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Connected Objects Toys

Leka smart toy appeals to parents of developmentally-challenged kids

Not every toy can meet the unique needs of autistic and other special needs children.

Leka is a ball-like, robotic smart toy with a display that has been designed for kids with developmental challenges. The customizable toy is equipped with sensors that enable users to play fun and educational games that motivate social interactions, increase motor, cognitive, and emotional skills, and also stimulate autonomy. Leka can detect and respond to a child’s interaction through autonomous behavior.

For example, if Leka is mistreated and thrown on the ground, it appears to become sad and turns red. An interactive response like this aims to help users better understand social cues and improve their social skills.

Categories
Wearables

RE-vibe wearable minds your focus so you can mind your work

In a world filled with a million and one distractions, maintaining focus on tasks at hand can be pretty difficult at times. For children in the classroom, nearby classmates, along with the temptation to start daydreaming, often make it difficult to focus and complete work assignments. For adults, smart devices, computers, friends, family, and responsibilities all contribute to a lack of focus and lack of production. Compounding the problem is that adults don’t always have someone hovering over them to make sure that the work that needs to be done is being attended to.

patent-claimedThe RE-vibe wearable is an extremely simple wristband designed to do one thing and one thing only: be that helpful tap on the shoulder when needed. The product employs a proprietary algorithm which monitors when a user is most likely to be distracted. When a potential distraction is detected, the device’s embedded vibration motor begins to shake, thereby alerting the user that it’s time to get back to work. Key to the RE-vibe’s utility is that its algorithm was written as to prevent the user from becoming used to the vibrations, thereby making the wearable an effective tool in the long run. The device which has no screens or buttons on the outside, has a recessed button hidden underneath the strap which can be toggled to one of four modes, all designed to address various levels of distractedness. Re-vibe is available for $89 with an estimated ship date of September 2015. The campaign is looking for $25,000 for mass production.

Previous products dedicated to keeping people focused have targeted specific subsets of users, such as writers or drivers. RE-vibe is one of the first focus-oriented products casting a much wider net, housing appeal for teachers trying to corral thirty children, individuals with a lot on their plate, and even professionals looking to address the effects of ADHD and autism.