Well, folks, Re: Make 2014 is already half over! We spent yesterday getting inspired, listening to creatives and maker movement revolutionists share their stories and some insanely sound advice (don’t worry we’ll be sharing some of that with you shortly). On Day 1 some stellar startups came on stage to demo their tech-savvy, game changing ideas. Here are a few of the innovations these makers shared with us and the story of how they came to be. Warning: Get ready to add these to the top of your WANT list.
1. Birdi: So, just what sweet story did Mark Belinsky, Co-Founder of Birdi, share to explain the inspiration for his smart home product? Oh, just that the idea for it was sparked by concern for his grandma’s health (awww). Think of Birdi as a smoke alarm on steroids. Let’s be honest here, most of our smoke alarms are probably battery-less, in various stages of disarray or simply non-existent. Belinsky knows we need them, but that we also kind of hate them. So he made one that’s a million times better.
If we’re going to make air quality a nat’l issue, need to make it comprehensible. Today it’s 68. What’s that mean? —@mbelinsky#remake2014
— stephanie (@stephliebold) September 12, 2014
This smart air monitor keeps track of the air quality of your home, tracks dust, soot and other health dangers plus warns you about emergencies like fire and carbon monoxide. Birdi then notifies you of any possible risks with a smartphone alerts. Don’t have a smartphone? It can also alert you via landline. We can finally say goodbye to those endless, deafening smoke alarm beeps. Birdi is available for pre-order for $199. Oh, and as Mark put it, this is a smart home product that his grandma knows how to use.
2.Drop: We’ve told you about Drop once (or twice) before but its adorable Irish CEO, Ben Harris took the Re:Make stage to give us a demo and we are just so freakin’ excited about it. This iPad-connected kitchen scale is going to change the way you bake forever.
Just learned about @dropkitchen at @BritandCo#remake2014 I want I want!! — Dave Peck (@davepeck) September 12, 2014
Attach Drop’s scale to your iPad, open up the Drop app, plop your baking bowl on and zero out your scale. Here’s where Drop is totally different to any recipe you’ve ever followed: No longer will you find a list of ingredients, a block of text and a photo. Instead you’ll be taken through a smooth, interactive step-by-step process that’s just about foolproof. Don’t have enough of one ingredient? Drop can scale a recipe based on what you do have. Need to find a substitution? Drop can also help you with that. The device is available to
(at a special price of $80) on our site! That is, if the #remake2014 attendees who were ooing and ahing from the audience don’t buy them all first…
3.
: This is an household gadget you never knew you needed. Walhub is a functional light switch with built-in hooks and storage. Industrial Designer, Justin Porcano didn’t have a fortune to spend on protoypes so he made one himself with a
Well, actually Justin Porcano of @upwelldesign is my spirit animal. So obsessed it’s not even funny. #toosmart#walhub seen in @IKEAUSA — Helena Hounsel (@helenalor) September 12, 2014
Porcano was happy with the product (and says he got full approval from his mom, love the family fun here at Re:Make!) but he needed to find out what everyone else thought. So Porcano did something totally genius: he dressed up as an IKEA employee, installed the product in the store guerilla-style and watched how people reacted. No surprise here: they loved it!
4. Urbio: If you’re a small-space dweller you know clever storage is key. Jared Aller and Michele Bendall of Urbio came on stage to show us this simple solution that organizes, decorates and also happens to hold your plants. Vertical gardening the main vein of how this company originally came to be, but it’s capability branches out far beyond nature.
Oh man! @myurbio is super cool! Maybe now I’ll actually decorate my desk at work. Totally fits my design aesthetic. #remake2014
— Adriana Higuera (@AdrianaH) September 12, 2014
Need a container for your magazines? Urbio has a container for that. How about your sunglasses? Done. The best part about the product is that it’s buildable. Start with one plate, pick some containers that suit your needs and arrange them in anyway you like.
What you do think about these innovative creations? Would you use them? More Re:Make coverage to come!
