One of the first topics that comes up in the conversation is the origin of Anjan Katta’s name. He explains that it traces back to the Indian monkey god, Hanuman, who appears in ancient texts like the Ramayana. In Hindu mythology, Hanuman exemplifies devotion, strength, and energy—traits that Anjan’s father believed matched his child’s personality.
Interestingly, this reference underscores a central theme: many cultures, whether in India or China, have myths about monkey gods or Monkey Kings. These archetypes symbolize a higher vantage point and limitless energy, reflecting how a curious, energetic spirit can propel innovation. Anjan’s father was also an early adopter of principles like organic food and circadian rhythm awareness, planting seeds that later blossomed into Anjan’s passion for creating healthier technology.
This cultural inheritance parallels the discussion about older forms of technology being replaced or forgotten. Much like how some cultures preserve ancient myths, some engineering solutions remain hidden under modern hype, only to be rediscovered in times of need.
From Bicycles for the Mind to Slot Machines: A Brief History of Computing
“Computers Are Bicycles for the Mind”
Anjan references a famous Steve Jobs quote: “Computers are like bicycles for our minds.” The idea is that just as a bicycle exponentially increases human efficiency in locomotion, a computer should multiply our abilities to think, communicate, and solve problems. Early computing visionaries like Doug Engelbart and Alan Kay at Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) had this perspective in mind when they invented the mouse, the graphical user interface, and the concept of a desktop on-screen. They believed computing could be a tool for human empowerment.
From Idealism to the Attention Economy
Somewhere along the way, however, we shifted from a culture of “bicycles for the mind” to “slot machines for the mind.” Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok have become incredibly efficient at capturing and holding attention—not necessarily at helping you produce meaningful work. As Anjan and others point out, the algorithms behind these platforms are driven by advertisement revenue, making them tailor content to trigger dopamine spikes, leading many users into endless scrolling behavior.
This shift is no accident. One might argue it is an evolution of capitalism intersecting with digital technology. Wherever there’s a resource—our time, our attention—there’s an economic incentive to exploit it. However, rarely do we stop to consider the hidden costs: lost productivity, damaged mental health, social isolation, and even physical harm due to prolonged exposure to blue light and screen flicker.
Steve Jobs’ Warning: Technology Shaping Our Lives
Few people realize that Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, did not allow his own children to use an iPad or iPhone. Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates have also placed strict limits on their children’s use of social media or mobile devices. This is a striking paradox: the very tech visionaries who manufacture and sell these devices to the public are aware enough of their dangers to keep them away from their own families.
Key Insight: If the people who know the most about these devices are going out of their way to limit them for their loved ones, perhaps everyone else needs to reconsider their own personal and family screen policies.
Whether it’s because they understood how addictive these devices could be or they foresaw neurological impacts, these cautionary tales from Silicon Valley elites reveal a moral quandary: products sold globally as essential lifestyle companions might be causing real harm in ways that are hidden or dismissed.
Blue Light: The Hidden Threat to Health
How Modern Screens Affect Circadian Rhythms
Blue light, especially the kind emitted by smartphones, tablets, and computer screens, can disrupt the human body’s natural circadian rhythms. Our sleep-wake cycle is regulated by sunlight: during daylight hours, the body expects a higher ratio of blue wavelengths, signaling us to be alert. As evening approaches, the sun’s shift in color temperature tells the body to wind down, producing melatonin—a hormone crucial to good sleep.
- Excessive evening blue light suppresses melatonin, impairing sleep quality and duration.
- It contributes to brain fog and poor mood regulation because you never enter deeper sleep cycles consistently.
- Chronic poor sleep correlates with obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
Dr. Jack Kruse, a neurosurgeon cited in the conversation, even argues that blue light may trump food as the number one cause of the modern metabolic and chronic disease crisis. While that claim is provocative, it underscores a significant risk: we are saturated in artificial lighting from dawn to dusk, and many of us rarely see the sun in an unfiltered manner.
