Traveling and working have become evermore intertwined in the 21st century. This means more instances in which laptops must be used in awkward positions. That’s why Flio was created. The wooden laptop stand is slim, trim and very transportable. It raises and angles the keyboard for easier typing, which, in turn, lifts the monitor to a more comfortable eye level. This helps to alleviate neck and back strain that can often come when in an improvised office or studio situation. There are small magnets that hold the pieces together during transport so that they are less likely to get lost. Laptops can come in various sizes from notebook to full sized keyboard. That being said, it’s not clear if this stand will fit all sizes of laptops out there, but it looks easy enough to assemble and disassemble, and it appears that it will fit nicely in even a standard laptop case. This campaign seeks to raise €19,000 (~$23,600) by December 7, 2014. Early bird backers get the base version for €20 (~$25), with an expected delivery of January 2015.
For those who don’t like to exercise but like the results that come with working out, here is a product that may make working out a little easier to tolerate. FitBricks was invented by a puzzle enthusiast and who probably likes to think. It offers the user the opportunity to exercise in between considering what their next move will be so that the blocks don’t all come tumbling down – which could still provide some opportunity for a workout because then they all have to be picked up and restacked. The user just wouldn’t get to choose which exercise they will be doing if that happens. If an exercise buddy can be persuaded to get a set of FitBricks, the fun will be doubled without having to workout alone. Just make sure those water breaks don’t go on for too long and prevent the workout from taking place at all. This campaign seeks to raise $19,000 CAD (~$16,700 USD). For $34 CAD (~$30 USD), early bird backers get one set of FitBricks with an expected delivery of February 2015.
Getting some sleep at night should never be a complicated thing. However, not having the proper head support often means a person isn’t going to sleep well, finding that they need to fluff and reposition their pillow several times over the course of the night. So the creator of Sleep With Me Pillow is working to change all of that. The pillow includes high resiliency inserts so that when a person rolls over onto their side, their head and neck are given proper support. This keeps their spine in alignment so that they sleep better. While this may be great for back and side sleepers, it may not be the thing for tummy sleepers. The pillow only comes in queen size at this time, but plans are in the works to make multiple sizes available if this campaign goes well. This campaign seeks to raise $25,000 by December 6, 2014. For $40, backers get one pillow with an expected delivery of February 2015.
Pour over coffee has become all the rage, probably because it’s easy to make at home without the coffee machine. The idea is to place the coffee grounds directly above the mug and pour hot water through the coffee to brew. Bruvelo is a smart, amped up pour over coffee machine. It filters the water, controls flow, adjusts temperature, and weighs and grinds the beans. Best of all, it connects via Wi-Fi to an accompanying app which holds information about different types of coffee you like. This way, you can balance flavor profiles and choose the best way to brew any particular kind of coffee. If you’re not that finicky with your coffee, skip the app because it’s optional. This is a truly all in one coffee machine that thinks no detail is too small in preparing your morning caffeine fix. Bruvelo’s ease of use and convenience will certainly make it a contender with other smart coffee makers. One will cost backers $350 for delivery in June 2015. Bruvelo is looking to raise $150,000 on Kickstarter.
Home owners over the past few years have enjoyed the explosion of support for all things home automation. Everything from your toaster to your thermostat to your doors can be controlled with a smartphone, leading to increased convenience. Even as so many of these parts of home are being automated, there are as many that haven’t been, like shutters. Automating them is a time-consuming, complex process. ShutterEaze is looking to make it extremely easy.
The ShutterEaze system works with all types of shutter louves and is easily installed using nothing but clip-on parts. When it’s on, the system can be controlled with a remote control or an iOS/Android device. The ability to control shutters in groups, set a sunrise and sunset mode, and set your own schedules are the added benefits of using a smartphone or tablet, relieving homeowners of the daily burden of having to open or close their shutters. No HomeKit integration has been announced, but the company is currently working on ZigBee integration to expand the ShutterEaze system’s usefulness. The product is currently priced at $159 with an estimated delivery date of May 2015. The campaign is looking for $40,000 to make its way into homes everywhere.
