Month: January 2014

Categories
Connected Objects Health and Wellness

QardioArm puts blood pressure readings on your handset

The Premise. Many people have to monitor their own blood pressures multiple times daily due to various medical conditions. The means having a bulky blood pressure cuff with them, which can be unsightly and to some, embarrassing.

The Product. QardioArm revolutionizes not only the look of a blood pressure cuff, but also the usability and feasibility. The company has created a product that is sleek and doesn’t look out of place in a work bag or purse, while simultaneously creating a product that brings blood pressure monitoring into the digital age. The QardioArm can connect via Bluetooth to your iPhone, where it syncs the data with its secure cloud storage system. You can then share the information with your family or doctor, if you choose.

The Pitch. The video for the $100,000 campaign is professionally shot and features not only the developers but a physician who speaks to the merit of the product. After a brief personal story of how the item came to be, the video shows various stages of product, usage, and puts the QardioArm in a series of shots that are the contents of peoples’ bags, to show it doesn’t look out of place.  The text gives more information and details, as well as a brief few sentences about an upcoming product that is a wearable EKG monitor that will work through the same system.

The Perks. For $85, a backer gets an early bird special price on a QardioArm, and for $160, a backer receives two. However, the company is also marketing to physicians and hospitals, and offers five QardioArms for $400 and 100 for $7500. That shows forward thinking and a great way to reach out to the medical community. The product offers perks for those who have to track their health, but one drawback may be the security these devices provide. By linking to a cloud and to doctor’s offices, there is a chance of hacking and so forth.

The Potential QardioArm follows earlier connected blood pressure monitors such as those from Withings and iHealth that attached directly to the iPhone, but makes improvements in terms of portability and Bluetooth connectivity. Making blood pressure readings more convenient, even consumers who have not been diagnosed with high blood pressure may be incentivized to do so and gain greater insights into their health.

Categories
Automotive Connected Objects

Freematics dishes driving data to developers

FreematicsWhat do you get when you cross the hobbyist Arduino platform with Bluetooth and  the On-Board Diagnostics (OBD-II) port found in every vehicle? Nobody really knows yet, but the developers of Freematics (a portmanteau of “free” and “telematics” aim to find out by opening up the combination to open source developers. One thing’s that certain is that the device can handle a lot of data about your car’s vital statistics such as its speed and engine RPMs. Turning that into something more meaningful for people will be left to developers who will be the main audience for the data collector. Freematics should be available in March 2014 to backers who pledge at least $89 AUD.

Categories
Automotive Connected Objects

Truvolo plugs in to vehicle diagnostics

The Premise. Technology is fabulous. Alas, we still do not have flying cars, but if we do you can bet they’ll be connected to our smartphones. In the meantime, car manufacturers are focused on connecting gravity-bound automobiles.

The Product. Truvolo is a small device which plugs into your car’s data port along with a smartphone app that collects data from the device and sends it to a secure cloud-based platform. The device, which plugs into a car’s on-board diagnostics (OBD-II) connector can clue you in to problems, help optimize gas mileage, and send alerts for unsafe driving. Being connected, it also provides several car-related services such as regular maintenance reminders, alerts when it’s time to fill the gas tank, alternate routes when traffic is heavy and an organization system which helps account for trips for business and separate them from personal travels.

The Pitch. Jaideep Jain, co-founder and CEO lays out the need for Truvolo in a straightforward video in which he also explains that the project was inspired as his son approached legal driving age. He thinks of Truvolo as “the place to go for everything car-related.” He explains that Truvolo can help make you and a safer driver by providing feedback on driver performance in addition to location information. He claims that in the future, Truvolo will even be able to block texting while driving. Other than the video, the campaign on Indiegogo features a link to the various press Truvolo has garnered to date in addition to some partial screen shots of the app.

The Perks. This project has many, many reward tiers starting at $30 for the most basic level of support with a corresponding reward of a Truvolo tee and letter of thanks. The first 150 people to donate $89 can become either an “early bird” or “beta tester” of the Truvolo device and app, with beta testers receiving the product about two months in advance of other audiences. Other tiers escalate to increasing amounts of product and rewards which include dinner with the founders (transportation excluded) and for $6,000 you can even become a “development partner.” According to the posted project schedule, units will complete beta testing in May and start shipping to Indiegogo supporters in June 2014.

