If you’re looking for for the most interesting wearable projects looking for funding on Kickstarter, Indiegogo or other crowdfunding platforms, you’ve come to the right place.
You can’t move for a wearable tech startup at the moment, and the industry is being driven by the great ideas being realised by the internet of things revolution.
Every week we pick out the most promising ideas hoping to get public funding to make their idea a reality. It’s not all one-way traffic, however, and it’s a great chance for anyone to become an investor in the next big idea.
We’ve already virtually backed Antelope, Pavlok, Lineable and the Jolt Sensor – all of whom have now hit their targets (read more about them below).
Read on for our top crowdfunding picks and also take a look at our guide to being a crowdfunding success story.
Modoo
We’ve featured a few wearable tech devices for expectant mothers here on Wareable before, but nothing quite like the Modoo.
Modoo is a foetal monitoring device that lets mums-to-be keep track of their baby’s heartbeat, while at the same time monitoring their own breathing, movement and sleeping. It’s essentially designed to be an activity tracker and baby doppler all in one. The module is non-ultrasonic and has no energy radiation.
The companion app keeps a record of the vital statistics and also allows you to input extra data from professional appointments to keep a more in-depth record of a pregnancy’s progress. The app also lets you keep recordings of a growing baby’s heartbeat.
With around a third of the campaign to go, the company still needs more than $20,000 to hit its $50,000 target. $129 gets you one unit.
Scienverse
This is a bit different from our usual crowdfunding focus. Scienverse is a virtual reality platform that allows devs to place their apps and games within a virtual world for users to explore and find.
The open source platform allows third parties to publish their VR experiences directly in the app, meaning users don’t have to download multiple programs to their PC, smartphones or consoles. The apps are stored and powered by the cloud.
Within the virtual world, which looks a bit like a Disney vision of the future, people are able to meet up and chat about the experiences, or partake in them together, making it a bit like a Second Life for the VR generation. You can customise your virtual avatar and even travel around in your own custom designed vehicle.
Compatible across Linux, Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS – Scienverse will work with an array of headsets, according to its makers, including Oculus Rift, Fove, HTC Vive, Samsung Gear VR and OSVR. PlayStation VR, well Project Morpheus, is also mentioned.
$49 gets you access to the Beta version, launching in September 2016 – the Bulgarian company is looking for €100,000.
Antelope
If your fitness training isn’t going to plan then new smart clothing venture Antelope could literally jolt you into action. The connected compression wear features electrodes that the company claims can boost performance and muscle strength.
Antelope has a range of different garments targeted at different areas of the body. There’s a pair of leggings for training calves, a tank top for the upper body, a full suit and a version called “women’s dream” (we kid you not) for pelvic floor strengthening.
The smart gear is powered by a rechargeable battery called the Antelope Booster. It’s controlled by a paired smartphone, and when it releases the charge it “mimics the processes that occur in our body when our brain directs muscles to contract”. The process is known as Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS), which is often used in injury recovery.
The company claims that “in 4 weeks you can increase performance up to 30%, jumping ability up to 20%, muscle volume up to 10%. Back pain is reduced in 90% of all cases.”
And its claims have been heard. The company has bagged more than 550% of its funding target. The campaign is still live on Indiegogo and $225 gets you the calf guards and prices vary up to $999 for early bird body suits.
Eyecatcher
This curved E Ink smart bracelet might look familiar – Eyecatcher, as it’s now called, was debuted at CES 2015 by LookSee Labs and now it’s on Kickstarter. It displays patterns, notifications and the time on its 5-inch, always on, screen and its 100mAh battery lasts a whole year on one charge.
Eyecatcher comes in male and female styles (Mercury and Mars) and three sizes – small, medium and large. It also has 8MB of built-in memory so you can select eight images for the bracelet to display when your phone is out of range. It’s iPhone only for now and is still available to pre-order for $239 which will rise to $264 when that level has sold out.
LookSee is looking to raise $75,000 in the campaign and in the first few days it has already topped $57,000 so it’s a cracking start.
Success!
Well over $200k raised and there’s plenty of time left yet.
Unique smart strap
The conundrum of how to turn any classic watch smart has long been toyed with by wearable tech start ups, but this Polish Kickstarter may be the best attempt we’ve seen.
Unique is a fairly normal looking leather watch strap that comes in a variety of colours, sizes from 20mm to 26mm as well as male and female lengths.
However, tucked inside the stitched strap is a a host of tech gubbins designed to mimic the features of a smartwatch. It will notify you of calls, emails and messages from your smartphone using a vibrate function and a multi-coloured LED. Of course, you won’t be able to read the message, but it means you won’t miss an important call.
