It’s often annoying when the noise is so loud in a restaurant or other public gathering spot that it’s hard to hear what companions are saying.
TableTalk is a patented assisted listening system made up of a base station and headsets. The digital signal processor (DSP)-equipped system uses Bluetooth and advanced noise cancellation technology to make conversations clearer regardless of how noisy it is, according to its Kickstarter campaign. TableTalk connects up to five people.
Anyone who has owned a full-length mirror knows that, after experiencing the full view, it’s hard to go back. That is why traveling can sometimes be irritating because it’s impossible to bring that long mirror along.
To address this minor albeit vain issue, Magic Mirror has come up with a way to travel with mirror in tow. This product folds up into a lightweight package, but folds out to either provide a small makeup mirror or all the way out for a full length mirror. The outside comes in various fun colors. The unique folding design makes a couple of different configurations possible and, in most instances, the mirror can stand up on its own. For the full length, it comes with a strap at the top so it can easily be hung up wherever’s convenient.
While few would want to admit owning a Magic Mirror for fear of being accused of vanity, many could benefit from this product. It’s a clever way to stay looking cute while on the go. The campaign is marketing the product to music festival goers, which is a clever strategy considering the fact that summer is coming. For their own, backers must donate £28 (~$42). Magic Mirror is hoping to raise £7,500 (~$11,200) in funding with the help of Kickstarter.
Most married men want the message out there that they’re taken. The best way to do this is to wear a wedding ring. Some, however, work in harsh conditions where any expensive ring may be damaged. In this situation, the Rhino Ring comes to the rescue. This is a synthetic ring made of rubber to be worn just like a wedding ring. It’s durable enough to withstand hazardous environments, while still getting the message out to stay away. The ring looks like any traditional band and is a cool way for rugged married men to maintain their marital commitments. One costs backers $10 with a campaign goal on Kickstarter of $1,800.
The Premise. Hearing loss is an issue that affects 10% of the world population, and it remains a significant barrier for human communication. Often times, hearing loss comes later in life, and it can thus be a difficult obstacle to overcome having not learned sign language.
The Product. The iseewhatyousay is a small and simple device that makes it easier for people with hearing loss to communicate in a one on one conversation. Currently available only for Android users, the iseewhatyousay is a speech-to-text reader that displays the text of a conversation to person with hearing loss. The person speaking holds down a button within the iseewhatyousay app on their phone, and it shows up on the screen of the device almost immediately. The goal is to make conversation smooth and effortless.
The Pitch. On the Kickstarter page, little is mentioned about what the device actually does or how it works. There’s a video that shows the creator and his father having a conversation with a prototype of the iseewhatyousay, but that conversation seems slow and labored.
The Perks. The iseewhatyousay is relatively cheap at only $50, with an expected delivery of July 2014. There are options for those who want to help produce these devices with contributions in the thousands.
The Potential. The iseewhatyousay has the best intentions in mind and the product’s eventual small form factor could be an advantage, but this product faces significant hurdles. The creators have not yet created a refined product ready for mass production and the product’s featured could be handled and far surpassed by the cheapest of used smartphones, There are countless of other speech-to-text devices available, and there are certainly alternative and more effective solutions for people with hearing loss.