'digimech clock' and 'mi-light' by duncan shotton

‘digimech clock’ 

designboom previously featured the tape dispenser cassette tape by j-me on the blog and
in our cassette tape culture article which duncun shotton worked on whilst on placement
at j-me. one year later, shotton has now graduated from brunel university in west london
and has sent us some of his new projects. his stand out pieces are the ‘digimech clock’,
which he calls the modern grandfather clock and the ‘mi-light’ an adjustable light with a
corkscrew shade. the function of the ‘mi-light’ is easy to understand, however shotton
explained to us the behind-the-scenes workings of the ‘digimech clock’.

‘numbers are printed on vertical sliders and only reveal themselves when shifted into perfect
alignment with the 'display box'. when not aligned they look like random, alien forms and
represent the negative of the number that is required. the sliders are gradually cranked up
using motors coupled to intricate mechanics in accurate time. upon reaching the last
number (e.g. the 9th minute) the same motor disengages the ratchet’s 'stopper' and the
slider then falls to the first number again.’

sander tielen’s european design award winning calendar uses a similar principle.

http://www.dshott.co.uk


‘digimech clock’ internal mechanism


‘digimech clock’ internal mechanism


‘digimech clock’