a device that can tell you everything from your nutrition levels to whether you’re about to suffer an attack of gout. And it does all of this with a simple urine test.

The Bisu contains a urine sampling stick inside an elongated, rectangular housing. All you have to do is pop the end and extend the stick. A few drops of urine are all the Bisu needs to analyze your current health. Once you have provided Bisu a sample, the device can give personalized diet advice. It tracks electrolytes, hydration, ketones, pH, and uric acid levels. From these levels, the Bisu can make recommendations on foods you should add to your diet to compensate for nutritional deficiencies. The companion app lets you access this information at any time and provides explanations behind its reasoning.