From Screen Apnea to Deeper Issues
Another startling phenomenon mentioned is “screen apnea.” Analogous to sleep apnea, where a person briefly stops breathing during sleep, screen apnea refers to shallow breathing or breath-holding patterns that people exhibit when they stare at screens. This may raise cortisol levels, placing users in a sympathetic “fight-or-flight” mode, further contributing to chronic stress and fatigue.
Combine that with:
- Flickering screens (due to pulse-width modulation, or PWM) that can trigger headaches and eyestrain.
- Blue LED backlights that remain present even if you “tint” the screen red (e.g., Apple’s Night Shift mode).
These compounding factors can have real physiological and psychological impacts, even if they’re too subtle to notice on a day-by-day basis.
The Cynicism of Big Tech
Despite knowing about these issues, Big Tech companies—worth trillions of dollars—are in no hurry to fundamentally redesign their devices for better human health. The core reason? Profit incentives.
- Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and MacBook business model revolves around high-resolution, emissive displays that emphasize brightness and intense color saturation.
- Social media platforms monetize user engagement: they need bright, eye-catching interfaces that keep you hooked.
Anjan notes that when pitching his technology or discussing health-forward design, he has often been met with skepticism or outright mockery by venture capitalists and industry insiders. The sentiment is: “Why bother? People are happy to be addicted.” This attitude reveals a “lowest common denominator” approach to consumer products, underpinned by cynicism about human nature.
Yet the conversation also points out that not everyone agrees with this perspective. Some individuals—especially parents—are waking up to the idea that if Steve Jobs didn’t let his own kids use an iPad, maybe they shouldn’t hand an iPad to their toddler.
A “Banality of Evil”: Is There a Conspiracy or Just Bad Incentives?
The phrase “banality of evil,” coined by political theorist Hannah Arendt, highlights that great harm is often perpetrated not by sadistic individuals but by ordinary people following perverse incentives or bureaucratic orders. This dynamic seems to apply to tech:
- A company makes an addictive interface because that’s what shareholders reward.
- Engineers follow instructions and push for optimization, not necessarily questioning the moral or health implications of what they build.
- Consumers mindlessly adopt new devices because they see them as normal and do not realize the possible health toll.
In essence, it doesn’t take a secret conspiracy to create a problematic system. The structure alone—driven by ad revenue and attention economics—can tilt the entire market toward manipulative and unhealthy design choices. Some might call it a form of “mind control,” though it could also just be the natural result of capitalism’s “invisible hand” meeting digital technology.
Beyond the VR Trap: The “Gray Alien Timeline”
Science fiction often warns us about futures where humans become physically weak and mentally passive as machines do more of the labor and thinking. Anjan references anthropologist Michael Masters’ theory on “gray aliens,” hypothesizing that these iconic, emaciated, large-headed figures might be future humans who have evolved (or devolved) away from muscle mass and emotional depth, existing primarily in a hyper-technical or artificial environment.
In the conversation, this is called the “Gray Alien Timeline.” It’s a metaphor for the trajectory in which:
- VR/AR technologies make real-life experiences secondary.
- People cease to go outside, further losing connection with nature.
- The body is neglected, leading to widespread chronic illness.
- Societies become trivial and easy to control through endless streams of digital stimulation.
In such a scenario, people might even welcome their oppression, to reference Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, because it’s comfortable and full of pleasurable distractions. We need only to look at the rise of immersive gaming or social media “doomscrolling” to see the seeds of that future.
Discovering an Alternative: The “Solarpunk” Vision
In contrast to the Gray Alien Timeline, Solarpunk is a literary and artistic movement that envisions a hopeful future blending nature, technology, and community in harmony. Instead of the bleak, neon-lit steel monoliths of cyberpunk, Solarpunk imagines verdant cities powered by renewable energy, where social structures are inclusive and technology respects the rhythms of life and the planet.
Characteristics of a Solarpunk Future
- Green Architecture: Buildings covered in vegetation, harnessing solar energy efficiently.
- Decentralized Systems: Energy, internet, and data storage become community-driven, removing reliance on a handful of corporate gatekeepers.
- Balance of Tech & Nature: Technology is used judiciously to enhance life, rather than becoming a 24/7, hyper-immersive crutch.
