'komoru' blocks electromagnetic signals from your smartphone to help you switch off

cohda’s latest project, entitled ‘komoru’, is for anyone who has ever felt overwhelmed by contemporary society and the constant lure of their smartphone. offering a tangible solution to our electronic addiction, the design studio’s most recent product starts from the principles of michael faraday’s cage by blocking electromagnetic signals using a sea of conductive microspheres. the concept, drawing from the name of a traditional japanese zen garden, komoru (meaning to seclude one’s self), intends to provide users with peace from the relentless buzz by ‘burying’ their devices.

komoru is capable of isolating multiple phones and digital devices at the same time

all image courtesy of cohda

as human beings we crave social interaction, but the use of social media and the negative impact it’s having on our mental health is coming into question. with this in mind, cohda has designed a solution comprising of three elements: a sea of microspheres, a hand-spun metal internal bowl and a hand-thrown ceramic outer bowl. by burying your smartphone into the bowl in one therapeutic action, the electromagnetic signals are then blocked by the microspheres, allowing users to be uninterrupted. 

a hand-spun internal bowl is housed in a hand-thrown ceramic, making komoru both beautiful and practical

the product comes in various colors and finishes and intends to be suitable for a number of interior spaces. minimal and elegant, the bowl could be used in social environments to allow friends and family to simply enjoy one another’s company without someone scrolling down their newsfeed. coated in a highly conductive, non-magnetic layer of nickel, the composite microspheres are also designed in a way not to damage or scratch screens.

komoru in action

overall, the design by cohda strives to help us switch off from the bombardment of content that has now become a daily fixture in most of our lives. with the simple, yet elegant aesthetic, komoru aims to bring people back together and enjoy face-to-face interactions or simply the peace of mind that comes with truly switching off.

komoru is available in a variety of colors and finishes

komoru is comprised of 3 parts: a sea of microspheres, a hand-spun metal internal bowl and a hand-thrown ceramic outer bowl

komoru suits multiple environments and is applicable in many social situations

the microspheres are part of an ongoing R&D project by cohda

the microspheres had many parameters to make it viable for the application

project info:

project name: ‘komoru’

design: cohda

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom