Tout-Doux

Toux-Doux is less about reinventing the wheel and more about injecting a dose of reality into our day-to-day tasks. Created during a course at ECAL, this tangible task manager stands as a playful antithesis to the digitally overwhelmed “smart” era, bringing a hands-on approach to organisation.

Designed to serve both the scatterbrained and the meticulous, Toux-Doux is an unassuming companion in the quest for focus and productivity. Its operation is simple: write down tasks on erasable plates, then slide them into the device as a promise to yourself. Made with 3D-printed modules, Toux-Doux’s design is straightforward yet clever, allowing for a satisfying snap when a task is docked.

The system behind Toux-Doux might be modest—limit switches triggering a timer, leading to a solenoid-powered nudge—but the learning curve was anything but. From prototyping the perfect-fit frames to learning PCB design, each step was a lesson in design and electronics, peppered with patience and a fair share of trial and error.

As the day winds down, any lingering task is abruptly catapulted from the device, a cheeky prod at the tasks deferred. The clatter of ejected plates serves as a humorous, if blunt, reflection on the day’s undone deeds. It's a nudge to do better, wrapped up in a bit of drama and noise.

Toux-Doux is a testament to the learning process and the joys of creating something tangible that bridges digital fabrication with the satisfying click of mechanics.