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This story was originally published on August 7, 2014.
I'd venture to guess that the average person (like me) probably hits the snooze button about half a dozen times before actually climbing out of bed — especially on a Monday.
Luckily, a U.K.-based industrial designer has devised even the most foolproof of ways to get us to rise and shine — sans a conventional alarm. Joshua Renouf developed what he called "The Barisieur," which is basically a coffeemaker alarm clock. Simply set a timer for the morning, and The Barisieur wakes you up with a fresh cup of coffee (or tea!). The subtle movement of the stainless-steel ball bearings boils the water via induction heating, and "they create a nice, natural alarm once the water is boiled," Renouf said, adding that he hoped this could alleviate the feeling that most of the world gets on Monday mornings.
Another benefit? "I wanted something that would encourage a ritual before going to sleep — to actually make people put their phones and laptops down," Renouf said. He hopes his product will signal to the body that it's time to unwind and relax without any artificial light.
Right now, this model is only a prototype, but if it does find a home, Renouf said the retail price would be £250, or about $420. Sounds steep, but I'd probably give my left arm to be more of a morning person.
Click through to see how it works, and take a closer look at the project here.
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