Month: July 2016

Categories
Connected Objects

Keep your digital eye on the stove at all times with TOCH Smarturns

In the home, everyone has the expectation of being safe. But dangers, however controlled, can still find ways to strike. This is especially true in the kitchen, where the majority of fires are caused by unattended cooking. There are devices that make fridges and washers smarter: the TOCH Smarturns does the same for stoves.

patent-claimedTOCH Smarturns automatically monitors the activity within the area around a stove when the burners are on by replacing one of its knobs with an intelligent one and working together with a motion sensor. When a user walks away from the stove for an extended period while the burners are still on, the system will first alert them through an alarm from the separately connected hub along with a mobile phone notification to return to the unattended stove.

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Categories
Connected Objects Kids/Babies Sleep

Suzy Snooze helps Suzy –- and everybody else –- get some sleep

Every parent wants their babies to get some sleep because if an infant doesn’t sleep, the adults don’t either.

patent-claimedSuzy Snooze is a three-in-one device that uses light and sound to soothe kids to sleep — helping their parents get some sleep in the process — and also helps wake kids up. Suzy evolves with children through their early years — serving as first a baby monitor, then a lullaby nightlight, and then a toddler sleep trainer. It plugs into a wall socket and comes with U.S., U.K. and European adapters.

Suzy works out of the box, but also in conjunction with a mobile device app that allows parents to control the device’s functions remotely, including whether to leave the nightlight on or off.

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Categories
Imaging Robots/Drones

Forget boring 2-in-1s: the DRONOID 3-in-1 drone is where it’s at

Playing with technology is a fantastic way to encourage kids to learn. Most of the time, though, these educational opportunities keep children indoors, marring otherwise positive development within the confines of a small classroom.

No one said the wonders of technology and the great outdoors are mutually exclusive. In fact, the team behind the DRONOID modular drone is trying to make the case with its newest creation. The modular drone can be converted into three separate vehicles: a rover with large wheels to quickly cover distance, a tread-equipped tank that can cover all kinds of difficult terrain and, of course, a flying drone to take awesome photos with using an optional HD camera attachment.

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Categories
Connected Objects Imaging

The Nico360’s tiny frame streams everything around you

From action sports to brand activations, there is really nowhere 360° doesn’t work. It’s enjoyable, effective, and adds a new dimension to family outings, sporting events, and a bunch other gatherings and get together. And while the equipment needed to produce quality 360° footage is shrinking, there’s always the possibility for even smaller form factors.

Jim Huang out of Hong Kong is chasing the very smallest form factor with the Nico360, a square-shaped camera that packs a lot into its tiny size. Its crowning achievement is a 32MP sensor that allows for 1440p WQHD 360° video recording that, combined with a 5G Wi-Fi radio, allows users to live stream 360° video.

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Categories
Imaging

Vitrima turns your GoPro camera into 3D recording device

Shooting stereoscopic 3D video with an existing 2D camera would be a nice feature to have. But most cameras aren’t designed to do that and achieving a stereoscopic 3D effect typically requires two separate cameras, plus additional software to stitch the two videos together.

patent-claimedVitrima is a stereoscopic 3D lens that connects to a GoPro camera via the camera’s standard housing that comes pre-attached to the lens. The lens transforms the camera into a 3D recording device without the need for another camera or special software. It uses mirrors to create the 3D natively in the camera. Another nice feature is that Vitrima is waterproof.

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Connected Objects

Connected Bagel tape measure is high on functionality, low in carbs

In 2016, every single thing we come across is more than likely connected to the internet. Over the last few years, the crowdfunding world has made sure of that, touching everything from the kitchen oven to thermoses. One outlier is measuring tape, a tool people still use every single day for pretty important reasons despite its unwieldiness.

Bagel Labs, Inc. is out to right this oversight with its charmingly-named Bagel connected tape measure. The cleanly designed tool three measuring modes, voice memo capability, and mobile app connectivity for a device that’s simple to use. The String mode is the first, used to measure short distances along lines and curves and around corners. The self-titled Wheel mode is perfect for irregular and odd-shaped surfaces and can be used with one hand to measure up to 33 feet. Finally, the Remote mode takes advantage of a laser pointer and the device’s built-in standing support to perfectly measure straight distances to objects too far out of reach.

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Categories
Imaging Maker/Development

I’m Back camera back adds digital functionality to your film camera

Digital cameras became the standard for professional photographers years ago, but many still have film cameras for which they’d like to have digital functionality.

patent-claimedI’m Back is a digital camera back based on thin Raspberry Pi single-board computers that attaches to film cameras and allows users to transfer photos directly to the Internet via a browser send feature and also receive emails. It connects to wireless devices via Bluetooth. Other features include a touchscreen TFT display. I’m back ships in December. Future pricing isn’t set yet, but its maker says he hopes to sell it for $199 or less. He hopes to raise $22,714 by July 21.

The concept is a good one and not without precedent. But it’s not clear just how many consumers beyond photo enthusiast film purists there are who wouldn’t rather just use their smartphone to take a photo if they want to make use of digital functions … or just buy a digital camera instead of I’m Back. The biggest issue for now, however, is that it’s not clear just what cameras the camera back is even compatible with. Its maker says only that I’m Back works with “a great number of models.”

 

Categories
Connected Objects Cycling

The BluBel connected bike bell gives routes a familiar ring

Cycling is one of life’s great joys, especially because it’s free to do and offers cyclists who do it often a wide-range of health benefits. However, getting from A to B hasn’t always been the easiest part of it all, forcing those on the move to stop to consult a map or a smartphone for directions, ultimately ruining the fun.

Blubel is a satellite navigation system built within a bike bell. Riders input their destination into Blubel’s companion iOS/Android app and leads riders to their destination using a set of LEDs. On the way, a set of lights indicates a right turn and another indicates a left turn, both of which are prefaced by an audible ping to indicate one is coming up. When close to a destination, a steady LED lights up and acts as a compass. What sets Bluebel apart, though, is its crowdsourced mapping.

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Categories
Sleep Wearables

SnoreCoach coaches you to sleep to reduce snoring

Snoring is a nuisance for both the person who does it and the partner who sleeps with that person because it can significantly reduce the amount of sleep both people get each night.

patent-claimedSnoreCoach is a small sensor that attaches to the back of the user’s shirt via a Velcro patch and communicates with a companion SnoreTrack iOS app that’s been designed to help change the wearer’s sleep patterns. The app helps users change their sleep patterns by prompting them to sleep in positions that are less conducive to snoring. The patent-pending SnoreTrack’s sound analysis algorithms identify people who snore frequently, and determine whether or not that snoring is likely to respond to more favorable sleep positions.

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Categories
Music

ASome transform your ordinary headset into awesome Bluetooth headset

It would be nice to add Bluetooth functionality to the earphones one already owns and loves to use.

ASome is an audio adapter that attaches to earbuds or headphones and adds Bluetooth functionality that enables them to be used with smartphones and other portable music devices. It comes equipped with a Qualcomm aptX chipset and a 210mAh battery that provides 10 hours of playback on a full charge, its makers say. ASome also features a multi-pairing feature via Bluetooth 4.1, allowing users to connect two devices simultaneously.

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