Author: Michael Radon

Categories
Sensors/IoT Smart Home

Eve smart irrigation system gives plants what they crave

The Premise. Why should the indoors reap all the benefits of automated smart home technology? What homeowners can also use is something that makes their lives easier when it comes to home and garden maintenance, while also cutting back on utility bill costs.

The Product. Eve is a smart yard system that uses real-time data to determine when to water a lawn or plants. The Eve itself is a control panel that can control smart sprinkler systems and monitors weather forecasts to make a decision on whether to water or let mother nature handle the job. Eve’s field operatives are little green ground pegs called Adam sensors, which can be pushed into soil at any location and will monitor soil moisture both at the surface and at the level where a plant’s roots will be. In combination with Eve’s eye on the weather, the Adam sensors report back to Eve to let the system know when a watering is needed. Better still, Adam sensors have a battery life up to one full year without being changed.

The Pitch. Eve comes right out and points out the shortcomings of other outdoor smart watering systems as little more than glorified timers. Getting into further detail about the Zigbee and SmartThings systems that Eve runs on, developer Plaid Systems makes a strong argument for why their product stands as the first truly smart irrigation system. Plaid Systems is raising $75,000 to finance molding and production.

The Perks. Adam sensors start at $55 with $50 added for each additional sensor. The Eve controller can be picked up to support as many as 16 zones for $100, but both Adam and Eve require a SmartThings Hub. To get everything required, the $295 tier bundles an Eve, 1 Adam sensor, and a SmartThings Hub, with the hub arriving in October and the Adam and Eve arriving later in March 2015. Multiple tiers are available offering varying multiples of each product.

The Potential. As the campaign points out immediately, this feels like one of the first smart yard systems, offering a combination of weather data and soil moisture to determine when to water and how much instead of just controlling timers with a smartphone. The requirement of a SmartThings Hub feels more like a setback for most homeowners, save those who are already using the platform and other Zigbee devices in their smart home. The devices can work without the trio assembled, but lack a strong degree of the functionality that will sell people upon looking into Eve and its campaign.

Categories
Cycling

Cyclists will never be stranded on the road with a flat as long as they have a CrankPump

crankpumpWhether it’s a seasoned rider that’s prepared for the worst at all times or a casual cyclist who just likes to ride now and then, nothing sours the experience worse than a flat. CrankPump is a simple tire inflating system that is aerodynamic and easily accessed because it replaces a plastic axle cap found on Shimano brand cranks. Unscrewing that cap and replacing it with a CrankPump gives riders access to a CO2 pump that will get the ride going in just a couple short minutes. This is a great idea for bike-lovers, but because it’s limited to Shimano cranks only, anyone that prefers other models won’t be able to enjoy this product. CrankPump hits the road in February 2015 for £15.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Video Games

Game Cover lets smartphone game controls slide

gamecoverMobile games have become an unignorable aspect of the gaming landscape. Players have access to thousands of games wherever they are, but the one complaint most people will always have is control. Game Cover is a thin Android gamepad that slides out from the side the way keyboards slide out on certain phones. Only 8mm thick, Game Cover fits any phone and provides plenty of buttons for precision control. Game Cover also works as a remote for media or camera controls. The thinness is great for compatibility, but long-term use may cause hand strain without something larger to grip onto while playing. Gamers can power up their phones with a Game Cover for €25.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Wearables

NFC bracelet lets you get things started with leather

NFC bracelets are a quick and easy way to interact with smartphones and other devices to share information or interact with a specific feature, but they can be flimsy and don’t always look stylish. The NFC Leather Bracelet does exactly what it says on the tin: it’s a leather bracelet with a button snap that contains three different NFC chips for multiple functions. The simple brown leather is more stylish than a neon silicone band, and the snap makes it easy to put on or remove, not to mention how much harder it is to break.

The three chips are located at different parts of the bracelet, so as to avoid accidental tripping of unwanted activity. Compatible with NFC software available on most major app stores, the Leather NFC Bracelet is easy to set up and easy to customize as needs change. The bracelet requires no batteries, and so it doesn’t ever need a charge. All orders are being custom-sized to fit any backer’s wrist. The NFC Leather Bracelet needs €1,600 (~$2,000) for supplies and packaging. A bracelet will be sent out in October 2014 for just €10 (~$12). It’s simple, but it gives owners function without sacrificing style.

