Now this batch of crowdfunding projects really is all about self-improvement. From a jump rope that tracks your activity to a “smart” yoga mat that ensures your alignment is right on, these innovative, health-conscious projects make staying healthy easier. Of course, there are a few cool inventions for other areas of your life too. Check out a few of our favorite projects below.
1. Apothecary Box: This monthly beauty box subscription is like a next-level Birch Box. All the products are natural and handmade in small batches by independent vendors across the country. So not only are you getting what is essentially beauty couture that your friends will lust over with envy, you’re helping independent business owners. It’s a beautiful thought, right?
2. Jump Rope Activity Tracker: Pretty much everyone knows that jumping rope is a fast way to get your heart rate up and burn some major calories. But just how many calories are we talking here? It’s all fun and games when you’re a kid and on the playground, but when you’re working toward a fitness goal, you need to know. This jump rope tracks reps and calories as well as keeping you on track to meet your fitness goals. Plus, you can challenge your friends using the app.
3. Laser Headphones: Coolest. Earbuds. Ever. These headphones have lasers in the wires that pulse to the music you’re listening to. We’re already imagining all the cool places we could wear these: late-night runs, a silent disco or dancing alone in the dark.
4. Interactive Children’s Book: Kids today are just so darn lucky. Up until now, picture books have remained just that: pictures in books. But the inventors behind the new Goodnight Lad book found a way to make the pages interactive through an app. Parents download the app, kids scan the page and the illustrations come to life on the screen.
5. No-Peel Onion Dicer: Forget crying while you cook; this contraption can peel and dice an onion in five seconds flat. As if that wasn’t enough, it can chop up all your other favorite veggies too. It comes with 14 blades, so however you want to slice your ingredients, this tool can make it happen. If funded, it will go on sale this summer.
6. Halftime Shark Suit: Okay, if this gets funded, Halloween will be a no-brainer. This costume designer wants to gift the masses their very own Superbowl halftime shark suit, or for a cheaper price, the template so you can make it yourself. Seriously, you’d win every costume contest ever with this bright blue number.
7. Smartbed Mattress Cover: Okay, get over the idea of your bed going digital disrupting your sleep. This mattress cover actually improves sleep by logging the amount of REM you get. Another nifty feature: You can set the bed to two different temperatures in case your partner likes it hotter or cooler than you do. See, tech in bed isn’t all bad.
8. Intruder Tracker: We are all for security alarms that alert you when someone might have broken in, but this device is the first one to actually track their every move AND record it on video. Bonus: It’s sleek and small.
9. Indoor Heating Thermometer: If you don’t have central heating, knowing the exact temperature of your apartment or house is really just a guess. This handy little thermometer connects to the heater for a more accurate reading, and it also adjusts the heat when you enter and leave so you don’t have to remember to do it. Take that, ridiculously high energy bill!
10. Smart Yoga Mat: This invention could totally transform your yoga game. First, it detects your alignment and balance, so if you need to straighten up it tells you to do so. It also connects with an app, which logs your yoga time, your strongest poses and the poses that need a bit more work. It’s especially helpful if you’re doing yoga at home and an instructor isn’t there to help you; this mat is like a virtual teacher.
11. Circuit Board Printer: Gadget geeks are going crazy for this one. Voltera is a machine that prints out circuit boards, making DIY electronics way easier. The best part is that it only has one button, so you really can’t mess it up. Voltera comes with a software guide explaining each step and file conversion. Brilliantly, the machine automatically detects places where traces intersect and lays down a mask. It also comes with a bunch of different template boards. Seriously, the inventors behind this project thought of everything.
12. Smart Wallet You’ll Never Lose: This awesome invention ensures that you’ll never lose your wallet again. It connects your wallet with an app on your phone. The little electronic device in the wallet syncs with the app, and if you can’t find your wallet, you just press the alarm button on your phone to locate it. Forgetfulness solved.
Which one of these ideas if your favorite? Share in the comments.
