The circadian rhythm is one of the most important biological cycles that helps people and animals alike to anticipate changes in their environment. This rhythm is mainly guided by the exposure to light. It is therefore important and vital if one wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle to be aware of the impact of light throughout the day.
Alba applies a systems approach to the problem of disconnected rhythms. The product gathers real time data of day length, and solar cycles and in doing so it contrasts natural rhythms with clock time and our modern, busy lifestyles. This creates an experience that raises awareness about the artificial light we consume and fosters a mindful interaction with it. Its approach allows users to learn about their light diet (how much and at what time of the day they consume light), make changes to it if necessary and helps understand the impact of light and the rhythmicity of life on health and well being.
The circadian rhythm is one of the most important biological cycles that helps people and animals alike to anticipate changes in their environment. This rhythm is guided by the exposure to light. It is therefore important and vital for a healthy lifestyle to be aware of the impact of light throughout the day.
Conceptualising product systems that allow us to form habits that foster the synchronisation of our internal natural rhythms with those of the world that surrounds us, will create a more mindful future with physical and mental well being at the core of our attention.
By lowering or raising the light source up and down, depending on the moment of the circadian rhythm one finds oneself, the passage of the day can be visualised within ones home. The vertical change in position affords us to „see what we usually don’t see“ -this statement is borrowed from the idea of Shikake’s by Naohiro Matsumura - which aims at shaping behaviour through design objects that make visible what isn’t there and encourage a certain action. Instead of following the hands of a clock on the wall, Alba represents the day in vertical locations and through the intensity and hue of the light. When placing the light source at a low position at night not only does it build mindful behaviours around light consumption but also has a physiological impact due to the placements of the light receptive cells (blue light responsive Melanopsin cells) in the eye. These cells are less activated when light at night arrives from low angles compared to ceiling lights.
Digital meetings, two dimensional pixel classrooms and extended hours of indoor screen activities are taking us even further away from our natural surroundings and their rhythms.
Living live by artificial clock time (also called industrial time) instead of natural rhythms and being surrounded by ubiquitous screens that house our digital life has seen a stark increase over the last eighteen months (and has been ramping up for the last decades and even century. Since the industrial revolution we are living in the time of "great circadian disruption" as Russell G Foster and Leon Kreitzman call it in their Oxford University Press book on circadian rhythms.)
Despite the many benefits that come with modern technology, in order to build a better future for everyone, the devices and objects we surround ourselves should help us maintain a stronger connection with natures cycles. By approaching connected products with a rhythm approach we will be able to build routines and healthy habits into our everyday life.
Alba creates a holistic experience that allows for diverse interaction. Parents can use it to help their children learn about the impact of light and use it to build healthy routines around the use of technology. All while having fun together when using the high definition LED light emitting screen during the day. Alba connects through its app and allows for remote control and interaction. Multiple users can access and send light messages. Allowing your child to fall asleep with a soft night light and once asleep be able to reduce the light completely, or slowly increase the light intensity and the blue colour spectrum to provide a gentle and effective wake up experience.
For a fictitious product launch I created a Snapchat lens that shows it in the space and how the movement would affect its appearance. The movement is sped up in the Snapchat lens showing the whole 24h cycle.
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