Tag: kids

Categories
Food and Beverage

SipSmart Cap is another cover to stop the spill

SipSmartKids and stuff getting spilled are two things that go together in life. SipSmart lets parents and caretakers put a spill-proof lid on bottled water, juices and smoothies. The mess prevention technology works because of the anti-leak, choke prevention valve near the top of the straw and the stopper below the screw cap. The beverage’s original cap just gets discarded and replaced with the SipSmart bottle cap for liquid security and a small addition to parental sanity. While it’s probably safe to assume that the caps can be reused, it’s not clear as to whether or not they are dishwasher safe. For $20, backers get two sets and an expected delivery of January 2015.

 

Categories
Health and Wellness Sensors/IoT

Fever Smart lets you monitor your kids for lobal warming

The Premise. When your child is sick, it’s important to monitor their temperature constantly. Fever spikes in the night can go unnoticed by parents who don’t want to keep waking their children up to take their temperature. It can be dangerous to miss this important information in regards to your child’s health.

The Product. Fever Smart is an easy and effective way to monitor your child’s health. The sensor sits under your child’s armpit and is attached with a sticky patch. It keeps track of your child’s temperature and sends alerts via Wi-fi to the accompanying smartphone app. Currently, Fever Smart is only compatible with Apple and even works with the new iOS 8. Any information gathered is automatically uploaded to Apple’s iCloud so the information is accessible for multiple users anywhere. The sensor runs on battery and Fever Smart is FDA-approved.

The Pitch. Fever Smart’s campaign video features its many chief operators discussing their product. Their main motivation for Fever Smart was the health and safety of children. The campaign promises that upon reaching 150% of their $40,000 goal, that the creators will work on making Fever Smart Android compatible as well.

The Perks. Early birds can enjoy this smart fever monitor for $99 or at a regular price of $129. For those who just can’t wait, $179 will get them the app and product a month earlier than the rest in December 2014. Estimated delivery for the regular tiers is set for January 2015.

The Potential. Fever Smart has several things going for it. One, it continuously monitors fever in times of sickness. Two, it’s non-invasive. And three, it uploads information to the iCloud so it’s readily available. This isn’t the only smart fever monitoring device out there, however. The Kinsa Smart Thermometer also hooks up to smartphones to deliver comprehensive data, but Kinsa only allows for one-at-a-time temperature readings. As for Fever Smart, the only question is how comfortable those sensors are, especially for kids who tend to be finicky about having things attached to their bodies. Still, this product is a cool, innovative product for helicopter moms who want to make sure their kids are okay.

Categories
Games

Mutation spherical board game invites you to have a ball

The Premise. The classic board games we’ve all been playing for years can make us feel, well, bored. With little interaction, complicated rules and limited possibilities, popular board games sometimes leave us wanting more.

The Product. Mutation is a 3-D spherical game that can be played with two, three, or four players. It’s multi-colored and has round pegs that can be moved around on it. Mutation comes with several variations on how it can be played with possibilities for more games born from the players’ imaginations. Most games focus on the goal of getting the pegs arranged in certain shapes or patterns. Mutation is plastic and the pegs come in two colors, black and white to differentiate the teams.

The Pitch. Mutation’s funny campaign video shows two drones playing Checkers and a third Mutation advocate saying, “King me? Really?” It goes with the typical trope of the two boring guys coming alive as soon as they’re handed Mutation. The rest of the campaign discusses how the actual product will be a more updated version of the one seen in the video. It also goes into detail about how Mutation is actually quite difficult to manufacture. This interactive game hopes to raise $5,000 with the help of Kickstarter.

The Perks. For $20, early birds will receive Mutation from the second production batch. At a regular price, the second production batch Mutation goes for $25. Reward tiers climb up to $10,000 with estimated delivery set for January 2015.

The Potential. The idea of a 3-D multi-player game isn’t anything new. Mutation’s claim to fame is that, along with the various games it already provides, you can make up your own games using this product. The campaign is unclear how this is possible and, really, any game comes with this possibility. Since each set game the product provides centers just on shapes, it’s difficult to think that Mutation will really be a heap of fun. It’s hard to predict without actually playing it, but one seeking fun might instead opt for a Bop It. If marketed to a younger crowd, however, Mutation may have success if sold as a shape-learning tool for small children.