In addition, the strap will also track your steps and display your goal progress in a companion app and features NFC for mobile payments. Just like Apple Pay you can then use Unique to pay for anything from coffee to public transport from your wrist – just like a smartwatch.
It means that your Rolex or Patek Philippe will be able to do as much as your Apple Watch – or at least Pebble.
Unique looks pretty gorgeous from the pictures, but there are a couple that hint it might be chunkier than your normal watch strap. However, it’s a damn sight more useable than the likes of the gargantuan Kairos T-Band, so that’s something.
Unique is looking for $50,000 and funding on Kickstarter runs until 22 October. $139 gets you a strap which the company pledges to deliver in April 2016.
Success!
Great news – the target has just been reached and the comapny has announced some stretch goals.
Nucli smart lock
You want to keep your smart home safe right? So you’re gonna need a smart lock to keep unwanted intruders away from your connected kit. The Nucli, from electronics company Westinghouse, offers the usual digital entry features but throws in a plethora of remote features for good measure.
From within a smartphone app you see who’s at the door using the built-in camera, speak to them, and unlock or lock the door. Users are also able to record messages to play to delivery men or holiday home renters. Up to 50 users can be programmed in and, as well as app smartphone entry, Nucli can also be unlocked using fingerprints or a digital fob.
It connects to the web using Wi-Fi, so you can keep tracks of who is coming and going even when you’re not in Bluetooth range and the app is available on Android, Windows Phone and iOS.
Success!
With over two weeks left, Westinghouse has smashed its $50,000 target and has now announced some swanky new colours. $325 gets you one smart lock, that’s 26% off of the RRP. Shipping is expected for October.
PetBot
This is stretching our boundaries a little bit. But, come on, how could we not include PetBot – the smart security camera that lets your dog take a selfie?
Using “petificial intelligence”, you’ll get updates to your smartphone when Fido is active. The company behind the Wi-Fi enabled camera claim that it will also work with cats and rabbits and that the system is smart enough to let you know about “unusual” situations.
PetBot packs a treat dispenser so you can train your pet from a distance, and you can also schedule activities throughout the day to keep the occupied.
$149 gets you a PetBot unit, the company says that’s 40% off of what will be the eventual RRP. It is looking for $80,000 by mid-October.
Success!
Target well and truly hit and the latest update is: “While we work diligently on getting everyone’s PetBots manufactured and shipped, we will be sending out updates as often as possible.”
OURA ring
This smart ring on Kickstarter looks pretty interesting. It’s designed to track your daily activities, as well as sleeping patterns, in order to develop a lifestyle plan to help you get the best night of sleep possible. The idea being, if you have quality sleep, you will perform better during the day.
Since you wear it all day, the OURA ring tracks your movement and activities, including how long you sit down for. At night, the ring monitors your breathing, body temperature, heart rate, and movement. It identifies deep sleep, REM sleep, light sleep, and periods of wakefulness.
With the information gathered about your daily and nightly activities, a companion app for iPhone and Android determines how you can get the best sleep possible. The company has created what it calls the “Readiness Score” which takes into account your schedule and provides advice on days when you should be more active and days when it is better to just take it easy.
The ring itself is made out of ceramic and comes in black or white with a glossy or matte finish. Battery life is three days. It has already more than doubled its $100,000 goal but you can still pledge to the campaign for $229, which is $70 off the RRP, with an estimated delivery date of November 2015.
Success!
After a really big start to the campaign, OURA’s Finnish team posted pictures and posts about how launching a Kickstarter campaign affects your sleep, natch. In the end the campaign raised $651,803 from over 2,000 backers. Impressive stuff.
Livall
We’re a bit late to this, as this campaign goal has been well and truly smashed already. The Livall Bling helmet is designed to keep cyclists connected, safe and entertained.
The connected part comes by way of hands-free, Bluetooth-enabled, call features and a walkie-talkie system that cycling teams can hook up to. The safety is taken care of by a 3-axis sensor that can fire up an SOS alert if an accident is suspected, along with an LED-based indicator system. Entertainment comes by way of the built-in MP3 system.
The final aspect of the smart helmet system is the nano cadence sensor that helps a rider measure his or her ride stats including speed, travelled distance and calories burned. The companion app manages all these features and also lets you to import data from other devices such as pedometer or a sports watch.
Success!
The $20,000 goal was smashed in just a few days and the company is now adding stretch goals as the total racks up. $100 gets you a Bling Helmet, a Bling Jet (the remote control) and an additional nano cadence sensor. The total amount raised on Indiegogo was $236,152.
Rxactive
Usually, for an item of clothing to be considered for Wareable, it needs some sort of smart connected technology. But we’ll make an exception for Rxactive. While not connected, it’s certainly smart.
