Computer scientists are using artificial intelligence to measure staff comfort and concentration at work.

While hot desking and activity-based working allow cost savings and greater flexibility - and may increase staff collaboration and satisfaction - studies also show the noise and lack of privacy can be distracting.

A new sensor-based system can offer insights on how to get the best out of these flexible working spaces.

After working with psychologists to identify several key variables for concentration and comfort levels in work environments, the research team from RMIT team set about measuring these with sensors.

They worked with global design and engineering firm Arup to develop and test a new AI-driven system on 31 staff in two of the company’s activity-based working offices over four weeks.

Lead researcher Dr Mohammad Saiedur Rahaman says data was collected on noise levels, indoor temperature and air quality, humidity, air pressure, and even electromagnetic fields.

“We used that information along with survey data to train machine learning algorithms that could identify patterns in perceived concentration and activity, and then provided solutions for making these spaces work best for people,” Dr Rahaman said.

The data showed that different people concentrate better in different zones.

For example, many people had a favourite spot - such as near the window, kitchen or their manager - and found concentrating more difficult if they were not able to sit there.

They were also more sensitive to the office temperature not being exactly right if they missed out on their favourite seat.

Regardless of where they sat, office temperature was a major factor in how comfortable and focused people were.

Most found temperatures below 22.5C too cold to fully concentrate and, as the day progressed, it was observed that people became increasingly sensitive to this.

A major influence on perceived concentration in the mornings, unsurprisingly, was sleep quality the night before.

The number of formal and informal meetings was also shown to have a large impact on perceived concentration, with those who had five formal meetings in a day reporting lower concentration levels compared with those who had fewer.

Dr Rahaman said high CO2 levels, due to high occupant densities, were also a barrier in people’s ability to concentrate.

“The results for CO2 and thermal comfort underline just how important a high-quality heating, cooling and ventilation system is in office design, as well as indoor plants to reduce CO2,” Rahaman said.

Arup engineer and project partner Shaw Kudo said the insights could help the wider property industry.

“Modern offices, new and existing, are likely to undergo change and potentially redesign workplaces post COVID-19,” he said.

“The valuable findings from this work can feed into future designs and allow Arup to better service our clients as they plan their future workplace – whether this is a new-build, or a return to the office after COVID-19.”

Fellow Arup engineer Tim Rawling said they were also looking to adapting the work to assess the impact of working from home on people's work experience given variability in spaces.

“Given the changing landscape of work environments, we’re excited by the opportunity to explore application of this research to new working environments and flexible working arrangements,” he said.

The study is accessible here.