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When the Alarm Clock Runs and Hides

Posted by kdawson on from the run-in-circles-scream-and-shout dept.

bbbbryan writes to tell us about the commercialization of the elusive alarm clock prototyped at the MIT Media Lab a couple of years back. This alarm clock actually runs, hides from you, and beeps to ensure that you'll be awake enough not to go back to sleep by the time you find it and get it shut up. Detroit News has a writeup on the device, which you can buy from the inventor's site for $50.

9 of 212 comments (clear)

  1. Why make it so difficult... by Kjella · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I have an alarm clock for when I really really need to get up. There's no going back to sleep afterwards because you're either in cardiac arrest or wide awake, it lacks any concept of gentle wake-up and is only slightly less annoying than the smoke detector. To avoid the former I use my regular cell phone first, so I'm only slumbering or in light sleep when it goes off.

    --
    Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    1. Re:Why make it so difficult... by pikine · · Score: 2, Interesting

      A number of years ago, I wrote a BASIC alarm clock program, running on DOS, that would only shut off if I answer a multiplication problem correctly, and these are two digit by two digit problems. Nowadays a program like that doesn't work because there are simpler ways to shut it off:

      • Most computer speakers are now amplified. They have an on/off switch and a volume control. You can also mute the sound card much more easily nowadays. My old speakers were not amplified---you have to yank it off---and my program made beeps through the internal speaker as well as playing sound from the sound card.
      • Modern operating systems are multitasking and preemptive, so you can just nuke the program from task manager. In DOS, you could Ctrl-C a program, but I used some tricks to inhibit that.
      • Modern file systems are journaled, so you can turn off your computer without corrupting the file system. I couldn't just turn off my computer back then without damaging the file system (FAT16)---somehow I was conscious enough even when I sleep to know I would regret that.

      Nowadays my problems are slightly different. I have no problem waking up, but I start reading slashdot right away, and you know how it goes for the rest of the day...

      --
      I once had a signature.
  2. Re:Years ago... by rahimobius · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Then you might like this clock :) Sonic Bomb Alarm Clock with Bed Shaker: http://www.thinkgeek.com/homeoffice/lights/8f1a/

  3. Flame Fest. by femto · · Score: 3, Interesting

    How long before, like the flaming mouse, one of these knocks a candle over or runs into a fireplace, and burns a house down?

  4. Runs and hides...? by Demerara · · Score: 5, Interesting

    ...falls off the bedside locker and rolls about aimlessly more like.

    This being /. I was expecting some real smart features such as:

    o Learns the layout of your bedroom

    o Jumps off the locker before it goes off

    o Hides in the optimum place

    o Doesn't hide in the same place twice

    o Has a proximity sensor - runs away as you try to pick it up.

    Based on the Yew-Toob clips, I reckon this gadget would last about 5 minuted in my house. It's simply too easy to hit with a stick.

    --
    Backward%20compatibility%20is%20over-rated
  5. Re:shock by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Seriously. I can walk across my room and turn off an alarm clock hidden in my closet, then return to bed. Without waking up (witnessed by roommate on multiple occasions).

    I need the jolt. Electricity or caffeine IV. Ideally a combination of the two.

  6. US & Canada only by funkdancer · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "which you can buy from the inventor's site for $50."
    But only if you live in the US or Canada.

    Any Australian resellers?

    --
    ISO certified == THX certified
  7. Dollar Store Jacks by th3rmite · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I once bought a pack of jacks, you know the old jacks and bouncy ball, from the dollar store. I would put my alarm clock on the other side of the room and throw them down on the floor around it. When I would get up to turn off my alarm, I'd either have to wake up enough to step around them or suffer the bloody feet consequences.

  8. Re:Prank Alarm Clock by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    It's only really hard to locate if you're alone. If you are 3 persons or more it only takes a little time and patience. We once had to help a friend who stayed at his parents house and the smoke detectors battery was on its last lap. But he could not find it and as you pointed out that is quite annoying in, for instance, a living room where you want to watch a movie or listen to some music. What we did was to spread out and then just trying to home in one step at a time and took the average between us. Found the detector... on top of a cupboard with a seemingly rounded top but which had a flat area behind the top of the front.