Anyone who works in an open office knows that getting the temperature in the workplace right can be a real challenge. Central air conditioning systems are adopted in many office buildings, meaning you may not be able to change the temperature. And even if you can control it manually, different colleagues have different preferences. This is where Stratum, created by industrial designer Tony Elkington, could come to the rescue in these particular office ‘temperature war’ situations.

Stratum basically replaces the keyboard wrist rest and it warms or cools the user’s wrists directly. Users can set the temperature on the unit at the left end, and it just takes a few seconds to change from warming to cooling and vice versa. The self regulated heat pad is wrapped in a layer of polymer for safety, and for cooling it makes use of fans blowing out cool air at either end.

Stratum may not be particularly innovative, but it is executed in a way that fits all office environments. It is easy to use and flexible for each individual’s need. Most of all, it is discreet, meaning you can keep yourself warm in the office without wearing multiple layers of clothing. Stratum is still a concept at the moment, but hopefully Elkington will partner with a company to produce it.