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Remote collaboration on steroids: Brain to brain problem solving across distances

BrainNet allows collaborative problem-solving using direct brain-to-brain communication.

Source: www.technologyreview.com

While it's no longer sci-fi, there probably won't be any brain-to-brain collaboration tool vendors at IFMA or CoreNet events for some years yet. Still, the fact that this research team has already demonstrated that it can be done is pretty fascinating. 

Here's the short story: Three people, in different locations, are collaborating to solve a Tetris-like game. Two can see the whole screen, one can only see part of it (not the critical part). Using EEGs to record brain signals and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to non-invasively deliver information to the two with full screen views lead the third player to the solution. 

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Study shows workers spend less time outside than prisoners

"Ambius revealed that that office workers spend just 47 minutes outside during a typical working day, which is less than prisoners, who require at least one hour of outdoor exposure each day, according to UN guidelines."

Source: www.bdcnetwork.com

This thousand-person study of US and UK workers also reported that over a third spend less than 15 minutes outside each day. Not surprisingly, 64% say natural lighting is very important to them. [Disclosure: the study was conducted by a company that specializes in interior landscapes.]

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There’s nothing standard about global space standards

Many of today’s companies are putting in place global guidelines that strive to create consistent work and cultural experiences.

Source: workdesign.com

Kay Sargent from HOK offers an excellent round-up of the challenges and opportunities for workplace design across different parts of the world. She stresses the importance of guidelines vs. standards to accommodate differences in culture, organizational structure, demographics, market conditions, legal issues, and technological factors.