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Most kids love to see their name. Tinyme Name Blocks makes a personalized puzzle out of it. The colorful pieces are made of plywood, are covered by a protective coating, and non-toxic inks are used for the colors. They fit snugly in a holder that also houses a plastic card with rounded corners that has the child’s name on it, allowing her to match the letters. And for those who are especially concerned about safety, the puzzles match the safety standards in Europe, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. Toddlers and kindergartners will likely get a kick out of spelling out and seeing their name in a puzzle. For $24 AUD a backer gets a four block puzzle. Larger donations get more blocks, so prepare to shell out for little Aloysius if it winds up at Babies R Us. Expected delivery is July 2014.
Musical instruments can be large and bulky, but technology allows people to make music without needing the actual instrument. Kyub is a three-dimensional feather touch MIDI keyboard that fills in the gap between relying on a QWERY keyboard and using a physical MIDI keyboard. What that really means is that it is a compact cube with metal sensors all over it and an accelerometer inside of it. When you touch the sensors, the Kyub makes music and sounds like a piano with different experimentation options. While it certainly entails foreign fingering for experienced keyboardists, this unique little product uses USB for power and is compatible with different software synthesizers. Early backers can enjoy a fully assembled Kyub for $199 by July 2014. Kyub hopes to raise $20,000 in its 33-day Kickstarter campaign.
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What person who loves the outdoors doesn’t need a good backpack? Zondo Firefly Backpack is ideal for hiking, cycling, running or just about any sport you can think of. A few things that set it apart from your standard backpack include the fact that it is waterproof, includes a removable triathlon belt (something like a fanny pack), and lights up at night. It’s also very in line with its price for a sports back pack. Not only was Zondo designed by an athlete, but it has also been tested by them. For £30 backers get one backpack with an expected delivery of September 2014.
The Premise. Duvets are the luxury item of the bedding market and owning one has weirdly become a status symbol. The only problem is that comforters often get tangled up inside of their duvet covers and can be really hard to reinsert after washing. Often, they look messy after making the bed and appear rumpled.
The Product. The Nova is a duvet cover designed to make sleeping even more comfortable. This innovative product reinvents the way that normal duvet covers work so that blankets are easy to insert and don’t bunch up. The opening to put the blanket in is actually in the middle of the cover disguised by piping and has ties on the inside to keep the comforter in place. This cover comes in two colors (charcoal and off-white) and five different bed sizes.
The Pitch. Nova’s campaign begins with the standard video talking about the birth of the idea along with the long prototyping process. The rest talks about the various “revolutionary” benefits of this product along with the different packages that the reward tiers offer. Nova hopes to raise $20,000 in its 30-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. A twin duvet cover and two matching pillowcases costs backers $150. Various packages offer sheets, fitted sheets, standard pillowcases, and decorative pillowcases along with the cover itself. The last and highest reward tier goes for $390 and includes one king duvet cover, two king-sized pillowcases, one fitted sheet, two decorative pillowcases and one cotton-filled comforter. All tiers have an estimated delivery date of August 2014.
The Potential. The Nova duvet cover was created by Crane & Canopy, a bedding company from San Francisco, California. This product uses a simple idea to completely revamp your bed. And the price isn’t too expensive, taking into account that duvet covers always seem to be overpriced. While there aren’t other duvet covers quite like this out there, Amazon does have a few products aimed at fixing this problem, like the Padded Comforter Clips that hold a duvet in place. All in all, the Nova duvet cover certainly offers a new solution to an age-old problem.
The Premise. Disciplining children is the one part of parenthood that isn’t so great. Most kids don’t respond to their parents simply because they are their parents. Outside sources sometimes have better luck showing children the difference between right and wrong.
The Product. Taking a naming cue from such sitting toys as The Elf on the Shelf and the crowdfunded Mensch on a Bench, Bear on the Chair is a behavioral modification tool for children. This cuddly toy sits on a white chair and hangs out with your child. If your child’s behavior is good, you can attach the yellow happy face to the bear’s shirt. However, if bad behavior ensues, simply attach the red sad face. Your child will take responsibility for the bear’s mood like a friend and will change their behavior to do so. The bear was designed to be super cute and cuddly as well as gender neutral making it great for girls and boys alike.
