Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Alternative Alarm Clock lets your appliances wake you up (Yahoo! News)

Wake to the sound of coffee brewing, or any other electronic device

Waking up to the same old loud buzz on the side of the bed isn't just annoying, it can become so familiar that it fails to have the same effect as it used to. The Alternative Alarm Clock attempts to solve this problem by turning your everyday appliances into your morning wake-up call. The device, which doubles as a lengthy extension cord, can be programmed to provide power to a pair of appliances whenever you choose.

The concept is the work of Royal College of Art student Kihyun Kim, and aims to stimulate senses other than hearing in order to provide a more relaxing experience. Appliances like a coffee maker or fan can wake you up just as well as a traditional alarm clock, while avoiding the annoying buzz that accompanies most of our mornings.

While the prototype is set up for use with British Standard outlets, the concept itself is simple enough that it could be adapted to use any outlet style. Outlet timers are a technology that has been around for a while, and is typically use for purposes such as automatically flipping the switch on Christmas lights. Using appliances to wake you up, on the other hand, is a slightly more esoteric approach to starting your morning.

Kihyun Kim via Gizmodo

[Image credit: Kihyun Kim]

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