也許你曾經想像過「為什麼一天是24小時」,但你曾想像過如果我們生活在一個「一天不是24小時的世界」嗎?
隨著科技不斷的發展,人們對與使用時間的精度要求也越來越高,因而發展了不同的時間制度。然而我們使用24小時制度已經有非常長久的歷史,未來的時間將會如何運行?又或者現在的時間制度已不再適合所有人使用?

You might thought about why there are 24 hours a day, but have you ever thinking…What if we lived in a non 24hr/day world? With the continuous improvement of technology, humans have higher requirements for the accuracy of time, so various different time systems have been developed.  Now we have used the 24-hour system for a very long time, how will the time system operate in the future? or maybe the 24-hour system is no longer suitable for everyone to use?

假想在西元1972年,由世界時間單位轉換組織(ITUEO)提出了全新的時間制度——擴展的時間單位,依據產業類型、生活步調等因素,將世界劃分為四個使用不同時間單位的區域。

Suppose in 1972, the International Time-Unit Exchange Organization proposed a new time system called “extended time-unit”, which divided the world into four regions using different time-units based on factors such as industry type, pace of life…

所以,什麼是擴展的時間單位呢?

在使用「擴展的時間單位」以前,人們所使用的時間制度為一日24小時制,而「擴展的時間單位」即是在原本認知的單位「小時:分:秒」前後擴充其他時間單位,形成由X:GP:HR:MN:SC:kf:i的單位列,各區依據產業型態、生活步調以及生產值價等因素,依序使用不同的時間單位。

SO, WHAT IS “EXTENDED TIME-UNIT”?

Before the “extended time-unit” was used, people used a time system of 24 hours a day, and the “extended time-unit” was to expand other time units around the previously recognized unit “hour: minute: second” to the unit column composed of X: GP: HR: MN: SC: kf: i, and each zone uses different time units according to factors such as industrial type, living pace.

同時,「擴展的時間單位」在進位規則上也有了全新的定義,為了順應不斷發展的科技,使未來能更快速與電腦進行溝通,ITUEO將進位規則設定為電腦所使用的「二進制」,將原先24小時制的進位規則都切換為最接近原本數字的二進制數字,除了能夠更容易地適應新的時間制度外,也適用於和電腦溝通。

Clock of Extended Time-Unit World

Meanwhile, for better adapting and faster communications with technology advances, ITUEO selected a new numeric carry rule for the Extended Time-Unit, the Binary number system of computational devices. For smoother public adoption, the new numeric bases of each unit within the system is set to be the value closest to the original number.

所以,這是一個怎樣的世界?

我們不將世界的樣貌完整地刻畫出來,因為世界上超過70億人口,就會有70億個不同的世界。而我們選擇了「各區呈現時間的一種方式」來作為載體,有的是公共設施,有的是產品,以及四區往來石切換時間單位的方式,透過這些物件提供人們想像這個世界的可能樣貌。

SO WHAT MAY THIS WORLD LOOK LIKE?

We do not intend to portray a comprehensive image of the entire world, since world population exceeds 7-billion,  and 7-billion versions of this world will exist. Preferably, by showing a vision of how each zone can display their time, with some public facilities, commercial products, and a scenario of time-unit exchanging upon zone-crossings, we can better provide a glimpse of what this world may look like.

•••

第一區 原生保護區
此區從事農林漁牧業為主要產業,是四區中最為慢活的一區。我們選擇的載體是一個半圓形的時鐘,這個時鐘會永遠與太陽平行,沒有細小的刻度,只有分為四等份的區塊(一日分為4GP),隨著太陽的起落而改變發光的位置,也暗示著此區的人們生活與自然息息相關。

Z1 Natural Area
This zone consists mainly of primary industries such as agriculture, husbandry, fishery and forestry, and has the slowest pace of life of all 4 areas. Here, we designed a clock, that is shaped like a semi-circle, and stays perpetually parallel to the Sun. The clock’s face has no markings, just 4 equally sized slices (one day equals to 4 GPs). According to the position of the Sun, a respective slice lights up. This clock symbolizes the connection between life in this area, and nature.

