For those artistic types who don’t mind the confines that come with being reminded of the time, here is a unique piece of functional art that not only tracks the time, but also the date. One Time Calendar Clock incorporates the colors of the beloved rainbow into the seasons of the year as they connect to the months. Besides the hardcopy version that hangs on the wall, there is also a computer screensaver version. There are plans in the works to develop a computer version that actually keeps track of appointments, and a one time app. It would seem that with some additional effort, this could be made into something that is renewable. Even so, it seems that this product will have some appeal to those who appreciate art, especially art deco. This campaign seeks to raise £5,000 (~$8,000 USD) by November 2014. Early bird backers get a fully assembled wall clock for £49 (~$83 USD) with an expected delivery of January 2015.
Home automation is all the rage now, but most products require all kinds of installation methods to control the small parts of your home, like light switches. Sometimes the hassle required to do so outweighs the benefits of having the capabilities in the first place. ActuSwitch’s more motorized take on the issue ensures that anyone will be able to enjoy automatic, wireless control of anything controlled with a light switch.
ActuSwitch works as an easily installed, motorized cover for a wall switch that can be remotely controlled. Inside, a mechanism moves up and down to trigger the switch, moving back to a central position so it can still be used activated regularly. Its battery-powered designs installs over existing switches without any prior wiring knowledge required and lasts for one year, though only works with flat-styled switches for now which limits those who can enjoy it. Users can set up scheduling features to automate lights when not at home and set up profiles to provide different switches their own timing with iOS and Android apps. For now, those who are looking for a multi-switch design are out of luck as the company doesn’t have one available, but if the product still piques interest it can be had for $37 by February 2015. The campaign is looking for $60,000 to achieve their funding goal.
Neck pain and working on a computer seem to go together, especially for those who work in a white collar business setting. In an effort to bring some relief to this particularly large group, New Generation Neck Brace was created. The typical neck brace is uncomfortable to wear and often makes a person hot and sweaty. While it’s not entirely clear what it is made of, this neck brace was designed to be less bulky and help people improve their posture so that they get relief. It can be worn either over or under clothes and offers some flexibility so that the user doesn’t feel strangled while wearing it. There is also a pouch that can hold hot or cold pads for added comfort. All in all, an intelligent upgrade to a very useful product. This campaign seeks to raise £15,000 (~$24,000 USD) by November 27, 2014. Early bird backers will get one product for £35 (~$56 USD), with an expected delivery of December 2014.
Many athletes have suffered one injury or another during their active lives. As such, they can still be active, but must take care of their weak spots to avoid pain or further injury. Xpodz is designed for those with weak wrists. Push ups, yoga, Pilates and other activities are difficult for those who have wrist pain. Xpodz features round surfaces for athletes to rest their hands on with a flat base so that they remain stable on the ground. The ergonomic shape makes any wrist activity much easier for those with aching joints. Xpodz’s design originally started out by cutting a softball in half. For foot comfort, this product also comes with foot grips so that your feet don’t slip around.
This fitness tool comes in many different colors and will cost backers a donation of $36 for delivery in December 2014. On Kickstarter, this product hopes to raise $25,000. Many fitness classes feature wrist-free options for those with pain. Clearly, this is a problem among athletes, so Xpodz is a great way to avoid further injury. It’s also versatile in that it can be used in a solo workout or brought to a class to keep up with the rest of the folks.
Foosball is one of those classic bar activities that has made tiny soccer thrilling for many. The Tactics offers some new characters, angles, and LED lights to breathe new life into what was a fading favorite. The new characters are designed with strategists in mind, complete with an angled foot for right and left shots, as well as lob shots. Characters can also be moved around to create formations such as 4-3-3 and 2-6-2. A new corner system prevents the ball from getting stuck in the corner, sending it back to center. Perhaps the aspect that is the most fun in this redesign is the fact that the ball lights up via LED lights, and when a goal is scored, the goal lights up too. A couple of other games that backers might like to check out that get kids (and adults) away from constant gadget screen play are Mutation and Osmo. This campaign seeks to raise $50,000 by November 30, 2014. For $229, early bird backers get the entire game kit with an expected delivery of March 2015.
There’s little that can put a stop to four wheeling fun faster than a flat. And then there’s the hassle of changing it! That is, unless the owner happens to have iGo-Air for their ATV or UTV. Not only does the kit offer the necessary items to repair or plug the hole in the tire, but it also has a hose with one end made to connect to the tire valve, and the other to the exhaust, which means that compressed air is instantly provided to put air back into the repaired tire. It typically takes 10 or 15 seconds to fill the tire if there isn’t significant additional weight on the ATV or UTV. Seems like a great idea with the only downside being that the tire probably still has to be removed to patch it. Nevertheless, maybe iGo will consider making something like this for cars! This campaign seeks to raise $50,000 by November 30, 2014. Backers get one product for $25, with an expected delivery of December 2014.
