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©2019-2025 Je Hyun Kim
Say no to notification
Software solutions alone can’t fully support digital wellbeing, as tech giants design smartphone apps to be addictive
Lock it like a toaster
What if we could physically lock our smartphones—and let them pop out once they hit a certain number of notifications? Just like a toaster locks in a slice of bread until it’s heated, this device holds your phone in place until it’s heated from busy notifications.
Physical lock
I came up with No-tification—a device that physically locks your smartphone. Users set a notification limit, and once it’s reached, the device pops the phone out—just like a toaster.
Notification sensor
Unlike a toaster, this device doesn’t run on a timer. Its timer is the number of notifications the phone receives.
So how does the device detects notifications? That’s where a simple companion app comes in. Each time your phone gets a notification, the screen lights up automatically. A phototransistor inside the device detects this light, counting each screen-on moment as a notification.
Inside the device
The release mechanism was inspired by the simple motion of a toaster - something we see in everyday life. Along with this, a custom sensor and electrical system was uniquely designed to lock and count notifications from a smartphone, adding a quiet layer of interaction to the experience.
Process
The device was first modelled in Rhino, then mechanical components were 3D printed. I used servo motor to lock the plate holding the smartphone, and a phototransistor to detect light - both powered and controlled by Arduino
Project Type:
Duration:
Category:
Role:
Academic Solo Project
Feb 2021 - March 2021 (3-weeks)
Physical Computing, Interaction Design
Ideation, UX/UI design, Engineering
