Categories
Connected Objects Imaging

The FRAME connected home camera keeps your life in focus

The notion of connected home cameras usually focus on the security benefits they provide. For the team at LifeSmart, its FRAME lifestyle camera is looking to buck that trend by making it the core of your connected home experience.

With FRAME, LifeSmart looked to design something that looked good but fit into a user’s life as more than a security camera. To do this, it developed a software platform that can be expanded on later on. So, while FRAME right now features night vision and motion detection capabilities, it will feature many more as time goes on using the same set of 1080p lens, mic, and speaker hardware.

Categories
Cycling Maker/Development

Bamboobee lets you build your own bike from bamboo

There’s a certain satisfaction from building things on your own that is unfortunately absent from an economy that wants us to buy everything pre-made and brand new. That experience doesn’t do much for us, so instead of going to your local bike shop and riding one out the door, why not make your own? The Bamboobee lets you do just that with a package that includes all the parts necessary to build your own bike frame from bamboo. Termed a BIY (build it yourself) bike, the Bamboobee makes it easy to assemble your own cross-country frame in just three days by giving you the instructions to do so along with a platform to do it on.

At this point in the campaign, the inventor is also offering a kit with everything but the wheels for an additional $139 so that you can be 99% at the end of the third day. The combination of beautiful materials and the excitement of riding a bike of your own making will have many interested in such an unique product. They’ll just need to be careful their assembly is up to snuff as it could lead to potential accidents. All in all, the Bamboobee’s customization options sure attract as does its $179 price tag. Backers can expect delivery of the bamboo bike in Februrary 2015. The campaign is hoping to raise $15,000.

Categories
Accents

LeggyHorse takes your wall photos to another dimension

There’s something about framed art and photos that makes a house a home. Usually, the personality of these items is limited to a single dimension. But LeggyHorse has found a way to use picture frames to create new dimensions for framed art and photos. The frame itself seems to be made of leather and acrylic. It’s lightweight and doesn’t require any tools for pictures to be hung on the wall, but the campaign does not clearly indicate what alternative hanging method is used.

Once in the LeggyHorse frame, pictures can be hung on nearly any flat surface, including wood, plastic, glass and ceramic tile. This product seems like a great way to release that “inner artist” without having to put a great deal of effort and time into being creative and imaginative. For $46, backers get a set that includes 12 connect frames and four regular 4×6 frames. More support gets the larger sizes. Expected delivery is set for February 2015.

Categories
Arts Connected Objects Displays

FRAMED gets famed artwork from around the world into your home

The Premise. People love to decorate their homes. Many choose artwork to pepper their walls with in order to give a room some depth and personality. The only problem is that people are limited to art that they can purchase and transport home easily. The internet offers millions of digital artwork, but these can be difficult to gain access to on an everyday basis.

The Product. FRAMED is a digital frame that allows the person to purchase and display a myriad of digital artwork. The frame comes in 24” and 40” sizes, several finishes and is compatible with many different file formats. Its image can be animated, stagnant or even interactive. FRAMED works with a free iPhone and Android app so that the image can be controlled remotely. The screen is HD and features a 180° viewing angle. 

The Pitch. FRAMED’s campaign video shows the creators talking about the benefits of sharing and buying artwork from around the globe. Artists can sell or give away their work using the FRAMED network. Using one of these frames means that the stream of artwork in your home can change constantly. The rest of the campaign goes through the tech specs of the frame and shows just a few examples of the vast selection of images that the frame can display. This Japanese product hopes to raise $75,000 in a month-long Kickstarter campaign.

The Perks. Several early-bird special allows backers to purchase the product for an earlier delivery date of March 2015 at $399 and $449 for the 24” frame. The regularly-priced 24” FRAMED costs $499 for delivery in February 2015. The 40” comes in at a regular price of $1,500 and includes three pieces of artwork. Higher tiers offer multi-packs, custom colors and include free artwork. Reward tiers go all the way up to $10,000.

The Potential. In an ever-evolving digital world, it’s refreshing to come across a product that values the potential of digital with the practicalities of a physical object. FRAMED introduces a way to bring art from around the world home in the easiest way. We’ve seen a similar product recently in Electric Objects, a digital frame that displays artwork controlled by a smartphone app. Electric Objects is meant to completely blend in with physical artwork and its image isn’t animated. FRAMED allows for animated or interactive content, but is clearly digital. Both products are quite interesting and FRAMED is a great way for people to enjoy all the internet has to offer in their everyday lives without being glued to a screen. 

Categories
Accents Arts

Pinch Rail frees poster art that would be framed

Pinch RailThere are some works of art that just shouldn’t be hindered by the confines of a frame. Some of these are found delicately complimenting the front of a refrigerator, or thoughtfully strewn along the walls of a teenage bedroom, college dorm room or first apartment. But seriously, some forms of modern art just don’t look right in a frame. That’s why there’s Pinch Rail. The metal hanging system attaches to the wall, and then two binder clips on the top left and right of the picture allow for it to slide into place. For $50, backers get a gift certificate for a 24” Pinch Rail, with an expected delivery of December 2014.

Categories
Fitness

Trojan 3-D Gym offers free-weight flexibility, workout machine safety

The Premise. Lifting weights at the gym is a fundamental part of a well-rounded workout. Sometimes, however, fatigue hits at the worst time and heavy weights can be dangerous. Falling over or dropping a barbell can cause serious injury to yourself or others around you and no one wants to look like a clutzy dope at the gym.

The Product. The Trojan 3-D Gym is a simple frame that barbells attach to. The exerciser stands in the middle of the frame and lifts the barbell. This fitness guide is designed to follow the movements of the lifter, expanding and contracting automatically. The British creator, David Bean, had three things in mind when inventing this product: replicating a free weight workout experience, increased safety, and quality craftsmanship.

The Pitch. The Trojan’s Kickstarter campaign is rather long and includes some unnecessary information, such as scanned questionnaires from gyms interested in the Trojan. The one thing the campaign does leave out is a detailed description of the Trojan itself and, instead, shows too many letters and documents surrounding its legitimacy in the patent world. The video provides the only real insight into the product’s purpose. It would definitely be helpful to see some sort of diagram or photo of the finished product, instead of blurry photos of the prototyping phases. Trojan hopes to raise £20,000 in its 30-day campaign run.

The Perks. Only backers willing to fork over £2,000 will receive a Trojan with an estimated delivery date of February 2015. Other lower tiers offer a variety of mini-perks with the added option of purchasing the apparatus at cost.

The Potential. The Trojan’s major goal is to replicate using free weights, but in a safer manner. There are several other workout devices out there that use a frame to help guide barbells, such as the PowerLine Power Rack, but not all have the same flexibility and freedom as the Trojan. One major argument against using weightlifting devices in lieu of free weights is that they don’t provide as good of a workout, because stabilizer muscles aren’t used. The Trojan 3-D Gym still requires those stabilizer muscles, but will help fitness buffs workout in a safe and efficient way. Trojan’s pricing is competitive for gym equipment. However, it’s a bit of a burden to lift for the home market at present.