Poor posture is a growing concern, particularly for people who spend long hours at desks or using digital devices. Over time, slouching or hunching can lead to back pain, reduced productivity, and other musculoskeletal issues. While some solutions exist—like wearables or periodic reminders—they often require extra devices or manual input. A software-based approach that leverages existing cameras could provide continuous, passive posture monitoring without additional hardware.

How It Could Work

The idea involves using a device's built-in camera (on a computer or smartphone) combined with computer vision to detect posture in real time. When poor posture is identified—such as a slouched back or tilted neck—the software could provide subtle alerts, like a pop-up notification or a soft sound. It might also offer corrective suggestions, such as on-screen prompts or quick stretches. Over time, the system could track progress, showing trends like "You slouched 20% less this week."

Potential users include:

Office workers and remote employees who sit for extended periods
Students hunched over laptops during study sessions
Gamers and streamers in prolonged seated sessions

Advantages Over Existing Solutions

Current posture solutions fall into a few categories:

Wearables (e.g., UPRIGHT Go): Require purchasing a separate device.
Manual reminder apps: Rely on users to self-correct at set intervals.
One-time posture scans: Lack continuous feedback.

This approach could stand out by using existing hardware, providing real-time detection, and integrating seamlessly into daily workflows (e.g., as a browser extension or background app).

Possible Next Steps

A simple starting point could be a web app that uses the camera for basic posture alerts, requiring no installation. Testing this with a small group (like remote workers) could validate whether users enable camera access and respond to alerts. If successful, future versions might add features like multi-device sync, personalized exercises, or workplace wellness integrations.

Privacy would be a key consideration—processing data locally (without storing video) and offering clear opt-out controls could help address concerns.