We're all used to checking our phones
for the time these days, so in many places, clocks have become as
much a piece of decoration as an essential device. That's not the
case everywhere, of course, as schools, factories, and other
facilities still use clocks in their hallways and shop floors. You
can imagine that these days, wall clock technology has improved to
the point where the clocks set themselves. What you may not know is
how one company is using clockmaking to train and offer jobs to
people with certain disabilities.
Atomic radio controlled clocks rely on
a radio signal that can reach across the continental United States.
The clock receives the signal and makes daily adjustments so the time
is always correct and never runs too fast or slow. All you do is pop
in a battery, set the time zone and find a place that works. Since it
does need to receive the signal to work, some locations with a lot of
electrical equipment (like hospitals) or buildings with metal roofs
may not work right (and depending on where the signal comes in, it
may need to be switched to a north-south wall or an east-west wall or
vice versa), but the general rule is that if you get cell phone
reception in a location, the clock will work there. This is important
for large facilities, as keeping clocks accurate and changing them
twice a year can be a huge burden on maintenance staff. Even if a
radio-controlled clock doesn't work for your location, Chicago Lighthouse does offer several clocks that are programmed to
automatically go forward or back an hour when Daylight Savings Time
begins and ends (which November 1, by the way).
Chicago Lighthouse is one of the
leading manufacturers of radio-controlled and selfset clocks, and is
a worthy company to support due to their mission. It's a
not-for-profit agency that offers job training skills to people who
are blind or visually impaired. All of their products are made in the
US, and their line of clocks are produced by employees with
disabilities and serve as a major part of their vocational service
and training operations.
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