Project description
An office desk that helps workers take a stand
The impacts of today’s sedentary lifestyle may be well-documented (long periods of sitting and elevated risk of illness or injury), but people are not getting up and moving as much as they should. This is especially true for today’s office workers, who spend 75 % of their working day sitting. The EU-funded Archimede project is bringing to market height-adjustable desks with a spring mechanism so that workers can sit and stand while working. These tables are fitted with a special spring precisely designed for this project, micro-regulation mechanisms paired with a hexagonal torsion bar, a unique application of linear rails with ball bearings, and a tilting countertop. The aim of the sit-to-stand desk is to improve the health and well-being of users.
Objective
Recent evidence has shown that a sedentary lifestyle is associated with muscoskeletal disorders, obesity, increased risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease, and cancer. In Europe, 24.5% of the adult population is not physically active, and this is partly caused by sedentary occupations in which workers sit for many hours every day. Around 3 million deaths/year are due to physical inactivity worldwide, and the global cost of sedentary lifestyles is estimated at €43.7 billion in direct health care and €11.3 billion in lost productivity.
Height adjustable desks allow the user to work, write and read on the same desk while sitting or standing. Many studies have shown that these tables are effective at reducing whole body discomfort, plus back and neck pain; they improve productivity and the mood, and also increase blood levels of HDL, while decreasing glucose and triglycerides levels, waist circumference, body mass index, and the risk of heart disease.
Mara is the only European company offering height adjustable desks with a spring mechanism. These tables are based on four key innovations: a bespoke Archimedes spring, micro-regulation mechanisms paired with a hexagonal torsion bar, a unique application of linear rails with ball bearings, and a tilting countertop mechanism. These technical solutions guarantee silent, smooth, and fast movements, imperceptible micro-regulations, and a totally safe use. The exclusive tilting mechanism allows the rotation of the desks’ countertop to a vertical position for easier storage, transport, and repositioning.
Mara’s sit-to-stand desks improve the health and wellbeing of its users, thus reducing the costs and burden of prolonged sitting-related health issues for national health systems, businesses, and society. The company has been on the furniture market since 1960. Since 2010, Mara has focused on the production of a limited number of chairs and tables of very high quality, foldable, and with specialized mechanical part
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- social sciences economics and business economics production economics productivity
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine cardiology cardiovascular diseases
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- medical and health sciences health sciences nutrition obesity
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine nephrology kidney diseases
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.2.3. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.3. - PRIORITY 'Societal challenges
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H2020-EU.2.1. - INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
25050 BRESCIA
Italy
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.