The sedentary nature of today’s youth is well-documented, leading many to deride the role screen time contributes to the problem. With applications like Pokemon GO leading a change in mainstream attitudes about how screens can be a benefit rather than a nuisance, BRILLAR looks to capitalize on this renewed awareness with its own twist.
BRILLAR is a chimera of a kid’s smartwatch. It not only tells time but also boasts a micro-SIM slot for its phone function, the ability to store 11 pre-set contacts, a walkie-talkie, a GPS unit, and a pedometer. This forms the basis for the Roodymentary application, a challenge-based gaming experience that offers children real-life challenges that get them up and moving by completing scavenger hunts to workouts for digital rewards they can show off to friends. All the while, parents can use the app’s parental features to ensure safety with BRILLAR’s tracking feature along with geo-fencing capabilities and the option to listen in without alerting the child. While there may not be any augmented reality involved, the BRILLAR boasts a range of feature to make its absence irrelevant. Each BRILLAR smartwatch comes in either blue or pink and is priced at $105. It is slated to ship in October 2016 should its Kickstarter campaign raise about $33,000 by October 1st, 2016.
Compared to a pared-down alternative like the Snowfox that only focuses on tracking tykes, the BRILLAR layers that tracking functionality with a fun game to get kids off the couch and into the big, wide world. Some parents might prefer children explore on their own, though, leading to a distinct split in the kinds of products being created: some that gamify the world while others simply relieve parents of the worry of their kids exploring.