Fighting smartphone addiction with “Substitute Phones”

Substitute phones. © Klemens Schillinger.

Vienna-based designer Klemens Schillingers has developed a series of five “Substitute Phones” to help people dealing with cellphone addiction. The phone-like objects have the same weight and shape as a smartphone, and contain stone beads that are used to mimic the motion of your hands when you swipe, scroll and zoom on your device.

The physical stimulation provided by the stones may be calming and help with withdrawal symptoms for people who can’t bear to have their hands empty. The designer hopes his devices will help to overcome the compulsive “checking” behaviour, that sees people check their devices for notifications, emails, and texts constantly throughout the day. The body of the phone is made of black polyoxymethylene (POM) plastic, or acetal, and the stones are made from Howlith, a stone that resemble marble. The phones were created as part of a project for an exhibition at Vienna Design Week 2017.

⇨ Dezeen, “Klemens Schillinger’s Substitute Phone aims to help overcome smartphone addiction.”