The Pitch. Bear on the Chair starts with a longer video of dramatizations of a bratty girl refusing to do what her father asks. It lacks a moment where the girl actually responds to the bear’s sad face, but you get the idea either way. The remainder of the campaign talks about the bear’s friends: Santa, the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny, and about how each bear comes with its own adoption certificate upon naming it. The Bear on the Chair needs some money for its honey — $10,000 in a 45-day Kickstarter campaign.
The Perks. Backers can receive this cuddly bear for $55 with an estimated delivery date of July 2014. Reward tiers go all the way up to $1,000 for backers who really really love teddy bears.
The Potential. Bear on the Chair is aimed at bettering a child’s behavior, though seems a little bit manipulative in the way it works. Also, if this bear and child are so close, wouldn’t the child notice that the happy/sad faces are removable? The campaign would benefit from testimonials of parents who can vouch for the Bear’s success. Still, Bear on the Chair presents a unique opportunity for parents to teach children how their naughty actions can influence others. Any toy that has the potential to make a child a little less naughty, even if a little expensive, is certainly welcome on the market for frustrated parents.
The Premise. High-impact workouts can be violent, both in what they do to muscles, and how making time for them can disrupt a daily schedule. One portable device wants to take all that violence and do away with it.
The Product. The SmartMio wearable muscle stimulator is a series of electrode pads that can be connected to any number of muscle groups and controlled by the proprietary app. The app mimics the nerve impulses that the brain sends to these muscles during exercise and uses electricity to stimulate these muscles into working, creating more endurance and strength to complement an existing workout regimen. Because the electrodes are portable, they can be worn underneath clothes and used anywhere. The same stimulation can be used as a mild massage that can help improve circulation or help rehab tired muscles.
The Pitch. Right away, viewers are treated to a pulsating arm hooked up to electrodes, which is a little jarring to watch, but everyone hooked up seems dedicated to fitness and the results are apparent. Various designers and executives for SmartMio are all excited to share the product based on its flexibility and portability, and based on their snug-fitting t-shirts, they probably know a thing or two about fitness. Other campaign graphics explain the reward tiers, the science behind the stimulators, and answer some pertinent medical questions as well as acknowledging that stimulation is an adjunct to and not a substitute for exercise. SmartMio needs $50,000 to attract investors to help the device find its way to store shelves more quickly.
The Perks. A SmartMio with choice of color and 4 sets of electrodes that are designed to work for 4 months of regular use can be picked up for $89, arriving in November of this year. The Duo package which comes with double the equipment is available for $169, and there are Family and Team packages with higher multiples for tiers reaching up to $699.
The Potential. Admittedly, watching the SmartMio go to work zapping muscle groups looks a bit morelike torture than it does a good workout, but it’s hard to argue with the results shown in its video. Only the most dedicated fitness buffs will probably make regular use of this device, but personal trainers, physical therapists, and professional athletes would almost certainly not leave the house without their SmartMio.
The Premise. Using a microscope is a necessity for many scientific professionals, but it often needs to be set up in a dedicated lab and often lacks the ability to easily share findings or visual data. One company wants to make the entire experience portable, simple, and require no additional equipment.
The Product. Connecting effortlessly to an iPhone, the MicrobeScope is a portable 800x microscope that does not require keeping slides handy. There are no complicated dials or settings, making it easy for children to use but powerful enough for professionals. With an internal light source and AAA battery, there’s no need for any additional equipment. Even more enticing is the ability to record and share videos taken through the microscope lens in real-time. If more magnification is required, the camera can be zoomed to 2,000x without a significant drop in picture quality, and the iPhone 5s’s slow motion feature can be used as well to see more detailed movement.
