Advertisement
Sections
These Kickstarter projects will take your breath away, and maybe even your money
Here are a few recent Kickstarter projects you should know about and even fund if you can (you know, for science).
For those of you who are extremely careless with objects that you need to survive in the adult world like id cards or monies, here's a wallet that will be the end of all your troubles! LEIF is a card-shaped device that is a tracker and a pick-pocket theft alert which also aids in recovery of the misplaced wallet. It has a rechargeable and non-rechargeable version and is as slim as a credit card so it doesn't really add any bulk to your wallet. It drops warnings in the form of notifications on your phone and aids in finding your wallet by telling you exactly how close you are to it. LEIF sounds like it would work pretty well unless you lose your phone too.Lifestone: A Magic stone that knows everything
The Lifestone claims that it can do the work of a bunch of health-tracking devices and measure your blood pressure, respiration-breathe rate, heart rate, ECG/EKG and even your stress index. This is ideal if you are a member of a joint family as you can create a profile for every member on the accompanying app on your phone and monitor their health. The Lifestone comes with a detachable cuff so you can measure your blood pressure on the go. There is also an optional Stethostone with which you can record people's heartbeat if that is something you are into.BopPad – Drum sounds from a piece of cloth
The BopPad is an electronic drum pad which can be customised to create sounds that are out of this world. Tested and endorsed by the producer of Gorillaz, among a roster of other artists, the BopPad has the ability to play six notes at a time. It has accurate hit detection with a latency of just 2.4 milliseconds. It has four independently programmable zones and you can choose the exact velocity, pitch blend and pressure in these zones. The BopPad can be played with your hands or sticks and is perfectly suited for practice while travelling. It is very easy to use as well and you only need to plug it in your laptop or mobile device to start playing to become the next Buddy Rich.Fathom: Explore water bodies without the risk of being eaten by sharks
Fathom is an underwater, modular drone that is affordable too at a price of $600 (around Rs 36,000). If you have ever wanted to explore the seas or any other water body and simply can't be bothered with the sharks or crocodiles or stingrays out there, this is the device for you. It has an HD 1080p camera for a crisp viewing experience and can speed up to 1.5m/s. It comes with 100 ft of tether and weighs only 2.05 kg. It has a maximum operating depth of 150 ft so you probably won't be unlocking the secrets of the Mariana Trench with it. However, if your goals are a little less ambitious, the Fathom should work perfectly for you. The drone is completely modular which means that you can remove the thrusters and it has an integrated rail system which allows you to attach action cameras, extra lights and additional sensors. The developers of this project encourage customization of the drone by the explorer and have planned an entire line of thrusters and accessories to facilitate that.Sgnl: No need to pretend your finger is a phone anymore
We've all seen how companies have scrambled to get their lead in the smartwatch game (Here's not looking at you, Apple). Sgnl, however, is just a smartwatch strap. It is compatible with most smartwatches and even normal, stone-age, analogue watches as well. What it does is convert sound into vibrations which then run through your hand and are delivered directly to your ear when you place your finger on it while you speak through a microphone embedded in the strap. All your dreams of being a cool spy can be fulfilled with this device if you don't mind the stares that you will undoubtedly get. Sgnl has an accompanying app which helps you remember to call the important people in your life, track your activity and get notifications for calls, texts or different apps. One hour of charging gives it a life of 7 days on standby and 4 hours of talk-time.PinBox 3000: "It's amazing what they do with corrugated cardboard these days" - Calvin
The Pinbox 3000 is a customizable pinball machine made of cardboard meant for self-assembly. The base model can be customised by the player to fit any theme that they like and the possibilities are endless. The game takes around 30-40 minutes to assemble and comes with printed and die cut parts which can be used for board customisation. It even has a coin slot and comes with a launcher system which was redesigned after beta testing. Measuring 11 inches by 17 inches, it is a perfectly portable package of fun. There are a series of 'Gamechanger' boards, one of the which has been designed by an artist who created the landscapes for Adventure Time.
First Published:Sep 14, 2016, 08:08:05 IST
Advertisement
Advertisement
Why AI notetakers are raising serious privacy and security concerns
AI notetakers promise effortless meeting summaries, but experts warn they could expose confidential conversations, corporate secrets and personal voiceprints. As businesses increasingly adopt AI-powered meeting assistants, questions over data storage, privacy, consent and legal risks are becoming impossible to ignore
5 min read
China's low-cost AI models are changing the global AI race. Here's why Silicon Valley is worried
As Chinese firms continue to improve performance while keeping prices low, the AI race is no longer just about building the smartest model—it is increasingly becoming a battle over who can deliver the best value
2 min read
China's Kimi K3 challenges US AI leaders with frontier-level performance at lower cost
Chinese artificial intelligence startup Moonshot AI has unveiled its latest open-weight AI model, Kimi K3, with early results suggesting it could compete with some of the world's most advanced AI systems developed by leading US companies
2 min read
How did Instagram run ads promoting child abuse in India?
India has issued a notice to Meta after an investigation alleged that Instagram displayed paid advertisements promoting child sexual abuse material. MeitY ordered Meta to remove such Instagram ads and explain within seven days how they were approved
8 min read
Why has India halted WhatsApp’s username feature before launch?
India has halted WhatsApp’s planned username feature, citing concerns about cybercrime, impersonation, and law enforcement challenges. As Meta races to address security concerns, here’s why MeitY has paused the rollout, what the feature does, and how it could influence privacy and online safety in India
3 min read
Advertisement
Advertisement