In the course Aesthetics of Interaction my group was tasked with designing an alarm clock with a focus on expressive interactions, unconventionality and aesthetics. We designed an alarm where the time could be set by moving the rice around in the bowl. A ring light inside the bowl indicates the amount of time it will take before the alarm goes off. The intensity of the alarm also depends on the user’s positioning of the rice. The higher up around the edges the rice is placed, the more quick and intensely the alarm will go off, shaking the rice back to the center of the concave bowl; reset for the next day. By making the interaction of setting the alarm rather extensive, we wanted to create a little moment of calmness before bed. We found that using your hands to manipulate the rice feels soft and satisfying. The soft light shining through and under the bowl adds to this moment of zen.