Wearables

Durr, the faceless watch that vibrates every 5 minutes

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The minimalist Durr watch
Durr is worn on your wrist in the same way as any other watch
The minimalist Durr watch
Durr comes in a range of different colors, though its design is as plain and simple as they come
The components that make each Durr, laid out ready for assembly
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Time may be constant, but our perception of it is constantly changing. If you're happy and having fun, it tends to pass more quickly than if you're miserable and suffering. Time has also been shown to pass more quickly for older people than younger generations. Wearing a wristwatch doesn't necessarily help us become more aware of the passing of time, but wearing Durr may well do ... By stretching our preconceived ideas of what constitutes a timepiece.

Durr is a faceless watch which does nothing but vibrate every five minutes. The idea of this unisex bracelet is to play with our perception of time, reminding us that it is constantly moving forward, unchanging and unswerving. By feeling the shivers on your wrist every five minutes, you receive haptic feedback that cannot help but make you more more conscious of how time passes differently depending on a number of factors.

Durr features a body and fastening clip (available in five different colors) both made from hand-dyed polyamide, with the strap made from laser-cut vegetanned leather. The vibration is powered by a replaceable battery that will last up to two months. The gap between each vibration is set to five minutes and cannot be changed, though Skrekkøgle tested different intervals before settling on this unit of time.

The components that make each Durr, laid out ready for assembly

The initial run of 50 Durr bracelets have all been sold, but Skrekkøgle is planning a second run. Interested buyers are invited to register for email notifications when pre-orders are being taken. Potential manufacturing partners are also being sought. Each Durr bracelet sold from the first batch was priced at €90 (approx US$120), but a bigger production run could bring the price down.

Durr could, conceivably, help you become more productive, reminding you that time is pressing on, and therefore preventing you from procrastinating. Or it could remind you how fleeting our time on Earth is, encouraging you to live a fuller life. Both of which are positives.

The video below shows what the makers of Durr had in mind when they conceived of the device.

Source: Skrekkøgle via The Verge

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13 comments
exodous
Interesting but if this is at all useful then I'm sure Pebble and all the other smart watches will have a free app for it. I think the firmware 2.0 for the Pebble will let you change the vibration for certain things to custom vibration, like two quickly in a row, so it won't make you think you're getting called every 5 minutes.
iperov
can I use it for test reality? i.e. if I test reaility when it vibrate in my dream, I will understand that I currently in a dream, and can do what I want.
RelayerM31
I'd be constantly reminded that I'll never get that previous 5 minutes of my life back. No sale.
glow hockey
This is avant-garde! It goes to show that technology is limitless. There's no where else to go but up.
Craig Jennings
Time is what now? :)
RedGuff
L.O. It reminds me a book, when smart people where regularly disturbed by a ring, in order that they can not think, to be equal to stupid people. :-(
wolfshades
For those who have ADHD, as I do: "welcome to hell"
Luan To
Wait, we all have smart phones that have a timer in it...Why don't make the damn thing vibrate in your pocket? For $120 for this thing? You serious?!
Joe Sobotka
I try not to be negative most times. But to me this is the dumbest idea I've heard in a long long time.
johnnyohgee
First off, we won't even consider the ridiculously high price. Second, we already have a wealth of egg timers, countdown timers, on wristwatches, apps of all sorts, you name it. Third, those who have the misfortune of purchasing this will last, at most, three hours before they yank the battery out and relegate the rest to the drawer, where it will remain until that day when they decide to get rid of a bunch of stuff, and out it will go. This has to be a put-on.