The Pitch. In the campaign video, the President of 4D Optical lets his product do the talking, showing videos taken with the MicrobeScope of bacteria, spores, and even hot sauce. Afterwards, he demonstrates how simple it is to clean and apply a sample to the device, a process that takes mere seconds. Also included is the story of how the product was developed and designed, as well as other videos of various samples taken using the MicrobeScope. 4D Optical needs $10,000 to bring the MicrobeScope to market.
The Perks. Getting a MicrobeScope by June will take a pledge of $125. The only other real reward tier option is an awesome customized MicrobeScope with professional-grade optics for $10,000.
The Potential. A microscope is something that someone either needs enough to merit spending big bucks on a professional grade model, or probably doesn’t need one at all. However, the power, flexibility, and simplicity of this pocket-sized device could be helpful for science projects, field work, and could even find application in disease control, as samples could be observed on-site. The very nature of the product makes it really only a game-changer for a niche market, but it certainly will make a splash in that niche.
For those who like to flaunt their own unique style wherever they go, Modular Lamp offers the opportunity to light up your space in your own way. The company is working to move from birch plywood to furniture grade walnut, and the Modular Lamp will be the first of many pieces. A coat of blue paint away from resembling a TARDIS, the idea is to make the furniture hollow so that it requires fewer trees, which means it will also be lightweight and environmentally friendly, but it’s still supposed to be strong. If you like to rearrange the furniture a lot or you are the transient type who moves frequently, this might be an ideal product. For $55, a backer gets one lamp, but the walnut version requires $75. Expected delivery of May 2014.
The Premise. Dogs can be some of the most loving and compassionate partners a person can ever have. They’ll be by your side through every corner of life, but sometimes tragedy strikes and they wander off. Losing a pet is one of the worst feelings a person can experience, but what if endless search parties and calls to the local pound were unnecessary? What if we could always know where our pets wandered off to?
The Product. The Pawda is the perfect solution that allows you to give your pet the freedom to roam, yet the peace of mind to always find them if they wander too far. The idea lies within a simple GPS tracking system that attaches to your pets collar. Designate a safety zone, and you’ll not only get notifications if your pet leaves the area, but you’ll also be able to track their exact location in the built-in map. The Pawda is also waterproof and durable so it can withstand all the adventures your pet embarks upon, but the battery life only lasts up to seven days.
The Pitch. Pawda’s video wastes no time explaining how the Pawda works. Not to be confused with devices like the Tile and Bringrr, Pawda is an actual GPS tracker. In simple and well-designed graphic simulations, the video shows how Pawda can help track your pet seamlessly with your iOS or Android smartphone. The video takes a brief break in the middle for a word from the two founders who voice their confidence and dedication to their prototype that they deem ready for mass production.
The Perks. To get your paws on a Pawda, the pledge price is $99 AUD (about $90 US Dollars). GPS tracking devices do unfortunately come at a steep price, but it could be worth the investment to have the peace of mind of keeping your pet safe. Those who are more enthusiastic about the Pawda can pledge $185 AUD to also receive a Pawda t-shirt and hoodie for their pet. Manufacturing and shipment for the Pawda has a quick turn around and can be expected to be delivered in April 2014.
The Potential. Pricing for the Pawda is in line with that of Tagg, the dog tracker that was spun off from wireless giant Qualcomm several years back, and is part of a new generation of products for tracking people and pets. Not every pet owner needs to know its dog’s destination, but built-in and attachable location devices for pets are certainly going to be more popular in the future.
Creeping on other people is normal in this day and age of omnipotent cameras. Now, stalking just even easier with the Spy Cam Peek-I. This small device magnetically attaches to your device’s camera and acts as a periscope with a mirror that allows you to take photos at a 90 degree angle so your subject won’t know they’re being photographed. The campaign’s suggestions for possible discreet photographs is particularly unsettling, especially the image of some guy trying to look up a woman’s dress. One of these goes for $15 and two for $25 (“best solution for a couple” the tier says) with delivery in May 2014. Peek-I hopes to raise $1,000 in its 60-day Indiegogo campaign.