The Potential. While there’s no doubt in the potential for a new connected standard for future vehicles, the concrete benefits to a product like Truvolo remain somewhat unclear for now. Similar products like Zubie and Automatic are already available in the market and it’s difficult to see how Truvolo will differentiate itself. Most people already know how to be safer drivers — slow down, use caution, stop fully at stop signs, etc. But there’s something to be said for hard evidence. If Truvolo can’t leverage that to change driver behavior, it may be seen as just an expensive way to remind yourself to get an oil change.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Chargers/Batteries

I’m Tidy keeps Lightning cables wound, iPhone off ground

TidyPhoneCordWrapApple did a great job with the AC adapter for its laptops, which allow you to wrap the cords around them for more organized travel. Alas, the company passed on that opportunity with the iPhone, leaving no great options for tucking away its Lightning cable, an issue others have tackled. The I’m Tidy is a small silicone covering for Apple’s standard iPhone wall charger that allows you to wrap your lightning connector around it. As a bonus, it will support your iPhone upright atop the wall charger when it’s plugged in. The bit of silicone is expected to ship in June 2014 for backers for $25 CAD after the early bird tier runs out.

Categories
Home

King Concealment hides valuables in wall, won’t help your chess game

The Premise. Home burglaries are a real concern in the U.S. Safes are used to hide valuables, but aren’t always easily accessible. Everyday items like smartphones, tablets and other valuables don’t get stored in safes because it isn’t realistic or convenient to keep them there.

The Product. King Concealment is a box that mounts into the wall and is concealed with a framed photograph. There are two kinds of boxes, both 15”x18”. The starter-box ($39) doesn’t come with a frame to conceal the box, but one can easily use her own photo to do so. The king-box ($79)  includes a frame and slider tracks so that the photo can be moved easily. The frame comes either in mahogany or black.

The Pitch. The Kickstarter campaign’s video features a dramatization of a slow-moving burglar in a gray leather jacket and wool gloves snatching various items around the house. His slinky demeanor and 1940’s burglar-like mannerisms make the video hilarious in an unexpected way. Braeden Cuff, King Concealment’s creator, spends the remainder of the video talking about his passion to help minimize the destruction a burglary can cause. The rest of the campaign gives clear prices for his product and tips for installation, which is definitely handy for the not-so-handyman. Cuff hopes to raise $15,000 for the product, for which a Web site is already up and running.

The Perks. An early bird special pledge of $39 includes a start-up box and shipping costs. From there, a higher tier is $99 and includes a king-box, choice of frame color and $20 for shipping. Cuff has an estimated availability of March to April 2014.

The Potential. There are already diversion safes out there that resemble household items such as shaving cream cans and bibles that hide things in plain sight. The King Concealment box has more room than these, but is clearly less convenient to install. On the other hand, home safes are expensive and can even attract burglars to some extent. Cuff says that his wall boxes are perfect for storing handguns. The case for access might be strong, but guns should really be locked up. However, the boxes are perfect for other valuables one wants accessible — that is, unless a potential perpetrator happens to catch you accessing it.

Categories
Aquatics

Off’n’Up makes getting out of your wetsuit as smooth as your wetsuit

The Premise. If you’ve ever tried to get yourself out of a wetsuit after a day at the beach, chances are you know that it’s not quite as easy as it looks. It’s an awkward task to take on, especially when you get down to the legs of the suit. For those who spend a lot of time in the water, this can be a nuisance standing between you and the next part of your fun day outdoors.

The Product. Laura Taylor of Galway, Ireland has created what she’s calling the world’s first patented wetsuit removal tool, and while it’s not the most attractive-looking thing in the world, it appears to work quite well. Essentially a foot long metal “gripper” with a plastic handle and head, the Off’n’Up works by running the shoehorn-like product against your leg, during which the plastic piece grabs the wetsuit material and pulls it down to your feet. The project’s campaign page states that there’s no other product like it on the market, and it is indeed hard to find anything similar out there. It not only lets you remove the wetsuit efficiently, but while standing. And as a bonus, it can also double as a hanger for the wetsuit.

The Pitch. The campaign video starts off by having a young man flail around on the ground demonstrating just how difficult it is to get out of a wetsuit after being in the water. This is followed by the company’s founder speaking about the history of the product. The description accurately walks the viewer through how to use the product, but the tone fails to really capture much excitement associated not only with the fun activities one can engage in while in a wetsuit, but the opportunity to get on with things after one is out of one.

The Perks. Early adopters of the Off’n’Up can do so for an entry price of $50 (the prototypes will be shipping in July). Considering that the Off’n’Up may find daily use with some people, the price itself is manageable, if a bit high. For those who only wear a wetsuit on occasion, however, it’s difficult to justify making such a purchase. Other perks (guided adventures with the founder, for example) are offered at much higher prices, with a five-day Ireland adventure for 2 clocking in at just under $900.

