Skip to main content

Crowdfunding Roundup: smart watch with calling features, hologram generator for phones and tablets, more

Print

As the success stories keep piling up, so do the number of projects filling up crowdfunding websites with, among other things, neat hardware- and software-related products. Some projects, like Pebble, gain thousands of supporters as well as millions of dollars in funding (and end up at Best Buy’s retail stores). Other projects flop and don’t reach their necessary funding amount.

Rather than make you sift through all of these projects, we’re rounding up the best or most notable projects from around the web and delivering them to you in a simple roundup.

If there’s a project that you’ve backed – or even a project that you founded – be sure to leave a link below so it can be considered for the next roundup.

  • Hot Watch: Smart watch with revolutionary private calls (Kickstarter Project) – This is yet another project that seems to be nearly too good to be true. Using the smart watch, you can raise your hand and answer a phone call that’s amplified by the shape of your hand. In addition, you can send/receive texts and perform many other functions.
  • uChek Universal (Indiegogo project) – Yep, it’s a urinanlyzer. It is as accurate as a medical laboratory and can check for 25 medical conditions. Keep in mind that the device isn’t FDA cleared and it looks like they are not recommending US-based customers purchase from Indiegogo:

    Note: At this point, this campaign does not target US FDA clearance. Users in the United States interested in reserving the Universal are requested to sign up here. We’ll be happy to keep you posted on our US plans for the Universal, separately!

  • Emotiv Insight (Kickstarter project) – It’s described as a “sleek, multi-channel, wireless headset that monitors your brain activity and translates them into meaningful data you can understand.” As compared to the company’s previous designs, it is quite good looking, but I’m sure you’d get a lot of funny looks wearing it around town. However, the developer API will allow programs and hardware to interact in new ways.
  • HOLHO – the new hologram generator for smartphone and tablet (Kickstarter project) – The HOLHO uses an optical illusion to create a design that looks like a hologram. Images and videos need to be created using the HOLHO app or provided by the company, but hopefully the content library will be large over time.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel

Comments

  1. bwulfe - 11 years ago

    The Emotiv looks like someone is wearing a jock-strap on their head.

  2. Pete - 11 years ago

    Man, the HOT Watch looks intriguing. They seem to be communicating and they seem like they’re confident on their ship date…

  3. Merrick Michelle Pickens - 11 years ago

    Love this HOT watch deal!! Can’t wait to get my hands on one.

  4. Oflife (@oflife) - 11 years ago

    This is both awesome and has immediate use – such as in museums, schools etc. I don’t understand why something like this would not get immediate funding from government, larger companies etc – it should NOT require Kickstarter!

    • bwulfe - 11 years ago

      Kickstarter is a method for the inventors to retain ownership & control over what they have designed. Accepting outside funding (venture capitol) means selling partial (often substantial) control of their company / product. The government has no business investing in any technology not related to core obligations such as national defense. The free market should decide what is or is not worthy of funding. (We do not need more Solyndra’s.) Success stories such as Pebble & Brydge (two of many I have participated in) prove that those who have good ideas & the know-how to actually produce what they are proposing; can find the necessary funding to succeed.

  5. Thijs Bastiaens - 11 years ago

    Pebble, GCW-Zero, MiiPC, Gamestick, Mycestro, OUYA are some of the ones I backed and love/looking forward the most, but I think some things like the OMNI should be really considered for the next roundup, also the Oculus Rift. Some really intense things.

  6. Aaron (@elmsocial) - 11 years ago

    I’m excited about the HOT watch and the private call feature.. The Pebble was cool, but didn’t really offer enough for me to bite.