Categories
Automotive

Twisty Tint offers sun shade, with a twist

The Premise. People use window shades in cars to block out the sun. They’re great for protecting kids who can’t really move in their car seats or for long road trips where sun exposure in the car is a problem. If the shade is no longer needed, however, one must manually remove it to get their view back.

The Product. Twisty Tint is a window shade with options. It adheres to the car’s window and looks much like a porthole on a ship. By simply rotating the outside of the shade, you can adjust the amount of sun that’s let into the car. For really bright days you can block it out altogether. If you want to see what’s going on outside again, just twist it until the shade becomes clear.

The Pitch. Featuring the creator’s son, Twisty Tint’s campaign video shows just how easy the product is to use. It also goes into the details of how the product works using polarization technology. The remainder of the campaign even features a testimonial from an ophthalmologist praises the sun protection that Twisty Tint offers. This product hopes to raise $29,000 on Kickstarter.

The Perks. For $46, backers can pre-order the first generation Twisty Tint. At the $81 level, backers will receive two Twisty Tints. Reward tiers go up to $304 with estimated delivery set for August 2015.

The Potential. Twisty Tint definitely adds new flavor to the window shade market. Many other window shades are available on the market and some don’t have the convenience of an easy switch out. Others, however, make it possible to use or remove the shade. Many new luxury cars nowadays even come with built-in shades that roll up and down for sun protection. However, Twisty Tint is great because it can be used in multiple vehicles and it’s also fun for kids. The only downside is that the shade it provides isn’t that big as the product is quite small. Still, for those looking to stay out of the sun, it’s a great option for versatility in sun protection.

Categories
Kids/Babies Tablet Accessories

Pick up on colorful cues with Mozbii interactive stylus

The Premise. Sometimes our connected devices act as everything from babysitters to educational teachers when our children use them. The long-lasting impact of early life in front of a screen is still unknown, but for now it seems the pros safely outweigh the cons.

The Product. Mozbii is a color-selecting stylus designed with children in mind. Shaped like a lollipop and easy to hold, the stylus is crafted partially out of medical grade silica-gel and has a flexible neck. It was created to give children a new way to interact with their surroundings while they play with their tablets. Simply press Mozbii to any object in your vicinity to duplicate its color, wait for an LED light to indicate the color has been picked up, and draw with that color on several compatible apps on your tablet. There are minimal buttons, the charger port is magnetic for easier time plugging in, and the battery can last up to 10 days between charges. With a 16-bit color sensor it can recognize more than 65,000 different colors in the spectrum.

The Pitch. The original campaign video is bright and engaging, and shows how children can easily use Mozbii to “collect” and learn about different colors in their environment. The newer video featured is more of a simple demonstration by an adult who chooses colors from many objects on a table, and even includes his tee shirt and hair to paint a picture on the coloring book app. Other tidbits from the campaign page include a sneak peek at limited edition colors, product development timelines, and details to be seen in later software versions. The project is looking to fund their goal of $30,000 in 30 days.

The Perks.  Early birds who pledge $64 will receive one of the first Mozbii styluses in orange or pink. For a pledge of $15 more, you can select from one of six Mozbii colors and will even get a carrying case. Become a VIP with a pledge of $10,000 or more, which will secure you six Mozbiis, six carrying cases, a day with UFRO founder in Taipei (travel /accommodations not included), and an exclusive factory tour. You will also be one of the first to access the developer’s kit.

The Potential. The product concept is certainly unique and refreshing and has a lot of potential among parents who see value in tablets as educational tools. This technology allows children to be more aware of their environments while also incorporating the tablets that they use every day. With that said, there is much more potential for Mozbii to become a teaching tool for tots still learning about colors than what is being initially presented. The product may see more success in later versions, where the emphasis is a better hybrid of learning and fun.

