Gonon: Building a Clock with No Numerals
4 days ago
- #time-perception
- #clock-design
- #geometric-encoding
- The article explores building a clock without numerals, using geometry to remove cultural assumptions like numerals and reading directions.
- A clock requires a repeatable process, a counting rule, calibration to a timescale, and a readable mapping for humans.
- Time has four layers: physics time (duration), astronomical time (Earth and sky), civil time (societal use), and computing time (practical applications).
- The clock design starts from requirements, separating duration from date and showing time as both linear and cyclic.
- Key insight: Humans need proportion (like a progress ring) and precision; the clock answers both.
- Polygon encoding represents digits via vertex count, making it orientation-independent and suitable for any environment.
- The clock uses six concentric rings for HH:MM:SS digits, with hours outermost and seconds innermost.
- Containment constraint ensures polygons don't cross rings, leading to tightly packed radii just over double each other.
- A 24-hour arc shows progress through the day, answering proportion questions without numerals.
- Testing covers all 86,400 seconds per day, verifying digits, containment, and other properties exhaustively.
- Named 'Gonon' from Greek for angle/vertex, reflecting the shift from sundials to geometric encoding.
- Prior art includes similar polygon encoding, but Gonon adds concentric rings, containment proofs, and a proportion arc.
- Future directions include exploring logarithmic scales, social time overlays, and better views of time perception.