The Silent Says bracelet is a speculative design object that interrogates questions of leisure and work in the age of ubiquitous computing. Running on the arduino micro board, this wearable device features a haptic version of the classic memory game “Simon” played with an array of four vibration motors and four corresponding concealed buttons. As a silent, tactile gaming device concealed beneath a low-tech embroidered cuff bracelet it allows users to play surreptitiously on their wrist, making it the ideal casual gaming device for office-settings. Because visual attention is not needed for gameplay, users can even play while on video conference calls, or while appearing to review spreadsheets on their desktop. By creating an opportunity for discreet leisure within the workday without the risk of being caught on your phone, the device pushes back on the broader trend of wearable tech devices as instruments of self-control and means of disciplining the body through self-measure (step counting, posture correcting). The Silent Says instead offers a playful and subversive take on wearable workplace tech, designed to reclaim a fraction of the workday for pleasure over productivity.
