Booktok ART AI ArtClock on Kickstarter: A New Frame for Time - Interview

The booktok ART AI ArtClock, now live on Kickstarter, merges literature, artwork, and calm technology to transform time into an emotionally resonant daily experience. With a color E-ink display and an offline AI engine, it delivers quiet, meaningful micro-moments instead of digital noise. Inspired by BookTok, fine art, and modern storytelling, the team created a device meant to enrich daily life with simplicity and intention. Today, they share the philosophy, design choices, and mission behind the ArtClock’s Kickstarter debut.

Origin of the Idea: Booktok ART AI ArtClock on Kickstarter

What inspired you to create the booktok ART AI ArtClock on Kickstarter, and how did the concept evolve from a simple idea into a fully developed product?

The initial inspiration came from two distinct worlds: the vast, passionate community of booktok and the profound impact of a single piece of portrait art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. I was struck by the common thread: as human beings, we constantly crave to share, hear, and see stories, just expressed in various art forms.

This led to a flash thought: creating a product that was simple, yet powerful, and practical for daily modern life. The concept crystallized into the equation: Literature + Art + Time. This is how booktok ART was born, with a vision to bring new forms of human experience that create small moments of joy amid the constant demands of modern life. What began as a fun weekend hobby project for my household eventually scaled when I realized its powerful emotional value and the potential to share this experience with the world, grounded in the belief that "One small human moment that we create can change someone’s entire day.”

Calm Technology Philosophy

Your ArtClock is positioned as “Calm Technology” — quiet, effortless, and emotional. Why was this design philosophy so central to your approach?

Foundationally, booktok ART was created with the core intention of creating small moments and elevating human experiences. The whole purpose of the technology is to enhance human life, not to add anxiety or chaos. It is designed to be undemanding, both directly and subconsciously. Given the rapid advancements in modern technology, we believe embracing a non-intrusive approach is crucial for our users. We remain focused on this core vision and continually strive to minimize all forms of repeated actions or demands placed on our users.

This commitment to calm drives our core innovations: the Chroverse™ AI ArtEngine and Insta-Snap Provisioning™. Leveraging breakthrough research in Generative AI, NLP and Computer Vision with our decade long experience in AI research & design, we created a system that is sophisticated yet fully autonomous. An ultra-low-power ARM processor serves as the delivery mechanism for this intelligence, allowing the ArtClock to function entirely offline. By removing the need for constant connectivity and eliminating the 'setup tax,' the technology fades into the background, letting the art & human experience take center stage.

Human + AI Collaboration

The ArtClock blends human-curated literary quotes with AI-assisted art. What does your creative process look like, and why was it important to keep humans deeply involved?

Our vision was to combine the worlds of literature and art into a portable experience suitable for modern life, acting as a source for small moments with the potential to turn big. The true power of literature and art lies in the stories they tell & the emotions they share. We leverage AI through our proprietary ArtEngine to offer new experiences at scale. However, the true life and "soul" of these creations come from the human stories behind them.

As AI engineers, we deeply understand this value. It is important to preserve and cherish the human element, which we hope to scale emotionally—through the hearts we touch and the experiences we continue to create—using the power of AI. At this inflection point of technological revolution, this human-AI synergy will be our superpower.

Design & Materials

You chose a color E-ink display, a curated frame collection, and a wire-free experience. How did these choices shape the product’s identity and user experience?

To position ourselves as a leader in Calm Technology, we studied the factors that are the biggest drivers of modern anxiety and daily chaos. We identified the modern, glaring blue screen as a major culprit and decided to eliminate it by choosing the state of the art color E-ink display. The design attributes are just tools engineered into our product’s identity to align with the Calm Technology philosophy. These choices were made to cut down on distractions while simultaneously making the product as convenient as possible for our user's daily usage.

Community & Mission

Beyond the product itself, booktok ART carries a strong mission of supporting creativity and artists. What impact do you hope to make by launching the AI ArtClock on Kickstarter?

We believe that any growing company willing to sell a product has three key responsibilities:Serve their customers with improved experiences.Provide value to investors.The third pillar: Carry forward and improve the community along with them.

It is this third pillar that many companies overlook, sometimes not consider them outright. We aim to be an inspiration by delivering all three and serving as a beacon of example for other companies as we grow. We understand that if our product or approach is flawed, we can change it. But we can never make up for a lack of integrity if we are not clear and focused on our long-term vision. Our intent is set straight from the start: we grow by lifting everyone up. With this long-term vision in mind, we hope to use the Kickstarter launch to put our product in front of as many people as possible while continuously learning how to support the creative community.

The booktok ART AI ArtClock on kickstarter brings a refreshing perspective to modern devices by centering its design on emotion, stillness, and human experience. Rather than chasing constant connectivity or sensory overload, it embraces a quieter purpose: transforming each passing minute into an opportunity for reflection. The creators’ intentional blend of literature, AI-driven artwork, and minimalist hardware reveals a deep respect for both art and the user. Their mission to uplift creativity and community adds meaningful weight to the project, positioning the ArtClock as more than a product—it's a statement about how technology should coexist with everyday life. As momentum builds on Kickstarter, the ArtClock stands poised to connect with backers who appreciate beauty, calm, and thoughtful innovation.

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FAQ about booktok ART AI ArtClock on Kickstarter

How does the time display work?

The ArtClock uses a database of over 13,000 quotes and updates every five minutes with a literary quote tied to the exact minute of the day. Each update pairs text with calm, E-ink artwork to create a reflective moment.

Will I see the same quote at the same time every day?

If multiple quotes exist for a given minute, the ArtClock selects one at random. This keeps the experience fresh and prevents predictable repetition, even when checking the clock at identical times.

Can the clock read the quotes out loud?

No. The device is intentionally visual-only with no speakers or audio output, maintaining a quiet, distraction-free Calm Technology experience.

Does the clock need a WiFi connection?

WiFi is required only once during Quick Setup and again when downloading updates. After setup, the ArtClock runs fully offline using its internal processor and stored database.

What is the battery life?

On battery mode with five-minute updates, typical runtime is 2–3 days. When plugged in via USB-C, the ArtClock operates continuously without restrictions.

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About the Creators behind booktok ART AI ArtClock on Kickstarter

Booktok ART was founded by Aswin Raghav Nirmaleswaran and a team of Ivy League–trained engineers who transitioned from purely technical problem-solving to exploring the emotional depth of art and literature. Influenced by New York’s vibrant creative scene and global storytelling traditions, the team set out to merge artistic excellence with advanced hardware. Their mission is to design products that transform ordinary moments into meaningful experiences—an ambition embodied in the booktok ART AI ArtClock on kickstarter.