Haptica Braille Watch: A Sign of the Time

It's hard to think of taking time for granted, but for those who have the ability of sight, the ability to see the time is sometimes more of a hindrance. For the blind, however, being able to know exactly what time it is may help bring a sense of normalcy to their lives. Enter the Haptica Braille Watch, designed by David Chavez. Two years ago, Chavez had won the Spark Design award, and now he is looking for funding to carry out the R&D, engineering and packaging to bring this watch to the market. The watch itself is very elegantly designed and provides precision and discretion to the wearer. Unlike current models that feature either an exposed watch face or gives verbal readings, the current watch  displays a row of four numbers in military time. This allows for more accurate readings and the ability to read the time at one's discretion. The timepiece prototype provides a silent and effective way to read the time . Based on enduser research with students and faculty of the Braille Institute, the watch design negates the stigma of a disability. In the concept photo, the watch face is made of what appears to be stainless steel. The band looks to be high grade silicon or rubber and clasps at the back for easy removal. Currently the watch is at $39,180 out of $150,000 to fund the project to its final stages. According to the Kickstarter page, once the full amount of funding is reached, it will take 4-6 months to finalize the technology and set up distribution for the first production run. While a braille watch is definitely a niche market, this watch could make the lives of thousands a lot easier.

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