Futurewave Unveils Arc, an Argentium Silver Bracelet That Vibrates to Curb Phone Use
Futurewave, a design studio based in Belgium, has introduced Arc, a silver bracelet that vibrates when a user exceeds a self-defined limit for phone usage. Users can choose specific apps and set a threshold, such as 30 minutes of screen time; once this limit is hit, the bracelet vibrates and then goes silent after a second vibration if usage persists. There are no notifications or usage statistics, and no account or subscription is required. Crafted from Argentium silver, Arc boasts a gender-neutral design inspired by ancient torcs. It incorporates a piezoelectric component, Bluetooth technology, and a flexible circuit board. Developed by Hugo Simon, Pierre Heuson, Joachim Froment, and Futurewave, Arc was unveiled in September 2026 and remains a concept without a production timeline.
Key facts
- Futurewave, a Belgian design studio based in Brussels, unveiled the Arc bracelet in September 2026
- Arc vibrates when phone use exceeds a user-set threshold, such as 30 minutes of uninterrupted screen attention
- The bracelet is designed to be shell-cast in Argentium silver and worn like an open torc without clasp, hinge or visible fastening
- Its form references the ancient torc of European Iron Age cultures, plus rib cages, wishbones, hydroids and seed pods
- A piezoelectric element produces the pulses, managed by an ONiO zero low-power microcontroller over Bluetooth Low Energy
- A 25 mAh curved battery, charging circuitry and piezoelectric energy harvesting are concealed inside the metal structure
- Development included 3D-printed form studies and stainless steel and titanium prototypes
- Arc was developed by Hugo Simon, Pierre Heuson, Joachim Froment and Futurewave; it remains a concept with no announced launch date
Entities
Artists
- Hugo Simon
- Pierre Heuson
- Joachim Froment
- Cédric de Bellefroid
Institutions
- Futurewave
- ONiO
- designboom
Locations
- Brussels
- Belgium