Category: Safety

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Safety

ImageLock offers a little graphic safety

Trying to remember the combination on a new lock or trying to open one that has been sitting around for a while can make for difficulty in remembering the combination – especially if one has multiple locks. Image Lock offers a traditional combination lock with graphics rather than numbers.  Another alternative to a numerical combination is WordLock since words are often easier to remember than random numbers. Both products are made of steel, though WordLock may be more suitable for outdoor use. WordLock makes up to 1000,000 words, whereas ImageLock seems like it may be more limited in creating a secure combination.

ImageLock may also be great for small children who don’t read very well yet since pictures are used for the lock. Other locks in which backers may have an interest include Salt and Iron Brick Case. This campaign seeks to raise $3,000 by December 21, 2014. For $11, backers get one product with an expected delivery of January 2015.

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Safety Sports

Rockochet makes sure debris doesn’t rock your skateboard’s world

A skateboarder’s biggest nemeses are the many rocks and random other debris that litter the floors of our cities. Unlike when we ride bikes and other modes of transports, rocks can be possible death knells for skateboarders. It completely and suddenly stops transportation, and the rider more than likely violently flies forward, sometimes into greater danger like a busy street.

The Rockochet is a small, lightweight attachment that connects to the trucks of a skateboard and acts as a miniature plow that deflects those dastardly, unforeseen rocks out of the way. The Rockochet is perfect for beginners and for those who simply cruise along rather than busting out hardcore tricks. The company stresses how out of the way its subtle design is, but pros probably wouldn’t want to add something like this on their board. For everyone else, the Rockochet deflector can be had for $15 to be delivered by March 2015. The campaign is looking for an infusion of $20,000 for production costs.

 

Categories
Safety Sensors/IoT Tech Accessories

FLASHNUB sensor tells you when the door’s ajar with a light show

The steady creep of wireless technology into homes has made the ability to stay informed less of a luxury, with home automation and sensor options becoming more commonplace as their design and price reflect the simplicity of their utility. The biggest danger with this approach is running the risk of being too simple.

Many  years ago, a device like the FLASHNUB door activity monitor would possibly turn some heads, but now can only be a lackluster idea at most. The device works by attaching a battery-powered sensor to a door that contains a contact point. Once that contact point is broken by an opening door, the device sends an alert through Wi-Fi to the connected USB-dongle that emits a three flash light.

The product itself is incredibly simple and is more of a DIY project than something to be considered a serious product, so its $60 price tag is a bit of a mystery. As such, there are other far more mature solutions for situations that require staying informed. The FLASHNUB campaign is looking for $50,000 to get the product out to backers by September 2015.

Categories
Cycling Safety

WingLights handlebar lights turn on with a tap, offer better visibility, signaling

Biking is an incredibly fun way of exploring any city, but is an activity full of danger when riding in traffic. Cyclists who are properly outfitted with the essential safety gear still have to be seen at all and the hand signals that are recommended simply cannot be seen most of the time, especially during inclement weather or at night. As such, the way cyclists have to grab attention has evolved and WingLights wants to make it easy.

WingLights are magnetically attached to ends of a bike’s handlebars. A single tap activates bright, flashing amber lights, mimicking the turning signal of vehicles already on the road. Most drivers won’t notice arms flailing to signal direction, but they’ll most definitely see the light emitted from the WingLights. When you’re done with your ride, they’re easily detachable and combine to create a keyring for easy transportation. The product’s aluminum structure makes it very resistant and durable—it’s just a shame that there isn’t a version for drop bars or bullhorns, some of the more popular handlebar designs on the market now. A set of WingLights during the campaign goes for £19 (~$30), estimated to be delivered by May 2015. The campaign is hoping to raise £8,500 (~$13,400) to complete mass production.

Categories
Home Kids/Babies Safety

Toddler Safety Electrical Plugs play hide and seek from little fingers

It seems like baby-proofing the house is one of those tasks that is really never done – kind of like parenting. And for whatever reason, toddlers seem to be especially fascinated by electrical outlets. Toddler Safety Electrical Plugs is kind of an out of sight, out of mind gadget that hides the electrical outlet from small fingers, but still allows mom or dad to easily access it when it is needed. Initial installation may be somewhat inconvenient, since it involves using a screwdriver and removing the existing faceplate, but after that, the product is touted as offering one-hand operation convenience.

There is actually a wide variety of outlet covers out there with child safety in mind. This particular product seems to have a similar design as the KidCo Outlet Plug Cover. One of the more popular covers among parents is Munchkin because they are extremely easy to use and inexpensive.  Backers with toddlers may also want to check out the PopSwitch and Bright Switch campaigns. This campaign seeks to raise $5,000, however may have trouble doing so as it is offering no reward tiers.

Categories
Safety Smartwatches/Bands

Bluetooth iChild tracker monitors skin temperature to detect a snatching

With the ubiquity of smartphone use, child tracking solutions continue to surface. Some are hit or miss, but all are better than walking around with your child on a leash. The iChild is another product that promises to make keeping track of your little one easier. It comes in the form of a red or blue watch that pairs with a companion smartphone app and does exactly one thing only: every 10 seconds, the watch sends a ping to the smartphone with your child’s temperature.

How does that help? This ping of information does two things: receiving the information at all lets you know your child is within 50 feet of you, and also alerts you to abnormal temperatures as well so that you can head off that cold or fever. While the iChild is a novel idea, its premise is a little flimsy and does more to fuel worry than actually help you solve the problem of a lost child. With no GPS, it can hardly compete with the scores of other child safety wearables. In addition, even if you were to receive abnormal temperature readings, wouldn’t it be too late to do much of anything? The iChild’s one saving grace is its $40 price point, but even that is too much for a product that isn’t really useful in the long run. The campaign is aiming for a ridiculously high $1,000,000 funding goal.

