Great things can come from humble beginnings, and crowdfunding has led to some pretty wonderful ideas coming to fruition. Here at MEGATech News we realize the importance of getting the word out about these projects, and that’s exactly what Crowdfunding Corner is all about: sharing the news about cool and exciting new campaigns. Some of these campaigns have just begun collecting pledges, while others are well on their way and some have even sailed past their goals already. All campaigns are live at the time of this writing.
Quin Helmets
The Quin Smart Motorcycle Helmet would pair nicely with the BackFlare Smart Vest that I featured way back in August 2017’s Crowdfunding Corner (though the BackFlare didn’t get funding, doh). Motorcycles are dangerous. In the United States, in 2014, over 4,000 drivers were killed in motorcycle accidents. Injuries sometimes top 100,000 in a given year. Motorcycle safety is a tricky thing, and it requires attentiveness from not only the driver, but other drivers as well.
The Quin Helmet is DOT and ECE certified; those two organizations cover North America, Europe, Australia, and more. It’s got unobtrusive Bluetooth integration to give you easy access to your maps, phone calls, music, and digital assistants. That’s all well and good, but the kicker is the Crash Detection, integrated technology in the helmet that senses when you’ve been in an accident and automatically notifies authorities and gives them your location. If you ride a motorcycle, even if you’re just a weekend rider, take your safety seriously.
Robot Art
We’re already in the midst of a robot worker revolution. Fast food and taxi jobs are on the way out. Truck drivers will be next. Do I really want to be encouraging this trend by promoting robot artists? There are serious philosophical conversations that can be had about the idea of robots creating art. Does art need a human element? It depends on the type of art, but in general, I think yes. Does that mean a robot can’t create something aesthetically pleasing? Of course not.
Mr.HEAD started out as a cleaning robot, 15 years ago in Tokyo. A few years ago, he began his career as an artist, and his “mechanical, geometrical touch” to painting sets him apart from the crowd. The art looks wonderful, and its inception is uniquely creative. Unfortunately, Mr.HEAD bit the dust not long ago, and funds are needed to create his successor.
The Milky Way in a Sphere
I’m not just a big fan of gadgets, I also enjoy trinkets, knick-knacks, and doo-dads, especially if they have a nerdy flair about them. What’s nerdier than space? That’s where aliens live, probably. Clemens – which I assume is a group and not just a person – launched a successful campaign for The Universe Sphere, a glass orb laser-etched to contain Laniakea, the supercluster of galaxies that Earth is part of.
This new sphere contains a much more recognizable image – the Milky Way, our own beautiful galaxy. And it is beautiful! The orb is stunning, as you can see above, and would make the perfect geeky addition to your collection, work space, or wherever you store these things. Clemens have already blown past their goal, which is great, because they have plenty of ideas for further spheres. Pair this with the Robot Art for the nerdiest collection around!
Mark One Retractable Pen
Alright, I sort of broke one of my own rules here. I don’t like “artisan” stuff. I don’t know that I would call the Mark One artisan per se, but it definitely straddles that line. I think it’s an important contribution, however. Like so many others, I spend increasingly more time sitting at my computer, and all of my writing – whether it be for work, fiction, emails, you name it – is done with a keyboard. It’s fast and efficient, so it’s a powerful weapon of choice.
That said, there’s also an element of detachment. Writing long-hand brings us closer to our subject, and it helps us remember what we’ve written. Also, smooth, fluid writing just feels damn good. Finding a good pen is a chore, though, so why not stick with the same pen and just buy refills? The Mark One is simply and durably designed, made completely out of metal and coated with polymer. It’s retractable and “satisfying as heck” to click. It comes in black and white. Get it.
Trash Cleaning Robot
While many corporations are shifting to robotic work forces in an effort to cut costs, some jobs are simply better performed by machines. The aptly named Trash Robot was designed to clean up trash in the Chicago River, something found to just be too time-consuming for human hands. In 2017, Urban Rivers installed a massive floating on the Chicago River in an effort to clean the river. The gardens can’t clean up actual debris, however, so the robot was created.
Here’s where it gets really inventive. The robot is controlled by you. People all around the world can log on and take control of the robot, picking up trash and aiming for the high score. It’s competitive, fun, outsourced, and it gets the job done. Now, I can understand if you’re hesitant to invest because you don’t live in Chicago, but keep in mind that if this is successful (they’ve already squeaked passed their goal), it could light some fires elsewhere in the world.
Crowdfunding Corner Continues
So those are our MEGATech picks for March 2018! I certainly didn’t set out to make a robot-heavy entry, but what can I say, I welcome our new robot overlords. Get art. Make art. Be art. If you see something cool that you think should be featured in Crowdfunding Corner or if you have a campaign of your own that you’d like considered, email me at duartedylan@gmail.com with “CROWDFUNDING CORNER” in the subject line and I’ll be sure to check it out.