Categories
Camping

POD tents interlock to create your campground human Habitrail

Camping can be one of the most fun and family friendly activities. But when the sun goes down and the kids are just done for the day, it often means that one parent doesn’t get to enjoy the company of the group so that the kids stay put in their tent, don’t get freaked out by nighttime nature sounds, and all remains well.

POD tents offer a unique idea that allows for the camping experience with a bit of extra privacy, diminishing that feeling of social suffocation that comes with a little too much togetherness. Since the tents are modular and can be connected by a tent tunnel, parents have fewer worries about letting kids have their own tent. Entrances and exits can be zipped or unzipped to provide a doorway or extra privacy when needed. One especially nice feature here is the 2.2 meter height, which means most adults will be able to stand up fully when they want to move around. A width of 3.6 meters means plenty of space. It’s not entirely clear how waterproof it would be in the event of rain, but it does appear that it may offer at least limited shelter in such an instance.

Overall, this seems like a great idea that can bring mom and dad some extra peace of mind when enjoying the great outdoors. This campaign seeks to raise £50,000 (~$78,200) by December 4, 2014. For £25 (~$39), backers can get one with expected delivery in January 2015.

Categories
Cell Phone Accessories Wearables

Tiny Ditto phone accessory alerts with good vibrations

Sadly, a roundtable of friends at a restaurant staring at their screens instead of at one other is a common sight to see. Critics point to scenarios like this as an example social deterioration, but Simple Matters likes to think they have a solution that’s both simple and elegant. Called Ditto, the device is billed as the anti-gadget that will get eyes away from screens so that people can focus more on real life and all the interactions that enrich it. By pairing the device using Bluetooth LE to a smartphone or tablet, users can customize who or what is important enough to reach them and doing so eliminates those pesky ghost vibrations that are felt every so often. It can be discretely placed anywhere from undergarments to the small pocket of a pair of jeans as its small, pebble-like shape comes complete with a built-in clip, so users will always be sure to feel the Ditto and the important events associated with it.

Ditto’s minimalist aesthetic fits a wide variety of lifestyles and can come in handy for those who truly want to separate themselves from the many screens in our lives. The similar Amiloom aims to get people away from their phones by connecting friends with an app, but Ditto really goes for the root of the problem by blocking intrusive notifications. Simple Matters is looking for $100,000 for this noble effort. If they succeed, backers can expect the $29 device to be at their door in March of 2015.

Categories
Augmented Reality Input

Nimble Sense brings virtual reality the input devices you were born with

Virtual reality technology is on the brink of reaching the average consumer after decades of failed vision and false promises. While head tracking and immersive headsets are great, the next level of immersion comes from a sense of touch rather than just using a keyboard and mouse.

The Nimble Sense is a hand-tracking camera created by Nimble VR, a company with years of experience working in the biggest tech companies and a history of focusing on hand-tracking technology. With this, their first proprietary camera, they are offering a gesture control and navigation system not just for gamers looking to lose themselves in a fantasy world, but also something that can have a wide variety of applications across a number of real-world situations.

Like the Kinect camera that Microsoft bundles with its Xbox consoles, the Nimble Sense creates a 3-D point cloud to track motion, depth, and gestures. With 110 degrees of vision and the ability to be mounted in any number of devices, the thin but powerful Nimble Sense is great for adding intuitive functionality to any piece of compatible technology. The 70 centimeter range also allows for any length of arms and less restrictive motion. Nimble VR needs $62,500 to complete design, testing, tooling, and production of the Sense. Supporters can reach out and grab one for only $99, with an expected release of June 2015.

By focusing exclusively on the hands, the Nimble Sense should offer a greater sense of accuracy and precision than many other motion cameras available, and will be a great companion for any Oculus Rift buyers. At this point, however, the technology is largely for novelty purposes, and it’s hard to think of existing practical applications for this product. Creators and VR enthusiasts will love it, others may want to let the technology continue to develop.

 

Categories
Home

Wheelie Bin Cap keeps your trash bin lids from blowin’ in the wind

High wind days can mean that the trash in the bin ends up scattered all over and creates a big mess to clean up. Then there are those hungry night critters seeking a post midnight snack. Since keeping the lid on the bin can be a challenge, Wheelie Bin has a potential solution. The bin cap is designed with the intention of locking the lid in place so that it stays put during high wind storms and nighttime critter visits, and is also fire retardant. Companies can have the lid personalized if they really want their name on a trash bin cap.

There isn’t presently a great deal of detail available on how the cap attaches or detaches, so it would be nice if the campaign went a bit more into depth about this. Such information would give backers more to consider when deciding whether or not to back the Wheelie Bin. This campaign seeks to raise €10,000 (~$12,500 USD) by November 26, 2014. For €100 (~$124 USD), backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.

Categories
Arts Imaging

Kula lets your camera produce 3-D images

From movie theaters to handheld gaming consoles, 3-D photos and videos are a great way to create stunning viewing experiences, but so few people have access to the technology to create this content.

Kula is a new modification for SLR cameras and smartphones to open up the world of 3-D photography to everyone. The Kula Deeper is a lens attachment for SLR cameras that can take 3-D photography, while the Kula Bebe attaches right onto the phone’s lens for easy 3-D photos.

Using high precision mirrors, Kula takes a normal picture and captures it from two perspectives that can be combined to create a three dimensional image or video. The Kula system is flexible and works with any existing 3-D viewing technology, from the classic red and cyan anaglyph glasses and eye-crossing stereograms to 3-D TVs and Oculus Rift. Icelandic inventor Iris Olafsdottir has set Kula’s fundraising goal at 233,626 DKK (~ $40,000 USD), and buyers can get the Bebe adapter for 205 DKK (~$35 USD) beginning in March.

