( Wired ) -- High-tech sensors are everywhere . They alert us to spoiled food . They monitor our stress levels . And they 're blowing up in the health and fitness space , too , helping us track our key sleep and activity metrics . And now we have the Philips ErgoSensor Monitor , a desktop display that keeps an eye on one 's posture . The 24-inch LCD monitor uses a built-in CMOS sensor to determine your distance from the screen and your neck angle while sitting . The monitor works with software made by DigitalOptics Corporation , and , like a worried mother , will remind you to straighten your back , keep your distance from the display , and take breaks from sitting at the computer . According to Philips , the sensor measures your inter-pupillary distance -- the distance two pupils -- to determine whether you 're sitting at an optimal distance from the monitor . The system can also sense if your neck is inclined at a poor ergonomic angle , and will give you corrective feedback showing you the ideal angle position . And if you 've been sitting for too long , the built-in software will remind you to get up to take a break . We have n't seen a Philips ErgoSensor monitor in action yet , but if it does what it says , it could be valuable for consumers wanting a more ergonomic workstation . `` It 's an interesting concept and it certainly provides a potential value for timing and alerting people to take a break , '' David Rempel , Director of the Ergonomics Program at UC Berkeley and Professor of Medicine at UCSF , told Wired . `` It may have value in terms of posture depending on how it measures neck angle and distance from the screen . '' The design of the monitor itself is also ergonomically friendly . Philips dubs the base `` The SmartErgoBase '' as it can be lowered to almost desk level , and allows users to tilt , rotate , swivel , and make angle adjustments to the screen . This is an important feature to include in the monitor , Rempel says : `` We know that if a monitor is set too high or too low , and a person has to work with their head in extension , it can lead to neck pain . '' Rempel advises people to set their monitors so that it is at a 10- to 20-degree angle below the horizon of their eyes . The eco-concsious can rest easy with this monitor , too . When you walk away from the screen , it will automatically detect that you 're no longer present and power itself down . The device is also made out of 65 % recycled plastics , and comes with a 0-watt hard switch that lets you cut power completely off from the monitor for zero power consumption . The monitor is available in the EU for 285 euros ( about $ 375 ) . The company has not yet released a launch date or price for the United States . See the original article on WIRED . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2011 Wired.com .
The monitor works with software made by DigitalOptics Corporation . The sensor determines whether you 're sitting at an optimal distance from the monitor . The device is made out of 65 % recycled plastics .