Despite the jokes about one day being able to use your toaster to Tweet, there is a real appetite for all kinds of smart products. These are a selection of the most interesting: some of them are already available to buy while others are being developed, but all of them are hoping to make your life safer, more comfortable and even tastier.
SleepIQ Bed
(Credit:sleepnumber.com)
We all know how valuable a good night’s sleep can be, but now there’s a bed that actually puts a value on the quality of your sleep.
The SleepIQ bed uses integrated sensors to measure your breathing and heart rate, as well as presence and movement. The data is then fed into an algorithm which gives you a sleep score. Using the app you’ll be able to tell if you have a bad night’s sleep – how did we ever cope before?
The system may have its uses however – you can set the app to alert you when your child is no longer in bed for example, helping you to ensure your little ones get enough rest so they’re full of energy in school.
Security Vacuum Cleaners
The South Korean electronics giant LG has predicted that robot vacuum cleaners could soon be catching criminals while sucking up dirt. It would connect to your mobile phone via an app, notifying you if there was a disturbance in your home. With the power to detect smell as well as motion, the robotic security vacuum of the future could even alert you if there was a fire in your home. Vacuum cleaners with cameras would also be able to relay images to your mobile device, making it equally as useful for spying as protecting against intruders.
Digitsole
(Credit: digitsole.com)
If you’ve been waiting all your life for a gadget that will not only count the number of steps you take but also heat your feet at the touch of a button then you’ll no doubt be thrilled to hear about the Digitsole. Since raising more than double its $40,000 goal on Kickstarter the Digitsole has helped both those with cold feet and those that want to track how many calories they burn every day while working.
Fitguard
(Credit:fitguard.me)
If you or your loved ones play a contact sport you might have had the unfortunate experience of worrying about concussions. If athletes return to the field after a concussion the consequences can potentially be fatal. Fitguard is a mouth guard being developed that would use cutting edge technology to assess whether a blow is likely to have caused a head injury – if the guard changes from green to red the coach has an easy visual cue that the athlete needs to be taken out of play to be assessed. Meanwhile a specially designed app communicates with the Fitguard so coaches – or parents – can detect a head injury even if they can’t see the mouthguard.
While Fitguard failed to reach its fundraising goal on Indiegogo there is still hope that the product will come to market. The product made an appearance at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas just a few weeks ago, and its founders are both passionate about its potential to keep young athletes safe.
Mellow
(Credit: cookmellow.com)
If the makers of Mellow can deliver on their promises, it would be easy to imagine everyone wanting one of these in the future. Set eggs to poach perfectly the minute you step into the kitchen? Start cooking duck confit so it’ll be ready when you return from work? Yes please. While Mellow has yet to release their first version of the product it’s easy to imagine consumer demand will ensure that one day these are as ubiquitous as microwaves and kettles.
Sponsored and written by Shawn Hunt from the satellite internet specialists Satellite Broadband UK exclusively for The Future of Things.
