Without an iota of doubt, smartphones have taken over our lives in more ways than not. Originally intended to bring computing power and the visual interface of a computer to a handheld machine, the phones have turned into a nightmare for some who just can’t escape going down the rabbit hole. Digital detox is the way to go in such a scenario but that too has its loopholes, pushing you back into the rut.
We’ve seen plenty of digital detox gadgets and services that vouch to end your procrastination triggered by social media dopamine bursts. This one is a bit distinct from all other options as it triggers mindful actions like meditation to numb the urge to pick up the phone and indulge in a guilty pleasure.
Designer: Designer Dot
Intended to turn your smartphone indulgence into a genuine relaxation experience, the QUIES is a small elliptical orb-like gadget that initiates the rest response. Rather than forcing a digital detox mindset, it calms the user into a state of peace. This takes your mind off the short stimulating content that can disrupt your dopamine cycles. When you don’t crave those short meaningless dopamine shots, your brain automatically looks for things more meaningful. When your state of mind reaches this response cycle, the QUIES comes into play. By blocking away the external stimuli, the little gadget brings you into a state of bliss.
The device aims to go to the root of dopamine addiction and intends to solve it most practically. After extensive research, the creators identified some major factors that are determinants in triggering your indulgence. One of them is the visual disturbance that is always in your line of sight or peripheral vision. Second is the effort to control yourself with digital well-being features that put a dead stop to the use of apps – this can have the opposite effect and result in even more indulgence. The third one is the lack of elusive alternatives that seem more interesting than being glued to the screen. There has to be a stress buster that you actually look forward to, and the QUIES come into play.
The initial step is to temporarily block notifications on the phone to make the user comfortable without interruption. The next step is to trigger relaxation with meditation to instantly reduce impulsive smartphone addiction. This creates a balanced dose of digital detox initiation and psychological stability. The design of the QUIES is inspired by the eastern bells having smooth curves. According to the maker, the “morphological features of the design emphasize soft curves and are designed to be portable so that you can experience detox anywhere. This allows users to conveniently practice digital detox anytime, anywhere.”
The phone can be placed on the magnetic charger of the device and a diffused lid placed on it to completely remove the visual distraction of the screen. QUIES comes with an inbuilt speaker to play soothing music too. The design studio imagines the digital detox device’s lid comes in four color options – letting you choose one depending on the mood. You can carry it like a portable lantern to kick off your mindful journey.
The post This digital detox device gradually shifts you into a state of calm to curb phone addition first appeared on Yanko Design.