Sometimes a greeting card just can’t get the job done. It’s nice for the recipient to be reminded of the message long after the card has gotten lost. Expressaló offers a gift with a greeting. These cute little creatures come in boxes with such Hallmarkian tropes as “I don’t know how… But I want to say SORRY!” and “I would give you my heart… But it’s already YOURS!” with a little creature inside. One love-expressing Expressaló goes for an early $12 or regular $16 donation on Kickstarter. Expressaló hopes to raise $20,000 in a 40-day campaign.
Month: May 2014
The Premise. Everyone wants an automated home that they can control with their phone or even one that can sense what needs to be turned on or off without any user input. Dozens of companies promise this feature, but one wants to really deliver on the mixture of functionality and ease of use.
The Product. SAM is a smart outlet that comes in both single-plug and power strip varieties. Using environmental sensors to monitor time of day, temperature, electrical usage, motion, and light, SAM can be programmed to control any kind of product plugged into its outlets. Additionally, SAM can be controlled using an app to know if a device has been left on or not, or to start it while away from the home.
The Pitch. The idea of having a little kid act out the part of SAM and take care of the home while the adults are out working and celebrating a romantic anniversary is pretty creative. Of course, the actual product itself is more high-tech and less human, but the functioning principles are the same. Getting a chance to see the SAM app and how easy it can be to control any kind of device remotely or even without any user feedback beyond the initial programming phase is what makes this product so enticing. SensePlug.io, the creator of SAM, needs $75,000 primarily for tooling and appropriate certification.
The Perks. Single-outlet SAM plugs are available in black or white for $49. The SAM Strip with three outlets is available for $109. Both items will be delivered in November 2014. A beta option with early production units of the Plug and the Strip will be out in September for backers who pledge $299. A “full house” tier is available as a 10-pack for $450.
The Potential. Smart plugs or outlets like these are pretty much the backbone on which home automation is founded on these days, so the concept of SAM is nothing new. Watching the videos and getting to see SAM in action however, it seems like a great step forward for the concept. Based on how programmable the plugs and power strips are, complete with multiple sensors for conditions, full overrides, and the ability to communicate with one another, SAM seems like the simplest, most effective solution for smart plugs. There have certainly been other efforts that are gaining some momentum, like Belkin’s WeMo for example, but the execution here is what elevates SAM to the next level.
Most workouts are centered around the idea that muscles must tear in order to become strengthened. This can be hard on the joints and making muscle training long and tedious. TITIN offers muscle tear-free workouts with its weighted shorts, which will join their already successful weighted shirt. The black, sweat-wicking shorts protect the muscles and joints while working out so that they can become stronger. One pair of TITIN shorts costs jacked backers $99 with expected delivery in September 2014. TITIN hopes to raise $100,000 in its 30-day Kickstarter campaign, but should really have a stretch goal after its workout.
Going out to socialize isn’t the same as it was even a decade ago. With smartphones and social media, most people out in the bar or the club have their phone up the whole time to check messages or take pictures, not notice the people around them. Firefly is a wearable LED band that checks messages and sends out Facebook profiles and common interests, lighting up with a specific pattern if someone else in the area has similar interests, allowing them to meet and talk face to face. In terms of design and functionality, the Firefly is similar to Wave, but adds the pivotal local matchmaking element. Firefly will hit the town in October and is available for $69.
Increasingly there has been a push for office employees to work standing up instead of sitting down. This is supposed to increase health as well as productivity and we’ve already seen a number of products aimed at this goal, like the Stand Desk and ChairBot. Similarly, the StorkStand is a mobile desk that easily attaches to the back of any office chair. It provides a sturdy surface to work from that can hold up to 50 pounds. The wooden stand features a mobile phone holder and also folds up, making it extremely portable. One StorkStand costs early backers $129 or $149 at a regular price of $179 with estimated delivery in October 2014. This mobile desk hopes to raise $50,000 in a 35-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Premise. The internet of Things continues to boom with smart this and smart that, but these products should do more than just talk with the cloud, internet, or social media. They should talk to each other in an integrated way.
The Product. Designed at its core to cooperate with each other, the MADICE smart camera and smart watch are pocket-sized, sturdy devices that bring a wide range of features in a small, wearable package. Both products offer 3G connectivity, quad core processors, and resistance to water and dust. The camera offers 13 megapixel resolution and has the ability to stream video live over 3G to any device, including the MADICE smart watch itself. Combined, these Android devices can display 1080p high-definition video, run standard Android apps, with the added bonus of the smart camera functioning on its own.