Kula is an affordable, easy to use way to create 3-D images to share with friends and family. The sheer number of ways Kula’s 3-D can be viewed makes it great for sharing and compatibility.

Categories
Fitness

BodyBoardX tones you by stretching and swaying

Core conditioning is the foundation of most workout regimes. With a strong core, you can improve your balance and overall strength. The Bodyboard X provides you with an easy core workout. This product is committed to improving your strength, spatial awareness and planes of motion all in a low impact way. Shaped like a curved skateboard, the Bodyboard X rocks side to side on the ground with you on top of it. Straps attached to each side come up while the rider holds them with their arms stuck straight out to the sides.

While the reasoning behind this product is certainly sound, the execution is a little funky. The campaign shows a gif of a woman on the Bodyboard X rocking side to side with her arms out and she looks a little, well, awkward. Or perhaps like she’s posing for a Vitruvian Man-inspired painting. Still, for $75, backers can enjoy theirs by March 2015. Bodyboard X hopes to raise $80,000 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Connected Objects Television

Puck plucks all your remote controls, controls your TV setup with your smartphone

Remote controls should be considered litter with the way so many of them end up all over our living rooms. Constantly evolving home entertainment setups force us to have three to five different ones, confusing us every time we just want to turn on the TV or pop in a Blu-Ray. Since when did merely entertaining ourselves become so confusing?

That’s the question the people behind the PUCK have asked, and their solution comes in the form of a tiny attachment that acts a bridge between any component of an entertainment system and a smartphone or tablet. Once attached, its companion app will allow you to control every aspect of your entertainment system from up to 100 feet away and through walls, thanks to Bluetooth LE. Create shortcuts and make turning on your TV, lowering the volume, and starting up your Blu-Ray player a one tap process. Puck also makes channel listings searchable, and learns which ones are your favorite for easier access and with a three year battery life, there’ll be a lot to learn. The campaign is currently going for $50,000. It should attract a fair amount of attention with its lean $25 price.

Similar products now on the market have been introduced without much fanfare, probably because of the inflated price point for what essentially is simple tech. Logitech’s $99 Harmony Hub does everything a Puck can do with the addition of Wi-Fi functionality too, but does so without Harmony Smart Remote Compatibility. Another one on the market is the Griffin Beacon which rings up at a paltry $10, but the price reflects its quality: it runs on batteries, constantly needs to be coupled with your smartphone, and the software has been reviewed to be a joke. If Puck’s software can be consistent and smooth, it’ll be able to undercut competition without much issue.

Categories
Wearables

Stone Tether will help you find your stuff, even at your neighbor’s house

Technology has reached a point where networked items can find each other when lost. Locator tags are the bridge between older analog items and the digital age of today.

StoneTether is the next entry into the crowdfunded locator tag market. With a minimal, stylish design, waterproofing up to 30 feet, and the ability to be attached or clipped to any kind of item, StoneTether is meant to keep prized possessions from going missing, including kids or pets. When the registered phone goes out of range of a StoneTether tag, it pushes a notification to the phone and reports the location up to 500 feet. Additionally, if anyone else has a StoneTether tag and app combination and passes by a lost item beyond that radius, the item will daisy chain itself to the other tag and push a notification reporting the location, meaning more tags make items easier to find. StoneTether is raising $15,000 as they complete the software and start production. A StoneTether tag is just $20 and will be available in April 2015.

While this is not the first device like this, StoneTether offers a sense of simple style and strong functionality to create a worthy competitor in the field of locators.

Categories
Tools

Transforming GATR snaps up jobs of multiple yard tools

Whether it’s working around the yard, gardening or clearing some land to do some building, outdoor tools such as wheelbarrows, dollies, and four wheeled trolleys are often needed to get the job done. GATR offers a multifaceted yard work tool that is suitable for anyone from homeowners taking care of their property to those who make their living in the farm industry. Gator transporter has numerous attachments that allow it to convert easily from a two wheeled dolly or trailer trolley to a four wheeled cart, and no tools are required. Gator is able to handle light, medium and heavy loads because of the reverse grip handles, tub attachment, and duel wheeled system. There is also an attachment for moving large pieces of timer and additional attachments that are in the works, depending on how well this campaign does.

The fact that everything stores reasonably flat when disassembled could be a double-edged sword. While it does save space, some may find it too inconvenient if reassembly is needed each time. This campaign seeks to raise $10,000 by December 31, 2014. For $1500, backers get one product with an expected delivery of February 2015.

Categories
Pets

Zumby becomes a weapon in the war on dog breath

Dogs have bad breath, though research shows their mouths are cleaner than ours. Ew. Even so, dogs still get gum disease, just like humans do. Regular brushing can prevent this, but it’s unlikely that owners will get a chance to brush their dog’s teeth everyday. Playing around, however, is another matter. That’s why the folks at Zumby have created a toy that not only entertains your dog, but cleans their teeth as well. Using vague-sounding micro-current technology, harmful bacteria is killed all without the dog knowing.

According to the campaign, this technology works on humans as well. It begs the question: why aren’t the Zumby people making a human version? Still, this clever product is great for dog lovers who can’t bear to watch their pooches suffer. One Zumby will set backers back $50 for delivery in April 2015. This product is looking to met a $35,000 goal on Indiegogo.