DistKey: Incorporating Physical Activities into Daily Workflow through Spatially Distributed Hotkeys

It is important to motivate healthy behaviors, especially in office environments. However, there are few systems which integrate physical engagement mechanisms in such environments. This paper presents the design and evaluation of DistKey, a set of hotkeys allocated in different spatial interfaces of the workspace, enabling users to engage in some office tasks through intentional body movements. Through a within-subject experiment with 20 office workers, we compared DistKey with a traditional keyboard to assess the health benefits and effectiveness of integrating exercise into the workflow. Our results confirmed the benefits of DistKey-led healthful interactions in enhancing physical health and reducing mental stress during different tasks at work. Based on our follow-up qualitative research, a range of design insights are discussed to enlighten the design and development of future healthful spatial interfaces for increased office vitality.