Categories
Kids/Babies Toys

DayRocket shoots up into air, gives fireworks a day off

DayRocketDuring the summer, people love to watch fun lights explode in their backyards whether it’s a firework or Roman candle. Most, however, must wait until night to enjoy these activities. The DayRocket is a fun alternative for those looking to blow something up, safely. Simply load a firecracker into the chamber, place the rocket cap on top and light. It’ll shoot up into the air and is fun for kids to catch. While certainly not as exciting as fireworks, it appears to be an entertaining and safe daytime activity for kids. One goes for $25 and DayRocket hopes to raise $13,500 on Kickstarter.

Categories
Connected Objects Kids/Babies

TROBO kids’ robot brings snuggling to science education

Once upon a time, a talking teddy bear named Teddy Ruxpin read gave children all over America nightmares and also read them stories through the use of cassette tapes plugged into its torso.

TROBO is the nerdy spiritual successor to Ruxpin in a lot of ways, albeit without the nightmare fuel and with the feature set one would expect in the Internet age. TROBO is a plush robot available in two styles, Edison (male-inspired) and Curie (female-inspired), assuring kids will want a TROBO no matter what kind of toys they like. TROBO reads stories that are focused on science, technology, math, and engineering, fostering a desire to learn and become more skilled in scientific pursuits at a young age. The stories are read aloud with an app used on a tablet or phone that allows kids to read along and also interact with the stories.

The interaction takes place directly, as children make their own avatars that look like them and share their name so TROBO speaks right at the young reader. Multiple stories will be available at launch, with additional TROBO stories being added to the app store over time to prevent content from getting stale or boring. Team TROBO is raising $60,000 for manufacturing and testing the toys, as well as creating more stories. Parents can get their kids a TROBO for $50 delivered in time for next year’s holidays: November 2015.

From the ground up, TROBO is designed to be a toy that children love and want to play with, while at the same time is a toy that inspires them to learn and understand the world around them. For parents and kids, that’s a complete win/win. Assuming, of course, that parents don’t have any leftover trauma from “playing” with Teddy Ruxpin.

Categories
Cycling Kids/Babies

Follow Me Bicycle Handle wrangles kids on family outings

Follow MeAhhh, yes. The giggles that come with teaching the kids to ride their bikes. That is, until they race ahead or lag behind or aren’t paying attention and run into a tree. Follow Me Bicycle Handle lets mom, dad, or other caretakers take smaller kids out on their bikes, and still maintain some control over where they go and what they do. And if all goes well, maybe mom and dad can have an almost romantic evening walk – romantic only goes so far when the kids are in tow. Backers willing to push this product forward with at least $50 can get a voucher for 50% off once the product hits the market. Expected delivery is July 2016 with a campaign goal of $150,000.

Categories
Cycling Kids/Babies

Dreisch Leaning Trike preps little ones for a two-wheeled ride

Dreisch Leaning TrikeTricycles are a great way for children to enjoy cycling safely, but don’t always prepare kids for a real bike. The Dreisch Leaning Trike mimics an actual bike with the same kind of necessary leaning for turns, but still has three wheels. With this trike, young ones can ride safe while also developing the necessary skills to learn the fundamentals of bicycle riding. While not completely necessary, the Dreisch Leaning Trike has a noble aim and is a great tool for children, much like the Jyrobike. One Dreisch Trike costs $299 on Kickstarter with estimated delivery in September 2014. This leaning trike hopes to raise $10,000 in two months.

Categories
Connected Objects Kids/Babies

Turn Internet access into a game for your kids with Kudoso

kudosoGetting kids to unplug from their devices and go outside or study is one of the great struggles of the 21st century. Existing blocking or limiting solutions are inflexible and often require a parent on call in order to work correctly. Kudoso is a special router or firmware for existing routers that can be set up to track kids’ activities and reward them with access to their favorite websites and devices. With integration with Khan Academy educational material, kids can even agree to do some extracurricular studying in order to earn the points necessary to play video games or watch streaming TV shows. Access to Kudoso will open to backers in August and is available to those who pledge $89.