When other people want to see the “next big thing” they wait for Apple to release a blue iPhone.
Not you. You know all the big stuff is happening on Kickstarter. On Kickstarter, all the groundbreaking dreams deemed by bigwigs as “too risky” can finally find the cash to become reality. You want a smart watch? A virtual reality system? A bedside hot-dog dispenser? Done!
There are some really mind-blowing things coming out of the woodwork. The most notable projects leave your jaw on the floor and your tongue rolled out like some sort of cartoon wolf. Let’s take a look at some recent creative Kickstarter projects that have promise:
1. The (Noncreepy) Robot That Follows You Automatically
Drones are hot, people. Hexo+ is a smart drone that automatically registers where you are and follows you around, filming the whole thing. This isn’t necessarily as creepy as that sentence makes it sound. Flight time hovers (pun intended) around 10 minutes, so it’s only used to capture very specific footage.
If the $1.3 million in funding is any indication, people are excited for this! Looking at the footage, it reminds me of the camera you’d find in video games. Extreme sports fanatics can take some amazing-looking video and it changes everything. Even your skateboard-obsessed cousin will be releasing world-class videos just like the pros.
2. A DIY Waterproofing Spray That Works on Anything
About a year ago there was much buzz about water-repelling sprays. All that excitement died down when we realized how toxic those chemicals were. LiquidOff breaks through the noise with a unique, eco-friendly and nontoxic formula that repels water.
Instead of just applying it to roofs, boots, and walkways, you can now safely waterproof things like baby clothing, expensive furniture, windshields, cell phones, and more. Imagine everything you own lasting years longer. Imagine the spilled coffees in your car never leaving a stain, walking through mud with ease, or your bathroom mirror never fogging up again after a hot shower. This is revolutionary stuff.
3. The Real Life Digital Color Picker
This is one that gets the hardcore creatives screaming WHAAAAAT?! ScribblePen is your real-world Photoshop ink dropper tool. Just place the end of the pen up to anything and you can automatically sample any color and use it an instant later. Save over 100,000 colors and sync them to your smartphone for later use.
The possibilities for artistry, photo touch-ups, design, and goofing off on company time are staggering. These guys are launching in the beginning of August and I can’t wait for this one!
4. The Deceptively Simple Camera Stabilizer
Stayblcam is a lightweight and easy-to-use camera stabilizer. Turn your cellphone, flipcam, or GoPro into a high-tech piece of film equipment. I’ve spent many years on the sets of feature films, and getting steady moving shots was always a big deal.
On film sets they’d strap a guy into a 100lb suit with weights and counterweights and hook the camera on to him, paying him thousands of dollars per day. Stayblcam replaces the whole system for under $100. Be prepared to see some really nice cat videos in the coming months!
5. Easy-To-Use Bluetooth Earbuds
Wait, what? Wireless earbuds? That don’t suck? Yes, you read that right.
Earin aims to be the wireless music solution that actually sounds decent. Many music lovers get skeptical when it comes to the audio quality of earbuds, and making anything “wireless” usually makes the quality even worse.
Earin claims to have superior quality to that of normal earbuds. It’s hassle free, comfortable, and sexy all at the same time. This might just be the last pair of headphones you ever buy.
6. A Wall-Mounted Computer That Brings Art to Life
Electronic Objects is an astonishingly great idea. These guys have created a computer that doesn’t function as a computer, but instead functions as living art. The problem with most digital photo frames is how technical it all is. The moment you put a user interface on your photo frame, you’re instantly distracted from the experience.
The EO1 promises to have a simple user interface linked into your phone. You control all the options off-screen, and you allow your EO1 to update with new artwork. This is going places people. Welcome to the future.
7. Retro-Inspired Device Holder
Your smart devices are insanely useful but can be more frustrating than M. Night Shyamalan’s stab at The Last Airbender. It’s impossible to angle it perfectly so you can kick back, chillax, and watch eight straight hours of House Of Cards (or whatever you kids are watching these days). STAN solves this problem with a design reminiscent of the Pixar lamp.
Sometimes propping your iPad, Kindle, or smartphone up against a pillow just doesn’t give you the positioning you need – I’m glad somebody’s thought of a solution.
8. A Tesla Film That Doesn’t Lie
It’s an astonishment that the Nikola Tesla story isn’t taught in public schools. We hear about Edison’s story every time the late 1880s are brought up, but Tesla’s usually less than a footnote. A group of film students are looking to popularize the scientific mind behind electricity with a ultra-HD film titled Tesla.
The test footage looks decent and the actors look like they were actually pulled out of the 1880s with a T.A.R.D.I.S. I’m a fan of Tesla’s story and I hope they make something that wins awards.
9. A Tricycle That Teaches You How to Bike
There’s a big dissonance between riding a trike and a bike. It’s not just the lack of a stabilizing wheel that makes the transition hard, it’s also that on a bike you need to lean to turn. The Dreisch Leaning Tricycle introduces the leaning concept a step earlier and prepares children for the full biking experience.
It’s too early to see the long-term benefits of this, but I’m excited to see the case studies in a few years.
10. The Ultimate Utility Bowl for Bachelors
When you’re a college student on the “Ramen Noodle Every Night” diet, you don’t have time for dishes, yo. You’ve got that mid-term to study for! So imagine being able to cook, strain, eat, and store your mac-n-cheese in a single bowl? OneBowl is your answer.
I’m ending on this project note because this proves the biggest point of Kickstarter. You’ve probably got an idea kicking around in the back of your head. It could be as simple as a bowl/strainer combo or as complex as nanotechnology. All of these project creators were all real people with an idea and a dream.They’re making it happen, and so can you.