Categories
Cycling Safety

A strip show on wheels, LightCycle helps nighttime riding safety

Those little red squares on the back of most bikes claim to be some sort of brake light, but, in reality, are as useful as having nothing there at all. With the safety concerns associated with an increase of bike riders in high traffic areas, you would think companies would figure out a better alternative, but that hasn’t been the case. Instead, a slew of companies over the years have presented their own solutions to varying degrees of success.

LightCycle’s small, battery-powered brake system is easy to install on any bike and lights up every time you apply the brakes. This avoids unnecessary collisions and the potential for more dangerous accidents by increasing visibility. Revolights is another brake light system that handles this issue in a similar way but includes the front of the bike to achieve maximum visibility; even if the creators of LightCycle claim to use LED lights, the campaign video wasn’t convincing enough to prove it. That said, if you’re looking to make sure everyone sees you while you ride, the 8rlicht is the way to go — a large screen with custom messages will get surely rid of any doubt. LightCycle is currently going for $65 with an expected delivery date of January 2015. The campaign is looking for $2,000 to make it happen.

Categories
Safety

ST Impact Ball checks playing surfaces for head injury potential

Risk of injury from sports or play is a part of being a child. That’s way protective gear is required for many popular sports. But what if there were a way for the owners of sports facilities and playgrounds and even parents to measure the risk of head injury in the event of a fall? ST Impact Ball is a unique gadget that measures a combination of factors, including location, surface type, surface depth, fall height, drop angle, and maximum g-forces at impact. This allows facility owners to make certain that they are offering a safe environment and can give parents peace of mind. ST Impact Ball is much like the Jolt Sensor we’ve recently seen on Backerjack. Jolt Sensor sits on a players head and measure impact as it comes, unlike ST which measures possible impact dangers. Presently, it appears that the lower levels of this campaign provide a product that only works for a limited time (1-3 weeks, depending on selected level). Lifetime updates and software are apparently their own separate level. This campaign seeks to raise $45,000 by November 20, 2014.  For $200, backers get access to the ball for a week. Expected delivery is February 2015.

Categories
Kids/Babies Safety Smartwatches/Bands

Linkoo shrinks down the size, price of the child locator watch

No matter how many precautions are taken, a parent’s worry for their child’s whereabouts isn’t something that is easily quelled — if at all. It’s ingrained deep in our wiring to be worried for our offspring. From getting lost to more serious concerns like predators, the only defense a parent really has are cell phones. For younger children, though, a smartphone comes with excessive maintenance costs even if it may contain everything a parent needs to feel better.

Inventor Lionnel Legros has created Linkoo to ease the worry of parents across the globe. Linkoo is a combination GPS tracker and cell phone for specifically for kids. The myriad of bright, fun color options appeals to kids while the integrated GSM appeals to parents, programmable with each parent’s number and one SOS number for emergencies. The child can make calls to these numbers or receive calls from anywhere around the world, and if the child doesn’t pick up a call, the watch will automatically call back ensuring the parent gets in contact no matter what. A Web portal and companion iOS/Android apps offer parents an additional layer of protection in the form of  maps with real-time tracking and geo-fencing capabilities. The Linkoo is going for $129 with an estimated delivery date of March 2015. Inventor Lionel Legros is looking for $50,000 in funding.

Capitalizing on a child’s excitement for their first watch is a smart move on the inventor’s part, even if it’s a little sneaky. But for parents, nothing is ever too sneaky to ensure their child’s safety. The excessive costs associated with maintaining a smartphone for a child are mitigated with a solution that keeps just the essentials, making it very child-friendly. There are tons of other GPS, childcare smart watches on the market like the 1Decision Bracelet that interacts with an accompanying bracelet worn by the parent, taking responsibility off of the child’s shoulders to signal for help. So the question remain: will a child actually wear it if they were to know what it actually does? The video paints an ideal picture, but is it a truthful one? We all know how finicky children can be, after all.

Categories
Connected Objects Safety

Haven is a brace on Earth to complement your deadbolt

Smart locks may have made a splash and added convenience to many people’s home lives, but the fact still remains that they rely on deadbolts to protect your home. It has been proven that deadbolts are an outdated form of protection because with enough force, the blunt end of a hammer and a bump key, or just simply a credit card, those who want access to your home will most certainly get it.

HAVEN is a smart lock that works by being installed at the base of a door and using the house’s own frame as the deterrent rather than a deadlock. Being made from glass reinforced nylon, aluminum and steel allows for far more protection versus other deadlock-dependent solutions, with a door in the campaign shown withstanding brute force kicks, sledgehammers and axes. When excessive force is recognized, HAVEN can turn on other connected parts of your home through Nest and Apple HomeKit compatibility and send alerts to mobile devices in response. When there isn’t trouble brewing, the product’s wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity allow users to digitally share keys and either locally or remotely lock their doors using their iOS or Android smartphone. Lost your phone? An online access portal can help you maintain access of your home. The people behind the HAVEN Smart Lock are looking for $150,00o to make their goal a reality, with significant stretch goals which include an A/C power add-on and wearable gesture support, to entice would-be backers. Interested people can protect their home by pledging $249 or more.

HAVEN is an shot in the arm for the smart lock market. Its robustness in protecting the home along with its connectivity and control options make its involved installation easier to bear. Other smart locks, like the August and the Goji, emphasize the social aspect rather actually protecting the home — HAVEN tells them to put their money where their mouths are.