Anjan’s “Daylight Computer” appears to fit into this Solarpunk ethos, aiming to harness the beneficial aspects of modern computing while minimizing or eliminating the destructive ones.
Building Daylight Computer: Resurrecting Old Japanese Tech
How Reflective Screens Work
At the heart of Anjan’s invention is reflective display technology—think of a page of paper rather than a flashlight shining into your eyes. Traditional smartphones, laptops, and tablets use emissive displays (LCD, LED, OLED). They fight ambient light by producing brighter backlight, which can strain your eyes and introduce a host of health issues. On the other hand, e-ink (like the Amazon Kindle) is reflective, but historically too slow to handle dynamic tasks like scrolling web pages or running typical apps efficiently.
The Daylight Computer tries to solve these limitations:
- High-speed refresh: Instead of the sluggish 1-2 frames-per-second common to e-ink, the Daylight Computer’s custom tech can achieve speeds closer to regular tablets, allowing for full interactivity.
- Adaptable Backlight: The screen is primarily reflective, but it includes an optional, flicker-free warm backlight that can be dialed to zero blue light.
Flicker-Free, Blue-Light-Free Lighting
Even in “Night Mode” or “Dark Mode,” standard devices rely on blue LEDs at the hardware level. They dim or tint those LEDs through software, never fully eliminating the harmful wavelengths or flicker from pulse-width modulation (PWM). By contrast:
- Daylight Computer uses a special LED arrangement that can run purely on amber LEDs.
- The brightness is DC-driven so it doesn’t flicker.
- You can even “split” between white/blue LED for daytime use (if you want some beneficial daytime blue light) and a pure amber spectrum at night.
The crucial piece is that these features are baked in at the hardware level, not just “painted over” through software filters.
Why Flicker-Free Matters
- PWM flicker can cause headaches or subtle eye strain, especially in sensitive individuals.
- Over long durations (such as 8+ hours a day for knowledge workers), this can contribute to chronic fatigue and a sense of anxious overstimulation.
Implications for Kids, Parents, and Education
One of the largest interest groups for a device like this are parents who don’t want to hand their children an addictive iPad or smartphone. Traditional tablets are designed with:
- Super bright displays
- Endless apps and notifications
- Quick dopamine feedback loops
Kids often become attached to the device as a source of constant stimulation, which leads to tantrums and meltdown moments when you take it away. By contrast, the Daylight Computer’s reflective display is just engaging enough to be more fun than, say, staring at a blank wall, but not so stimulating that a child will avoid playing outside or with friends.
School Districts around the world are also reconsidering phone and screen usage among students due to concerns about rising rates of myopia (nearsightedness) and ADHD. In several countries, including parts of China, Australia, and some U.S. states, legislation is introduced to ban or limit smartphones in schools. A reflective, minimal-distraction device might be the compromise—allowing students to read, complete assignments, and do research without the typical pitfalls of bright, addictive devices.
From Tablets to Phones: A New Ecosystem
Rethinking the Software Stack
Modern operating systems—iOS, Android, Windows—are built around data-hungry ecosystems. Even if you set all your privacy controls, the underlying design might still:
- Collect usage patterns to inform ad targeting
- Store personal data on central servers (e.g., Apple iCloud or Google Drive)
- Use notification structures that keep you returning to the device
Anjan’s next vision is to build a more Sovereign or decentralized software stack. This could involve:
- Decentralized Identity: Tools like DID, Nostr, or others that put user identity under personal control rather than corporate servers.
- P2P (Peer-to-Peer) Storage: Instead of iCloud or Google Photos, your data could be stored cryptographically across a network of peers. It’s reminiscent of blockchain solutions where multiple nodes ensure reliability, and no single point of failure (or single point of control) exists.
Challenges and Opportunities
This is a radical departure from the Apple and Google duopoly. Building a phone that carriers support, that works with major texting standards, and that the average consumer finds comfortable is a tall order. The Walled Garden approach from Apple, including iMessage, locks in a huge user base. Yet:
- Parents might embrace a phone that’s minimal, has a super-long battery life (the tablet’s battery already lasts up to 62 hours of continuous reading), and is guaranteed to be flicker-free.
