Each morning we rise. In the evening, we settle. Our bodies wake and rest in tandem with the eternal cycles of the sun. Yet in many other ways, we've disconnected from the rhythm of natural light. We live indoors, under roofs and inside cars, where the transition from dark to light is often a jarring moment. We fall asleep to the cold light of phones and startle awake with the blaring of alarm clocks. The subtle, gradual cadence of nature has all but disappeared from our lives. And yet these rhythms are crucial to daily life, especially family routines. Kids thrive on stability. Consistent bedtimes promote healthier sleep. Mealtimes foster family bonds. A good, daily routine binds families together and helps them function.

At Cinco Design, we spent the past year exploring how to build natural rhythms back into our lives. We re-examined the products in our homes that help us create rhythm and routine. Our insights brought us to re-think the night light and the alarm clock, asking how could we make each a better, more human experience. Our answer is Hora, the smart lantern that supports family life through the natural cadence of light and sound.

We began by tackling the worst part of the family morning routine: waking up. The shrill wail of an alarm clock makes for an unpleasant start to any day, and the harsh on / off of binary lighting is little better. We wanted Hora to simulate the magical experience of gradually awakening at sunrise. When it's time to get up, Hora brightens from darkness to the rich, warm colors of dawn. Hypnotic melodies, reminiscent of nature sounds, sprinkle the air. When it's time for bed, Hora reverses, soothing grown-ups and little ones to sleep with a slow transition from sunset hues into night. And Hora has the intelligence to help with other daily family rituals. Dinner time? Hora brightly lights up to let the kids know to make their way downstairs. Bedtime? Hora is the timer to keep your little ones brushing their teeth for at least 2 minutes.

Product Design:

Hora's main functions include a timer, alarm light, night light, and speaker. An LED array produces a wide variety of lighting effects, and the natural acoustics of a hollow-core give Hora its unique sound. To charge Hora, simply rest it on its base. Its lightweight batteries hold nearly 2 days charge, so you can carry it with you anywhere. Connect and control Hora through the simple app- remotely dimming, brightening, or programming your own patterns.

We strove to make Hora as beautiful as it is intuitive. All the components are composed inside a seamless injection blow molded shell, that brings a soft elegance to every space. We eliminated buttons to promote magical interactions with Hora. Pick it up and shake to turn it on, double shake to quickly brighten, rotate it on its base to turn the volume up or down. These simple interactions are what makes Hora more human. Its elongated shape and round surfaces invite interaction and it is soft enough to become a bed companion for little ones. With the optional lanyard, even the smallest hands can carry Hora around the house.

Product Experience:

Hora's light and sounds had to be both totally unique and reminiscent of the natural world. The LED array creates mesmerizing light animations that mimic sunrise, sunset, or the fluttering of fireflies. These light animations aim to delight and create magical moments. Experiences that you can't achieve with a simple bulb. Softer transitions, rich vibrant colors, and unique patterns that feel more personal.

Alarms, beeps, and dings are all a part of our everyday life. Why wake up to a jarring buzzer? Or a shrilling alarm? We wanted Hora to notify and alert you in a more personal and pleasant way. To create Hora's iconic melodies, we partnered with sound designers to write custom musical tracks that evoked the sounds of nature. Sounds that feel more musical and melodic.

Digital Experience:

Hora is app-enabled to allow you to remotely control and customize your own tailored experience. For user-interaction, we focused the application design around simple, intuitive gestures, inspired by the circular, smooth form of the product itself. A minimalist clock in the middle simply tells the time and duration of events while functioning as the core navigation. Swipe the circle in the middle up to control brightness, sideways to control the hue. Various themes and the event calendar are accessed by swiping the entire application up or to the side.

Hora makes life better. It delivers brighter rise-and-shines. Bigger backyard adventures. Comfier night-time reads. It gives gentler reminders, and better bedtimes. All-in-one beautifully designed system.