Screen time is a growing problem among most of us nowadays. Admit it or not, we are almost always glued to our phones from the time they have gotten smarter, and everything’s within reach at the touch of our fingers. While it’s easy to say we should take charge of our digital well-being by minimizing our phone use, it’s quite a challenge to put these devices down, especially if we use them for more than entertainment. Matter Neuroscience, a company that uses neuroscience to improve people’s lives, may have come up with a solution to this problem, but it’s not something that disables smartphones. Instead, it conditions the mind to ditch our phones out of convenience.
In a now-viral Instagram post, the company introduced a phone case, its invention, designed to curb screen time. Unlike the silicone, leather, and plastic polycarbonate options from major smartphone case brands, Matter Neuroscience developed a six-pound stainless steel phone case. The idea is to discourage users from using their phones for long periods because of how heavy they become with the steel protector on. The accessory might have started as a joke, with the prototype being a standard phone case taped to a dumbbell. But after realizing how the prototype was blocking the cameras and how easy it was to remove the case, they decided to 3D-print the stainless steel case, which has cutouts for the cameras and ports. To remove the clunky accessory, you will need an Allen wrench to unscrew each corner.
The pros of having a 6-pound phone case
Phone cases are meant to provide protection, and Matter Neuroscience’s case does so in a polarizing shell. The case is reminiscent of an ’80s brick phone, so it makes holding a smartphone challenging. Obviously, there is also the issue with its weight. At six pounds, you can say that it’s like grabbing a dumbbell every time you reach for your phone. Interestingly, these same reasons are advantageous for chronically online users. By adding weight to the phone, users are encouraged to take breaks from endless scrolling and be more present. As shown in Matter Neuroscience’s Instagram post, instead of bringing their phone with them during a stroll or an outdoor activity, they would rather leave it in the car’s center console.
If you’re wondering if the company is selling this case, Matter Neuroscience has a Kickstarter campaign for it, which is expected to close in December. Currently, the campaign has amassed $16,942 from its $75,000 goal. In the product description, the company admits that the phone case is heavy, inconvenient, and inflexible. It also does not restrict any feature of the phone, but it makes using the phone physically harder. “At 6 pounds, your hands and arms physically get tired while using it. That fatigue reminds you to put the phone down. It’s a physical feedback loop against overuse, and it will tone your muscles,” the company wrote. Should the case receive funding, it will retail for $209.15.
    



            



