Helio Clock

When approaching this project, I first focused on the topic of what was missing in the objects I researched and in my daily life. Taking a look at a few of the objects I researched, I found that time was a common theme as I looked at several clocks and calendars. I took a close look at one of the clocks and found that the design allowed for discomfort in viewing the time. This resulted in a level of stress, as the need to know the exact time is relevant for me and other users in my adjacent audience (typically college students). Time is also a common motif in my daily life, where a majority of my stress or anxiety is rooted in timelines, deadlines, timed exams, etc. The normalization of constantly having a cell phone nearby, and constantly checking to know the exact time, adds to this stress that surrounds that same need to know the hours, minutes, and seconds left in the day. Another theme I found in objects that I researched and my daily life, was the quality of life in college and in quarantine. This mainly revolves around the fact that I typically stay inside at my desk all day coding, in quarantine I felt trapped in my room, or in college where I live in a small, dark dorm. With these themes, I found design holes and room for improvement in my daily life. After reflecting upon my research, I felt it was necessary to address these design holes in the artifact I was creating.

Thus, HelioClock was born. HelioClock is a dynamic light-based clock that displays time by portraying the position of the sun, as well as the color of the sky. The object is comprised of several layers as seen in Appendix A. The first layer is the frame, which is a matte, white painted wood. The second layer is the “sky”, which is made of a transparent LED screen. These LEDs are full-spectrum, meaning they mimic natural light without harmful UV rays. The third layer is the “sun” and the “moon”, which are discs made of the same transparent LEDs. The fourth layer is a rotating disc that connects the sun and moon (which are placed in opposition on the disc) to the fifth layer. This disc rotates according to the time of day. The fifth layer is the base or back of the clock. The sixth and final layer is the bluetooth electrical box that operates both the LEDs and the rotation of the disc. This box is powered by a rechargeable battery. The HelioClock would be sold with two rechargeable batteries and a chagrin cord for those batteries. The HelioClock is approximately 25 inches in diameter and around 2-3  inches in depth. The electrical box that operates the HelioClock connects to the HelioClock app, via bluetooth. This app can be viewed in Appendix E, in the screenshot of the screens as well as a link to a clickable Figma prototype. The app includes a range of settings, including sunrise time, sunset time, location, static sun position, sky gradients, etc.

HelioClock’s design targets a specific user. However, I would clarify that the object addresses users that experience specific problems or life detriments, rather than a type of person. While the problems of time-induced stress, dark rooms, and feelings of being stuck in a room are relevant for college-students, adults, high school students, and every person that is experiencing COVID and quarantine are potential users. HelioClock is designed to address these issues in a variety of ways and through numerous experiences. The concept of time as a contributor to stress is addressed by the alteration of the perception of time by forcing the user to detach from the need to constantly check the exact time. The portrayal of time through the display of the sun’s position and the sky’s color, causes the sense of time to be relaxed and the user to take a step back. In daily life, this change could make a drastic difference in the user’s psychological experiences throughout the day. Ideally, these improved experiences would result in a decrease of time-induced anxiety and an increase in the appreciation of the day and the outdoors. The use of full-spectrum LEDs and the imitation of the natural sky, should also alter psychological experiences, as outdoor environments and exposure to natural light can cause improvements in mental health. This potential improvement in mental health and psychological experiences would be useful for users that live without large quantities of natural light, that lack time to have sufficient time outdoors, that live in environments with limited sunlight (i.e. Northern Lapland in the winter can get 0 hours of sunlight). As a social experience, I would anticipate the act of showing or sharing HelioClock with friends. This is why I added the ability to edit the sunrise and sunset time, or set HelioClock at a static position. These settings allow the user to “show off” how the sun and moon rise and set, and how the sky’s colors change (without having to stare at the clock all day). HelioClock functions as a clock, a window, and an interventional tool that disrupts the normalized stressful way of life.