There’s a pretty exciting story about what inspired this item to come forth that is absolutely worth checking out at Kickstarter. As for those who just want the facts, TrackBelt360 seems like a rather convenient item for tradesmen who like a tool belt that allows them to access their tools more easily and quickly. Though the belt appears to be adjustable, it’s not clear as to whether it’s able to be made small enough to fit tradeswomen who may be a bit smaller in stature. The tool pouches are attached to a track that lets the tools spin 360 degrees for easy access and increased safety when in precarious positions like in a burning building or on a ladder, roof or scaffolding to name just a few. The lightweight belt is a system that allows for tool pouches specific to nearly any trade to be attached to the belt. This campaign seeks to raise $35,000 by December 5, 2014. For $25, backers get one product with an expected delivery of December 2014.
Air pollution is a rapidly growing concern all throughout the world. Our dependence on mass production and the use of fossil fuels directly affects the air we breathe no matter where we are, because what is created in another part of the world ultimately travels and gets to us. Even if the problem has the potential to wreck all sorts of havoc on our health, it sadly goes largely ignored because it’s invisible. Although there are government sites where air quality is monitored and recorded, the network is too sparse and dated to provide a full and accurate picture, much less be used as proof in matters of legislation. That’s where the AirBeam comes in.
The AirBeam is a portable arduino-based air quality monitor that continuously monitors the air and sends that data to a smartphone with Bluetooth, feeding it back to the AirCast environmental awareness platform. AirCast crowdsources all of this data from the thousands already using AirBeam to create a robust and extremely accurate picture of air quality. This allows citizen scientists, change makers, and ordinary people to be more informed and make an impact. To be effective, though, the monitor must work all day, a length of time smartphones have trouble staying on for by themselves. In any case, the AirBeams rings in at $199 which may be a bit pricey considering what kind of mass aspirations HabitatMap, the non-profit behind AirBeam and AirCast, has. Backers can start monitoring the air in May of 2015, if the creators reach their $50,000 goal.
The bathroom can be an obstacle course for some in that middle of the night run with blinded eyes, fallen in women, and manly messes made and left. The inventor of the Illumibowl wants to light the way to relief with his LED-based toilet bowl light.
The product can be discretely attached to the underside of the bowl and set to a single color or on a color-changing pattern, with everything activated by a motion sensor. The LED is rated to last 100,000 hours of constant use, so you won’t have to worry about dark and scary trips to the bathroom for a long time. With the Illumibowl only costing $15, this can easily be filed under an impulse buy even if the solution is exactly the most elegant or aesthetically pleasing. Still, the campaign has already achieved its goal of $20,000; backers will receive the light by January 2015.
It’s true, we tend to focus more on screens than face-to-face interactions. Amiloom is a product that tries to get people to meet using a small round device that connects to an accompanying app. The idea is to create a group and each member must pass around the Amiloom while inviting new people into the group. In this way, friends can meet friends and maybe future wives, like the creator did. In the video, he speaks in rhymes and talks about how Amiloom could help you meet your future spouse too. Bit of a stretch maybe. While the idea behind this product is noble, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense that it connects to your phone. Yes, everyone uses phones so it’s a good way to reach people, but it’s also encouraging more phone use at the same time. It’s also unclear what the actual puck-like object that’s passed around is for. Still, if backers would like to build their social network face-to-face, they can pick up one for $29 for estimated delivery in May 2015. Amiloom hopes to meet a random $108,127 goal on Kickstarter.
Skiing and snowboarding equipment can be expensive, making the fact that so many are stolen every year a huge problem. Having experienced the misfortune of having their own equipment stolen, the people at AlpineTec have created the AlpineHawk: a small electronic device that attaches to either a snowboard or a pair of skis to prevent theft from ever happening.
Users of the AlpineHawk can arm the device with a companion app, making them feel safe if their equipment is left unattended. It does this by triggering a screeching 100 decibel alarm to go off as a deterrent and if the user is in Bluetooth range, they’ll receive a message alerting them to suspicious activity. A message won’t be sent if you’re not in Bluetooth range which, surprisingly enough, is not that useful. The device’s off-piste feature also allows you to find buried skis, which may convince some this is worth the trouble after all. The AlpineHawk’s polycarbonate shell protects from strong impacts and temperatures ranging from 100°C to -40C° and the entire unit weighs only 50g, so users need not fear an off-balance ride. Even so, the device’s life when subject to such rough conditions has to be tested more thoroughly before the claim can be made. An AlpineHawk is priced at kr250 (~$34) and is expected to be delivered in October of 2015. The campaign is looking for kr600,000 (~$80,600) in funding.