Reflecting on my BA degree project, I am not entirely satisfied with the result. After 7 years, I decided to redesign the project, making changes to both its functionality and aesthetics while keeping the main goal intact: creating a wristwatch that doesn't display the present time but instead provides signs of how time has passed. My aim was to create a design that pays homage to the original concept while being less experimental and more aligned with the original idea.
The original piece had a gentle and discreet squeeze mechanism, which was intriguing but also questionable in terms of the concept. In the new design, the device simply vibrates to give the sign.
The device offers two modes: grid mode and interval mode. In grid mode, it provides a sign at regular intervals, such as every 10 minutes or any time interval you set, until you stop it. This mode is useful when you find it difficult to keep track of time, such as during a presentation when you want to know how much time you have left. Interval mode, on the other hand, signals the end of a time period that you set earlier. For instance, you might want to end a certain activity after two hours, but constantly checking the time disrupts your flow.
The interface has undergone significant changes. It now features a lo-fi touchscreen, which is essentially just four buttons, along with one button on the side. The upper row represents the 10-minute area, while the lower row represents the 1-minute area. The + and - buttons are located on the right and left sides, respectively. By pressing and holding any button, you can easily switch between the two modes and then set the values accordingly. The side button is used for starting and stopping the device. To prevent accidental button presses, I have designed the button/screen area with a concave shape.
Branding was something missing from the original concept. I named the device "Tólig," a made-up word derived from the Hungarian translation of "from" and "to" words. The name refers to the time interval function.