Drywall and hooks go together about as well as mixing oil and water. Anything that weighs more than about three pounds means that the hook is going to be pulled from the wall and some rather ugly damage will be left behind. That’s why the Hungstrong Hook Kit was created. This particular kit includes a hook designed to hold items that weigh as much as 40 pounds. So a coat, purse, backpack, shopping bag or other item that would normally be too heavy can be hung up to help minimize clutter. How is this possible? Because the hook is mounted to the wall by driving its pre-installed one inch Allen Anchor onto any drywall interior surface. The provided T-Handle tool makes this possible with very little effort. If installation isn’t too complicated, the Hungstrong Hook Kit would make a great addition to any kitchen, foyer, workshop or office. This campaign seeks to raise $7,500. For $40, backers get one kit with an expected delivery of January 2015.
Coffee enthusiasts know the best ways to make their favorite morning drink, but usually need different products to master each method. Brewover is a three-in-one, multifunctional brewing device that allows the user to choose between the slow brew drip, immersion, or pour over techniques for making specialty coffees. It has a very easy to use filter system, as well as a shut-off valve that allows a great deal of control as to how fast the water flows into the filter. Brewover can even function as a potential icebreaker when meeting up with new friends because the clear material allows people to actually watch the process take place. Coffee lovers who want to be able to enjoy their beverage on-the-go might want to check out the KoffeePress campaign. This campaign seeks to raise $65,000 AUD (~$56,000 USD) by December 2, 2014. For $65 AUD (~$56 USD), early bird backers get one product with an expected delivery of March 2015.
Any trained medical professional will agree on how very important it is to take essential medication on a timely and consistent basis. If it isn’t, there could be severe consequences for the person who needs it. With that as the central idea, the folks behind the Amiko have created a wearable device that acts as a personal medication assistant, connecting to a wide range of inhalers to help make sure medication is being taken correctly and on time.
The product comes as a small but attractive leaf-shaped attachment that clips on to a wide range of inhalers. Onboard MEM sensors are highly tuned to track when the inhaler is loaded, how it is positioned pre-delivery, and upon actual delivery. These values are all combined to create an accurate and thorough view of dosage trends and can even be used to create reports for physicians to use in their treatments.
Perhaps its most valuable capability, however, is the ability to be connected to smartphones and tablets to alert users and family about upcoming or missed doses, keeping everyone in the loop. If that person happens to be technologically averse, the company’s Amiko Hub ($79) allows non-smartphone users to still receive alerts from the product itself, family members, or caretakers. Amiko’s early bird special is currently going for $39 with a $10 premium on it when those supplies run out, with an expected delivery date of March 2015. The folks behind Amiko are looking for an infusion of $50,000.
Amiko is a very promising device not in just what it does, but in how it uses the cloud and the various connectivity options it has to make a process that can be potentially life-threatening so much less stressful. It extends wearables to a market that needs it beyond the fitness enthusiast.
As much as our smartphones can do and as versatile they can be, there are some instances where having a smartphone actually isn’t the best idea. Parents who want to stay in touch with their kids don’t necessarily want to buy them a smartphone as much as business travelers who need two phones don’t really enjoy carrying them around. For those situations where an expensive and most of the time bulky smartphone isn’t the best choice, there’s the Talkase.
Talkase is an iPhone 5s, 6, or 6 Plus case that also houses an extremely slim, standalone quad-band GSM phone. The company intends Talkase to be the ultimate secondary phone either by working with its own SIM card, or facilitating phone calls and syncing contact lists with other smartphones through Bluetooth. The case has a small compartment that holds a pin and micro-SIM adapter as well, ensuring users will always have the capability to always use the Talkase phone. Backers have the choice of one of four colors for $45 with an estimated ship date of December 2014 as the campaign has already achieved success with their $60,000 campaign.
The phone itself is incredibly thin, measuring in at 5.5mm and coming complete with an OLED screen on which you can text, a calculator mode, and a 200mAh battery that offers three hours of talk time with 100 hours of standby. One of the best things about Talkase is how much girth it doesn’t add to an iPhone, avoiding the problem of making it too ungainly. On the other hand, there aren’t cases available for the wide range of other smartphones on the market — ultimately a very narrow focus.