Categories
Tablet Accessories

SpinPadGrip keeps nearly any tablet stable in your hand or as a stand

Tablets are a much larger and thus much easier to use as an alternative to getting things done on a small smartphone screen. Note that it was stated that they are easier to use, not to hold. Ending the problem of the rotating, uncomfortable, fumbling tablet is SpinPadGrip. SpinPadGrip is a universal gadget that clips onto the back of any tablet and provides multiple ways to keep a tablet comfortably upright. It can function as an adjustable stand not unlike Microsoft’s kickstand, or it can be worn around the wrist and supporting with the fingers to be safe in hand, but not sliding out.

SpinPadGrip is fully rotational for any orientation and also lays flat when it needs to. The device is attached simply by pressing it against the back and then sliding the switch at the top. This same switch is used to disengage the SpinPadGrip, making it easy to use with multiple devices, or remove when trading in or selling a tablet to upgrade to a new one. XPAL Power and Smart Design need $35,000 to begin selling SpinPadGrip, and weary tablet users can hold onto one with a $25 pledge, delivered in November 2014. SpinPadGrip looks great now, but may be obsolete once more Surface copycats arrive.

Categories
Automotive Connected Objects

CANBus Triple opens a dialogue between car and driver

There’s something inherently frustrating about the “check engine” light on cars. Inside of each modern car is a computer that monitors all of the giant machines systems running in tandem, and if something goes wrong, all the driver gets to see is a little orange light letting them know that something, anything, could be wrong.

CANBus Triple is an Arduino-based device that can tap into the communication that the car’s computer sends and receives and relay that information to the driver. Whether using a custom-made gauge, a laptop, or bypassing the wires that lead to the digital dashboard display, CANBus can monitor a number of different factors like air-fuel ration and passenger weight and relay that information to the driver easily and in real-time.

For the casual driver, this may sound like a godsend, but CANBus Triple isn’t exactly the most user-friendly device. Nor is it going to be an adequate solution no matter how much Top Gear one watches. CANBus Triple is for car hackers, the kind of auto enthusiasts that know how to get every last drop of power and performance from their vehicle. Created by Michigan-based engineer Derek Kuschel, CANBus Triple has been beta tested by the car hacking community and with $18,000 worth of support, is ready for open sale. The device costs $75 and ships out in November 2014.

The CANBus Triple is an auto-lover’s dream, a way to feel a closer sense of connection with one’s vehicle and a way to truly speak the car’s language. It may have a steep learning curve and a bit of an entry barrier, but for those that know they want this device, they’ve wanted something that can do this for a long time. The Arduino architecture only makes it better by making new features possible all the time.

Categories
Music

Drop the beat, not expensive equipment, with Openmix

From the mixtape maker to the part-time party planner, everyone has an inner DJ just begging to mix songs together to make people smile and dance. But DJ equipment is expensive, large, and difficult to set up, so it’s no good for the impromptu get-together.

Openmix is the world’s smallest audio mixer, roughly the size of an iPod Mini. It has microphone jack plugs to connect to phones or MP3 players and controlled via the small dial fader on the front of the device. Openmix also features a third port for input, allowing a tablet or simple synthesizer to be connected to provide sound effects or other audio options. This allows devices to be swapped in and out easily, allowing for an ever-changing library and selection of tracks to be at the fingertip of the Openmix user.

In terms of features, that’s where Openmix really stops. It’s not meant for professional grade mixing or complicated techniques, it’s just something that can take a party from the groundswells to the dance floor. Openmix is a device built around fun, and so it’s simple enough for anyone to use and flex their DJ skills with before passing it along. Invented by New Yorker Gabriel Danet, it’s going to take $65,000 to bring Openmix out of the functional prototype stage and into full production and availability. Party people can lay down tracks with Openmix in January 2015 for $34.

Does Openmix fill a need in the market, or revolutionize its industry? Certainly not, but with its presentation, price point, and feature set, it’s clear that Openmix is just about accessible fun and sharing music. When viewed in that light, there’s no reason not to have an Openmix on hand just in case.

