Focus Brick: Magnetic NFC Phone Screentime Tag

Turn your smartphone into a dumbphone by gating time-wasting apps behind an NFC tap on this physical tag. Less than a dollar's worth of plastic, magnets, and the NFC tag and can be used with Free Open Source Software like Foqos, versus the $60 "Brick" product with closed-source app. Easy decision!I was originally going to make the text FOQOS instead but it looked silly.

Extra items needed:

Product links to Amazon are affiliate links; if you find this model useful and need supplies, I'd appreciate you buying through the link to support my efforts at no extra cost to you. I always link the exact items I used during the make so it goes together flawlessly!

• (QTY 7x) 5mm x 2mm round magnets

• (QTY 1x) 25mm writeable NFC tag

• (QTY ~) Super Glue AKA Cyanoacrylate Glue

Recommended FOSS Screentime Apps:

• Foqos for iPhone

• Switchly for Android

Printing Tips:

I had trouble getting the text to come out nicely with my 0.4mm nozzle. Here's what I arrived at to get the results in the example images, even with tricky woodfill PLA.

• Pauses and color changes:

  • Pause @ 2.80mm to insert magnets and a drop of CA glue.

  • Color change @ 8.80mm for colored text. Insert NFC tag prior to resuming.

  • Color change @9.20mm back to original body color.

• Profile and modified parameters:

  • 0.4mm nozzle with 0.2mm Quality profile in PrusaSlicer. Modify:

    • Layers and Perimeters

      • Seam position --> Random

      • Scarf joint placement --> Everywhere

      • Perimeter generator --> Classic (fills in gaps near the letters better)

    • Advanced:

      • Infill/perimeters overlap --> 50% (fills in gaps near the letters better)

      • Slice gap closing radius --> .0001mm

Added “FOCUS” text to the model.