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Media Release

September 1, 2004

Local design students scoop international award

Two students from the University of South Australia have achieved international recognition for designing a timepiece that fits in with the body’s natural rhythms.

Second year interior architecture student Jaquie Hagan and fourth year industrial design student Matthew Braithwaite collaborated on an entry for an international competition run by US-based watchmaker Timex to celebrate its 150th year of operation, and their design has been chosen from thousands of entries to win runner up in the competition.

Photo of Matthew Braithwaite and Jaquie Hagan

The brief was to design a timepiece for 150 years hence, and Hagan and Braithwaite designed ‘Orgarhythm’, a device constructed entirely from organic materials that is swallowed and travels to the hand where it internally projects onto the hand when activated.

Designed assuming that in 150 years a total understanding of biology will have placed life and technology in an entirely new context, Orgarhythm tunes into the user’s personal rhythms and provides readings on blood pressure, energy levels and cholesterol. It also includes an inbuilt alarm clock that wakes you up naturally, without any annoying rings – and it also tells the time.

"We wanted to design something that wasn’t based on digital technology, because we figured the world would be beyond that in 150 years time," says Hagan.

"While it’s very futuristic in the way it melds biology and technology, there are aspects that are timeless – for instance, we chose to locate it on the hand both for practical reasons and because historically hands have played an important role in the telling of time."

Hagan and Braithwaite’s design will be featured in an exhibition to be opened in New York in late September – and they’re seeking sponsorship to help them get there. If you can help, please contact UniSA’s Louis Laybourne Smith School of Architecture and Design on (08) 8302 0230.

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