The Pitch. MADICE is a team comprised of creative individuayls from artists to musicians and more, so the campaign for the device is framed naturally to a similar market. The MADICE sells itself as a powerful hands-free tool that can give complete control over a phone or capture the creative spark with pictures nad video. MADICE wants to raise $30,000 to finalize the mobile app for the smart pair and to test and optimize the firmware and hardware.
The Perks. The MADICE smart camera is available for pledges of $139, the smart watch for $189, and the pair for $309. All are expected to ship out at the end of the year. Each item is also available with a 64GB variant compared to the standard 32, for $329 and $379 for camera and watch, respectively.
The Potential. The built-in 3G on these devices make them really great for streaming live video or events as they happen. The overall design is a bit plain, reminiscent of the boxy calculator watches of the 1980s, but the internal power and capabilities of the MADICE smart watch are tempting alone. Paired with the smart camera to create the advertised “smart pair,” that only opens up new opportunities for MADICE to carve out a niche in the already crowded market of smart watches and digital cameras. Without the pair, the devices are certainly powerful, but not so much that they stand high above the competition.
Selective hearing is about to go from being a figure of speech to a new reality. Smart Earplug offers the option of controlling sound that’s being blocked. Through the use of a built-in sliding window, users can gradually decrease or increase the sound that is impacting their eardrums. Whether it’s a noisy work environment, a rock concert, air travel or parents seeking peace and quiet from noisy kids, volume controlled earplugs let users decide how loud is too loud. For $18, backers can get the early bird special of one pair with an expected delivery of August 2014.
The Premise. The more options viewers have to interact with traditional video content, the more likely they are to make a connection with that content. 3D glasses have been around for more than half a century, and having to rely on a tablet for supplemental data takes viewers out of the action, so what’s the next logical step? The Product. Invisivision isn’t far off from current-era 3D theater glasses in terms of look and style, but the flip-up lenses offer something that 3D doesn’t even compare to. With the Invisivision technology, videos can provide two different sets of visuals for those looking through the glasses and those that aren’t. From subtitles to completely unique camera angles, hidden content can come in all forms with Invisivision. The applications for the technology will work with movie theaters, televisions, and video games as well. The Pitch. It’s easy to tell right off the bat that Invisivision creators PipeDream Interactive are all about entertainment and making an experience fun. The quirky, high-energy video featuring the company’s CEO, CFO, and COO also showcases the different functions Invisivision can bring to a cinematic or broadcast viewing experience. The campaign video features the acting talents of JP Manoux, and the film created by PipeDream to demo this technology will feature Manoux as well as Aaron Ashmore. PipeDream needs $200,000 CAD to make their pitch to the major movie companies of the world as firm as possible. The Perks. For $25 CAD, supporters can get their own pair of Invisivision glasses complete with a protective case. If something more subtle than blue and green is wanted, limited frame color options are available at the $50 CAD level. The Potential. While the technology for the Invisivision glasses is easy to get excited about , it has a few obstacles ahead of it. First is the North American practice of getting glasses at the showing of any 3D or special screening movies, not bringing an owned pair for home. Second is the hurdle in getting filmmakers to adopt the technology – the PipeDream Interactive team is making their own film, but others may be slow to follow suit. Something like these glasses could be great for cooperative gaming or certain kinds of television viewing, and it will take time and those bold enough to experiment to give Invisivision a proper place in the market.
For those who enjoy the great outdoors, or who just find peace of mind in emergency preparedness, the Survivor Signal Rescue Panel (SSR) will make a nice addition to their supplies. The 26” x 26” square is high-visibility orange on one side, and water resistant mylar on the other. It can be used to help prevent hypothermia or sun poisoning, and also functions as a signaling panel during the day, as well as at night when a flashlight shines through it to name just a few features. For $40, backers get one product with an expected delivery of August 2014.
For those who like a desk that’s as versatile as it is functional, Frey Desk is about as multifaceted and modular as it gets. It can be just a desk that holds a computer and printer for journalistic types, an easel for artist types, drafting table for engineer and architect types, or standing table when just tired of sitting. The unit includes an adjustable shelf and is touted as being mobile, but at seven feet tall, one might need a truck if transporting it to a work site. The $471 early bird special has an expected delivery of August 2014.