Using ball bearings, entrepreneur Hyungsoo Kim worked with his team to create the ‘Bradley’ watch. The futuristic timepiece allows you tell time through touch. Magnets move two ball bearings around grooves so that you don’t have to look at your watch to know what time it is. An inner track indicates the minutes while an outer track around the edge of the watch indicates hours. Raised notches around the timepiece stand in the place of numbers.
The Bradley works to move the ball bearings by using two magnets. Each ball is connected to a magnet which rotates as time ticks on. Though you can move the ball around, it snaps back into place since the magnet remains steady.
Magnetic Tactile Timepieces
The ‘Bradley’ Watch Lets You Feel Ball Bearings to Tell th
Trend Themes
1. Tactile Timepieces - Opportunity for creating innovative watches that allow users to tell time through touch.
2. Magnetic Technology - Potential for disruptive innovations that utilize magnets to create unique experiences and functionalities.
3. Alternative Timekeeping - Growing trend of exploring unconventional ways to display and interpret time, opening up possibilities for creative watch designs.
Industry Implications
1. Watch Manufacturing - Opportunity for watch manufacturers to create tactile timepieces that offer a new, more intuitive way of telling time.
2. Innovative Materials - Application of magnetic technology in the development of innovative materials for various industries, including electronics and automotive.
3. Accessible Design - Increased demand for inclusive and accessible design in watches and other products that cater to individuals with visual impairments or preferences for tactile experiences.