Introducing Framery Smart Pods: A Better Place and Way to Work

Mar. 20, 2024

Leaving both traditional office meeting rooms and previous soundproof pods far behind, Framery’s new innovation-packed Smart Pods deliver greater user benefits, are more sustainable, designed to improve over time, and cost less than the models they replace.

Tampere, Finland O ffice pod market-leader, Framery has launched an all-new generation of Smart Pods, designed to make the workday easier by providing private yet fully connected spaces that are easy to book and automatically adapt to the needs and preferences of any user. Seamlessly incorporating advanced technologies, the family of four smart pods redefine what’s possible in the workplace, yet cost less than previous generations of product.

Framery CEO, Samu Hällfors, stated:

"It’s time to update how we think about the office. It’s no longer enough to simply provide a place to work. At Framery, we've gathered more than 8,000 pieces of user feedback to create the ultimate privacy pods, made for people. It’s a transformative move that marks the start of the smart pod era and the culmination of our own evolution from a furniture company to a technology brand."

 

The new smart pods build on the huge success of the Framery One - the world’s first pod optimized for video calls, launched in 2021 - but take a generational step up in terms of patent-pending technology, flexibility and sustainability. Enhancing the user experience and reducing workplace frustrations are the driving force behind these innovations.

Key features and benefits include:

• Intelligent lighting and ventilation To optimize the working environment, Framery Smart pods use mmWave radar sensors (the same technology used in autonomous driving systems) to automatically adjust lighting and ventilation when someone enters or leaves the pod and tailors the environment.
• Ideal lighting presets In-person lighting mode mimics natural daylight, optimized for everyday working; Video call mode lights faces perfectly.
• Adaptive airflow Proprietary design lets you choose between direct or indirect airflow and adjust the ventilation to your comfort. Whichever you choose, the air within each smart pod is fully changed every 60 seconds on average.
• Fine-tuned soundproofing A patent-pending acoustic structure tuned to human speech frequency provides A-class soundproofing.
• The Framery Office Sound Masking System™ Embedded sound masking uses a proprietary sound spectrum to reduce speech intelligibility and noise distractions in areas outside of the pods.
• Advanced and automated reservations Smart pods can be pre-booked via Microsoft or Google calendars, or create a reservation by simply stepping inside - and extend bookings with a single touch.
• Automatic upgrades A built-in 4G connection enables automatic upgrades and overthe-air software updates with or without a Wi-Fi connection.
• The Framery app Make every pod and space in your office easy to find and book through the Framery app – in advance or on the go.
• Real-time occupancy data Anonymised data is collected by the smart pod to make it easy for office managers to see when the pods are being used, and enables that onthe-fly booking.
• Privacy assured No identifiable user data is collected – only workspace occupancy information is tracked.
• Touchscreen for even greater control Allows users to tailor pod settings further still and extend calendar reservations.
• Occupancy indication Framery Smart Pods feature exterior lights that let you see from a distance whether a pod is free, booked or about to become available.
• Extended lifecycle A new modular, more durable design, and replaceable elements, means the smart pods have a longer lifespan. And recycling at the end of the pod’s lifecycle is even easier due to the sustainable materials used.

Despite all these advancements, the new Framery Smart Pods cost less than earlier generations of pods. Joint research and analysis from CBRE research, they are also significantly cheaper than the alternative of building new meeting rooms of equivalent size.

Extending their flexibility further still, the new smart pods can be synchronized with the wider office via Framery’s workplace technologies suite, which includes Framery Connect sensors that can be added to existing workspaces (pods or traditional meeting rooms), Connect analytics and the Framery App. The suite is already available to 12,000 companies using Framery around the world.

Arto Vahvanen, Head of Digital Offerings & Customer Experience at Framery, commented:

“We believe offices should adjust to people, not the other way around. Our Workplace technologies suite further tailors the workspace to the true needs of employees, helping to end the scramble to secure meeting spaces: research shows office-based employees can lose up to 30 minutes a day trying to find somewhere suitable to work. With smart pods we can ensure people always have enough space to meet, collaborate and focus.”

 

Each smart pod model is designed to be highly customizable – both at specification stage and during the product’s lifetime, with over 3000 potential color combinations on offer. The technology, the furniture, and the materials inside the pod can be changed as needed, with over-the-air software updates providing additional functionalities and product enhancements well into the future.

The new Framery Smart Pod range is available to order now:

• Framery One Compact – A smart one-person phone booth
• Framery One – A smart one-person workstation
• Framery Four – A smart meeting pod for up to 4 people
• Framery Six – A smart meeting room for up to 6 persons

Customers can choose their ideal smart pod specifications via Framery’s online configurator tool, or at any of Framery’s showrooms worldwide. Suggested starting prices are available from the website and project quotations are available from local Framery dealers. The showrooms also offer full demos of all smart pod functionality, and provide 360-degree configuration previews.