The Potential. There’s really nothing out on the market that serves the same purpose as the Off’n’Up, but it’s a bit pricey for such a limited-use product. Even among those who wear wetsuits often enough to find a strong need for it would likely find it an awkward implement to bring along. A collapsible version, though, would be a more compelling option for separating a wetsuit — and some funds — from a prospective buyer.

Categories
Connected Objects Maker/Development

Postifier notifies of letter delivery, won’t scream, “You’ve got mail!”

PostifierOne of the benefits of digital communications that we take for granted is the (optional) notification of new messages. Postifier brings what many have a love-hate relationship with to physical mailboxes via a Bluetooth-Arduino mashup. While there’s an element of “because we can” to the product, the creators appeal to the utility for those who have a hard time getting around having to go down to the driveway to pick up their mail. Another option would be to ask neighbors to pick up mail when one is on vacation. However, the Postifier uses Bluetooth, so notification is confined to a relatively short range for now. On theo other hand, the battery is expected to last around nine months. It’s not much to look at now, but should be available to backers in June 2014 for $35 AUD plus another $10 for shipping outside of Australia.

Categories
Fitness

RST training glove punches up hit accuracy, timing

The Premise. Muhammad Ali once said that he was so fast, he could flip the light switch in his room and be in bed before the room was dark. While maybe a little shy of the 300 million meters per second, he was still able to dodge 21 punches in 10 seconds.  The Greatest have been even greater, though,  had he access to the advanced training tools of today — including ones that are putting a digital twist on tried-and-true methods.

The Product: Reflex Strike Technology (RST) is the training glove from the future. Using adjustable lights, a built-in reflect stopwatch, punch counter, and successful strike beeps, the RST training gloves give realtime assessments to the trainer and allow the fighter to prepare for the spontaneity of a realistically unpredictable fight. With RST, fighters can practice with the same intensity of an actual fight, and have a distinct advantage over their opponent in terms of preparation.

The Pitch. The video shows the RST in action as a young boxer squares off with her trainer. From the video, the mitts look well-made, and it’s easy for the fighter to see the lights and throw the appropriate punch that the trainer dictates. RST creator Jermaine Simpkins goes into great depth about the RST in the written description on how he has combined his passion of teaching youth fighters with the technology of his product. He comes off as passionate and honest about all the RST’s strengths and downfalls, leaving the buyer no doubts about what they’re buying if the campaign can reach its $12,000 goal.

The Perks. The price is steep but the reasoning is honest. Simpkins explains that the gloves offer slightly more than the most expensive gloves on the market. Therefore, the fundamental gloves for beginners will cost $219 and the advanced version with punch count, reflex test, and training features costs $399. He expects the delivery of the fundamental gloves to arrive in February 2014, and the advanced pair to arrive in May.

The Potential. It’s great to see that Simpkins is passionate about evolving the resources that fighters have available, and it’s a good foundation for future improvement. However, Simpkins notes his product’s own downfalls such as durability and price. RST is an ambitious product, but the design needs to improve before it’s ready for  production. As the product is refined, it may be more valuable if it measures strength of impact as well.

Categories
Accents

Blub Nixie tube clock designed to glow on you

BlubClockDecades before there were LCD displays, Nixie tubes showed off digits in glowing vacuum glass containers. Their retro appeal and geek cred have led them to adorn the wrist of Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak. And while they’re a tad impractical for such a small timepiece, they have no problem working on the aluminum brick that serves as the base of Blub. Due to ship in backers in May, the clock is more art than functional timepiece, as one would certainly surmise from its $369 AUD price tag. It features a night-time shutoff and an alarm, although you probably shouldn’t try slamming it as you would a snooze button.

Categories
Food and Beverage

Puzzo Susan takes its turn at serving up food flavorings

PuzzoSusan

Lazy Susans have a bit of a problem and it doesn’t stem from their lack of exercise. The longer they wish to extend, the wider their diameter must be. That really ground the gears of Witchita’s Nam H. Le, who has enabled more flexible placement with the Puzzo Susan, a system of wooden toothed wheels and connectors that offers more flexibility in terms of placement. As a bonus, the gears act as coasters. Of course, if someone else’s search for Mrs. Dash moves your desired NuSalt out of the way, you’ll just have to wait your turn. A modular product, Puzzo Susan should be past its teething phase in configurations starting at $50 in February 2014