- Health-conscious consumers might adopt a phone that helps them maintain circadian rhythms, especially if the phone easily toggles between low or zero blue light.
- A segment of professionals—lawyers, writers, traders—who need to read a lot might find the reflective display a productivity boost.
In effect, the device may serve as a “gateway” that helps more people transition out of the Big Tech ecosystem, at least part-time (e.g., a “nighttime phone” that won’t disrupt sleep).
Conclusion: Charting a Healthier Technological Future
Humanity now faces an existential fork in the road:
- Option A: Continue with the “Gray Alien Timeline.” We build increasingly addictive, immersive screens, from smartphones to VR headsets, overshadowing the real world and leading to potential spiritual and physical decline.
- Option B: Find a third path, reminiscent of “Solarpunk,” where technology supports human life rather than dominating it.
Anjan Katta’s Daylight Computer is a tangible experiment in forging that new path. By resurrecting old Japanese reflective display technology and combining it with modern, high-speed computation and an optional flicker-free, blue-light-free backlight, it offers a glimpse of how technology might be reimagined to respect human biology.
Key Takeaways
- Blue Light’s Underestimated Impact: Chronic exposure, especially at night, drastically harms our sleep, hormones, and overall health.
- Baked-In Addiction: Modern digital interfaces are often built to keep our eyes glued, thanks to ad-driven algorithms.
- Industry Paradox: Visionaries like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg severely limit their children’s device usage—shouldn’t that give the rest of us pause?
- Reflective Display Solutions: Screens that behave more like paper could mitigate many of the issues of eyestrain, circadian disruption, and addictive visuals.
- A Real Alternative: Building a new ecosystem is challenging but not impossible. With enough grassroots support from parents, health advocates, and concerned citizens, it can be done.
In many ways, the question isn’t “Can we?” but “Will we?” Silicon Valley’s massive sunk investments in emissive screen technology keep them from pivoting easily. But as awareness grows, so do the demands for healthier, more purposeful devices.
A Final Call to Action
- Audit Your Screen Habits: Pay attention to how many hours you spend in front of emissive screens. Consider turning your phone on airplane mode earlier in the evening, using red-light filters or physically limiting your time on distracting apps.
- Explore Reflective Technologies: Whether it’s reading on an e-reader or investigating a new generation of paper-like devices, see how your eyes and brain feel after using them.
- Support Alternative Tech: If the Daylight Computer or similar devices resonate with you, consider investing in or purchasing them, helping the ecosystem mature.
- Advocate for Health: Share insights on blue light’s effects and potential solutions with friends, family, and community members—especially those with children.
- Stay Curious: The future belongs to those willing to question defaults and explore new possibilities.
Ultimately, we all play a role in shaping which technological timeline emerges. If we choose convenience and maximum stimulation at every turn, we risk drifting closer to that “Gray Alien” existence. But if we demand and support more mindful innovations—technology that celebrates our biological rhythms, fosters real connection, and respects privacy—we can help steer humanity toward a healthier, more balanced way of life.
Appendix: Further Reading & References
- “Amusing Ourselves to Death” by Neil Postman
- Explores how television and modern media drown critical thought in trivialities. The introduction contrasting 1984 with Brave New World is especially poignant.
- Hannah Arendt: “Banality of Evil”
- Arendt’s work on how ordinary bureaucrats facilitated atrocities under totalitarian regimes. Emphasizes that evil can occur through thoughtless participation in harmful structures.
- Michael Masters, Anthropologist
- Presents the theory that “gray aliens” could be future humans who have evolved to adapt to heavily technological (and possibly off-world) living conditions.
- Jack Kruse, Neurosurgeon
- Speaks extensively on the link between circadian biology, blue light, and overall disease risk.
- Solarpunk
- A design and literary genre envisioning eco-friendly, community-driven futures.
- Reflective Display Technologies
- Research from Japan, Taiwan, the Netherlands, and Germany has contributed incremental breakthroughs in making “electronic paper” displays faster and more responsive.
