This bracelet vibrates when it's time to give the phone a rest, and I need one immediately

Futurewave Arc — (Image credit: Futurewave)

I spend enough time staring at screens as it is, so a wearable that reminds me to take a break without adding another screen to my life sounds very appealing. That's the idea behind Arc, a silver bracelet from Belgian design studio Futurewave that gives your wrist a gentle vibration when you've spent too long on your phone.

Arc has you use a portal on your phone to select the apps you want to monitor and set a time limit, like 30 minutes of uninterrupted use. Once you hit that threshold, the bracelet delivers a discreet pulse. Keep scrolling and it'll give you one more nudge before falling silent and starting a new interval.

There's no display, no audible alarm and no running tally of your screen time to make you feel guilty. Futurewave says the system doesn't store usage history or require an account or subscription, either. It's a simple reminder to break the spell of the endless scroll, rather than another app demanding your attention.

Smart tech hidden inside a sculptural silver bracelet

What makes Arc great is that it doesn't look like a fitness tracker or another bit of tech strapped to your wrist. Its open, rounded form takes inspiration from the ancient torc, a type of metal ornament worn around the neck or wrist, with an organic shape that draws on everything from rib cages to seed pods.

The bracelet is designed to be cast in Argentium silver, an alloy chosen for its premium finish. Inside, a piezoelectric element produces the vibrations, while a low-power microcontroller handles the Bluetooth connection to your phone. A curved 25mAh battery and flexible circuit board are tucked away within the sculptural design, keeping the technology out of sight.

Futurewave wants Arc to remain a piece of jewellery in its own right, even if the electronics eventually stop working. So, unlike a smartwatch that becomes obsolete when its software or battery gives up, the bracelet could still have a life as a piece of silver jewellery.

There's just one catch, Arc is currently a concept, developed through 3D-printed studies and prototypes, with no confirmed price or release date. That means you can't buy one just yet. But if Futurewave brings it to market, I'd for one be very interested.

Luke is a freelance writer for T3 with over two decades of experience covering tech, science and health. Among many things, Luke writes about health tech, software and apps, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones and cars. In his free time, Luke climbs mountains, swims outside and contorts his body into silly positions while breathing as calmly as possible.