第二區 商業區
此區商業行為密集,交易頻繁,金融、辦公大樓林立,生活與原先的24小時制最為相似,所以單純只是鐘表上的顯示不同,從一日劃分為24等份(24hr/日)變為一日32等分(32HR/日)。

Z2 Commercial Area
This zone is where most business activity, transactions, finance, etc. are hosted. Office buildings fill the skyline. Life here is similar to the former 24hr day and thus only the numeric values displayed on the clock face differ. Formerly, one day is displayed in 24hrs, but now, it is divided into 32HRs.

第三區 製造加工區
為代工廠、加工製造業、機具操作等生產力較高的產業類型,相較於前面兩區,對時間精度的需求也相對更高,因此我們設計了一個專為第三區打造的產品——「microbuzz」,如微型鬧鐘一般,microbuzz共分為8sc/16sc/32sc/64sc四種不同的單位時間可供選擇,完成一個單位時間的計時時,microbuzz會透過不同的震動頻率提示時間,讓使用者能夠處於最高生產效率的狀態。microbuzz的使用方式非常間單,搭配專用的拋棄式貼片黏貼於皮膚,即會自動啟動計時功能,同時貼片也提供一種或兩種單位時間搭配使用可選擇。

Z3 Manufactural Area
Contrary to the above 2 zones, the manufacturing industry and machineries requires more precise time. Our design for Zone 3 is called – “microbuzz”. Like small alarm clocks, microbuzz offers 4 different cycles of time, 8sc/16sc/32sc/64sc, respectively. Microbuzz gives off different frequency vibrations when in different time cycles, helping users stay in a highly productive state. Microbuzz is intuitive to use, an adhesive patch allows direct attach onto the body, and time count starts automatically. The patches also feature 2 different time cycles, and can be paired freely with microbuzz for use.

#Z4 Automated Area

第四區 自動化區
此區零碎的分佈於第一區至第三區中,是一個無人居住的區域,由機器自動生產,主要接收其他三區遠端傳輸到此區的訂單,通常內容較龐大或危險性較高。使用的單位僅適用於機器的運算,如同一個非常密集的互聯網,當機器接受到指示時便會自動與其他機器進行溝通,然而我們並無法感知到「i」這個時間單位的變化。

Z4 Automated Area
This zone isn’t a designated area, but a collective of scattered locations between zones 1,2 and 3, areas where no population reside. Here, machines work automatically, from receiving orders to performing mass production or highly dangerous processes. The time unit here is implemented only within the IoT network of computers and machines, as the unit “i” is too small for human beings to perceive.

•••

時間單位轉換器
ITUEO在各區域的邊界設立了時間單位轉換器,若要進入其他區域時,須轉換成其他區域所使用的時間單位。

Time-Unit Exchanger & passport
ITUEO installed Time-Unit Exchangers at the borders of each zone. One must exchange their time-unit before entering another zone.

隨太陽變化的時鐘、切換使用單位的機器、貼在身上的微型鬧鐘,這些物件的存在都只有一個簡單的目的——作為一個能夠輔助想像的物件,但當遇到如太陽日無法參考,個人深度隔離,海底、洞穴、太空站等特殊地理位置,甚至政治制度無法管轄的區域諸如此類的因素,會與想像中的世界觀相違背時,時間相對的就成為了一種選擇。我們接受所有可能的想像。希望透過提供「新的現實」來刺激人們思考、質疑現實,鼓勵人們在現實之外,我們還有很多種選擇。

These objects; a clock which changes with the Sun, a device for exchanging time-units, a micro-alarm attached to the body, serves only one purpose, to stimulate imagination. However, in regions where the Sun is not visible and cannot be served as a reference for time, such as below the sea, in a cave, or on a space station, or other special regions such as places of anarchy, where the imagined worldview is contradicted, time, becomes a choice.

We accept all possibilities. 

By proposing a “new reality”, we hope to stimulate people to think and question the reality now. We advocate the idea beyond what we experience now, and more possibilities are awaiting to be discovered.

•••

莊欣儒,
《擴展的時間單位:另一種世界可能的樣貌An Extended Time-Unit World》
〈International Time-Unite Exchange Organization〉
Core77 Design Awards 2020 Speculative Design Category Student Notable
互動裝置, 推測敘事, 2020

指導 梁容輝
程式 CHANG, CHE-CHIA