Categories
Technology

Conductak sticks to circuitry like static cling

Making simple circuits is a great way to learn about or teach electronics, but the methods of doing so aren’t exactly the most reliable or structurally sound solutions. Whether it’s Scotch tape or copper strips, demonstration circuits have a bad habit of malfunctioning or falling apart. Conductak is a conductive sticky tack substance that can be adhered to the ends of these circuitry components and have transistors, conductors, and other components added to to create reliable, functioning circuits that are easy to assemble and disassemble.

Conductak is sticky enough to hold components in place even on strange surfaces or surfaces in motion. Additionally, it doesn’t lose it’s adhesiveness even when taken apart, meaning Conductak can be used again and again. Inventor Allen Pan is still working out the optimal formula for Conductak and needs $2,250 to fund his research. Backers can play with an experimental batch of Conductak for $20 in November 2014. The idea here is to make learning about circuits easier and less frustrating. Using more science to accomplish this completes the circuit and is sure to make the light bulbs in some student’s heads turn on.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Connected Objects

Share Foil is the Swiss Army Knife of travel routers

When traveling, most people cross their fingers and hope for the best with hotel or public Wi-Fi, and more often than not it’s more of a headache than a convenience.

Share Foil is a portable wireless router that offers a wealth of features perfect for anyone away from home. As a router, Share Foil can create strong Wi-Fi signals for up to ten devices, and has enough power inside of it to charge a smartphone to full battery twice during its 10 hour battery lifespan. Share Foil also allows devices to store and open files or even stream media by uploading it to the router or using the SD card slot. Same slot can be used to take photos off of a camera and transfer them to smartphones for easy sharing while on the go, turning vacations photos into live social media updates.

With a USB 3G adapter, Share Foil can take 3G signals and convert them into Wi-Fi that any wireless device can use. If signals are weak, Share Foil can be placed closer to the router than the devices to act as a signal repeater, keeping smartphone and laptop usage convenient and comfortable. Share Foil does all of this and costs backers only $60, with delivery expected in October 2014. Made by Trend Power LLC, Share Foil is raising $30,000 to produce the app and make sure all production and manufacturing possibilities are considered.

Share Foil does a lot of tasks in one small device, so if packing space is limited, make sure there’s room for it at least. If only one of these features is needed, or needs to be done at the best possible quality, users will probably prefer a cheaper or more dedicated solution to their network dilemmas.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Imaging

iPhone Hema-Imager add-on lets it see heat like the Predator

The Premise. The ability to sense heat visually is a technology that has existed for some time but not in the consumer space. With the number of applications that thermal vision has professionally and in the home, now there’s a device to meet those needs.

The Product. Working with any Bluetooth- or Wi-Fi-capable device, the Hema-Imager offers consumers thermal imaging at a price point that is attractive enough to be practical. Detecting temperatures from -4 degrees Fahrenheit all the way up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, the Hema-Imager has more range and doesn’t require constant shutter control or extra movement of the device. Whether detecting threats in a dark room or helping to insulate homes better to cut down on heating and cooling costs, the Hema-Imager is versatile enough and easy enough to use that it can tackle any job requiring real-time thermal imaging.

The Pitch. Hema-Imager inventor Erik Beall proudly cites the Predator movies as the inspiration behind the ability to create a device that allows consumers to see heat signatures using their smartphones. That sort of playful optimism is a staple of the Hema-Imager’s pitch video, while also staying grounded in the reality of how it can help emergency response crews for almost 1% of the cost of an existing device. The rest of the product’s campaign materials cover how it can be useful to the average homeowner, explains some of the components of the device, and how Hema-Imager stacks up to the competition. Beall needs $205,000 to offset the cost of buying a large quantity of the thermopiles necessary to make the device work.

The Perks. The Hema-Imager is available for $250 and will be out in November.

The Potential. There have been other heat mapping devices on the market for a long time now, but never in a package that is easy for consumers to purchase, set up and operate, and that is so cost-effective. While an apartment renter might not have a great deal of usage for thermal imaging, the applications for contractors all the way up to firefighters and police officers make this device a welcome addition to a relatively uncrowded market space. The added bonus of being compatible with devices that all consumers probably already have make the cost negligible for those that can use a tool such as this.