Japanese company Momo Ltd. has an interesting idea to help kids put their phones down. The company designed an iPhone case that lets parents control the amount of time their kids spend looking at screens, putting the phone into sleep mode if kids exceed a set limit, The Japan Times reports.
The Kobe-based company will start selling the case (called the Otomos) in late August. Parents will place their kids’ smartphones in the case, which can only be unlocked with a special tool.
Parents will use their own phones to control their kids’ allowed amount of screentime, with the option to put the phone in sleep mode if kids get carried away. The case also has a motion sensor that can deactivate the phone while kids are on the go. This will hopefully help kids stay focused and in the moment when they’re on the move.
“We developed the product after hearing many views and concerns of parents who have children using smartphones. All you have to do is just attach the case, so it is very easy to use,” Masato Otsu, the president of Momo, told The Japan Times.
While it’s sad that the need for this case even exists, it’s another example of how technology can actually be part of the solution to our tech addiction (which, as we’ve explored, is by design). It’s worth noting that parents should be mindful of their own screen time, as a recent survey found parents aren’t the best role models for healthy boundaries with technology (even if they think they are). Here’s one idea: When kids phones shut off, maybe parents should put their phones down too.
Read more on The Japan Times.
Originally published at journal.thriveglobal.com