This activewear has built in resistance in the fabric panels, making muscle and endurance training easier; think Thera-bands but without the additional equipment.
“There was a point in my Olympic training where I was hitting a plateau. My trainer incorporated resistance bands into my routine and I was finally able to maximize my workouts and potential,” Keeth Smart, COO, Rxactive and Olympic silver medalist. “By inventing a way to weave in resistance bands into compression pants we’re enhancing your workout without being disruptive.”
Success!
$74 is the early bird price, that will get you some leggings or shorts (RRP is expected to be $124). The company was looking to raise $30,000 and hit that target within a day.
Lumos
This awesome connected cycling helmet includes flashing LEDs with a twist. When turning, use the wireless handlebar remote to trigger bright arrows on the back of the helmet to signal which way you’re heading to cars behind you. And when you slow down, Lumos’ built-in accelerometer measures your speed and turns on automatic red brake lights. There’s also bright white LEDs on the front. Very nifty.
Battery life is a week if you’re wearing Lumos for 30 minutes a day, it’s water resistant and weighs 410g. Plus it meets cycle helmet standards in the US and Europe. Lumos has already tripled its Kickstarter target of $125,000 and the campaign runs until 13 August. The next gen helmet is still available at the early bird price of $99 and it’s on offer in black or white.
UPDATE: Success!
The Lumos has rolled way passed its goal of $125,000, bagging more than $800,000 by the end of the campaign. With this success it allowed backers to vote for a third colour option.
Tune
Tune, a system designed to get you running smarter, consists of a pair of sensor-ladden insoles and a small Bluetooth clip that goes on your trainers.
Its maker, Kinematix, promises the system will improve your running technique by monitoring both feet and measuring in real time which part of your feet touches the ground first and how long for. This asseses your balance and symmetry, based on 1,000 sensor readings per second.
This information can be used to prevent injuries, improve efficiency and your running style. You’ll get 8 hours of battery life so even ultra marathon runners can get involved.
It’s on Kickstarter, with a goal of $100,000. You can get the Tune system for $220, saving $60 on the RRP, with a delivery date of December 2015.
UPDATE: Cancelled!
Having raised $10,000 of its $100,000 goal, the creator cancelled the project.
But it’s not been given up on: “We are committed to bring TUNE to market. Our intention is to open our website for pre-orders in September or October, and begin shipping TUNE before Christmas.”
Ojee Talon
Ask most golfers what their biggest issue is and you’ll get a consistent answer…quite literally. Consistency is the key to any golfers game; being able to replicate that perfect swing over and over again. That’s where the Ojee Talon comes in.
It’s a digital assistant that sits on the top of your club’s grip, offering you real time information on your shaft and club-face rotation angle. This device teams up with a belt and back unit so as you can stay perfectly aligned with your ideal swing posture in real time. It’s the instant feedback aspect that sets this system apart from its rivals.
The British company is seeking £20,000 on Indiegogo. £149 gets you the Talon suite, the RRP will be £229.99. Shipping forecast is November.
Update – Success!
106% of the goal met and shipping is on target.
Sphericam 2
Creating content for VR isn’t cheap, but the Spericam 2 wants to change that.
Being the size of a tennis ball doesn’t stop the Phoenix based company promising to provide 4K, 360 degree video that will be automatically stitched in real-time, ready for VR viewing straightaway.
The Sphericam 2 is aimed at the adventurous individual, with an anodised aluminium casing and a series of different mounts.
Spherical’s goal is $150,000 with its Super Early Bird offers all gone, you’ll have to pay $1,399 for the camera.
UPDATE: Success!
Goal hit with plenty of time to spare and the company raised a cool $457,000 in total. If you have pledged $1,499 or more to the campaign you will get 12 colours to choose from. And as it reached $360,000 Spherical will make the camera dust and waterproof to the IP67 rating for all backers.
Doppel
This isn’t a smartwatch, a running aid or a fitness tracker. It’s a “a new breed of wearable technology to set your pace.”
The idea behind Doppel is to alter your mood in the same way that music does – but without listening to a single beat. The company behind it, London-based Team Turquoise, claim Doppel can make you feel more alert or relaxed “using the innate human response to rhythm”.
The device pulses to a pace you set using bezel twists and face taps, and also calibrates with your heart rate to sync with your natural bio-rhythm. Its makers state the device can double a user’s focus, leading to improved reaction times and task performance.
Team Turquoise is looking for £100,000. £70 gets you a Doppel device; it’s £10 more for a stainless steel version.
Update: Success!
820 backers pledged £111,194 on Kickstarter to make sure Team Turquoise hit its goal. The team posted an update on the campaign page: “doppel is the start of something very new in technology. Built from a deep understanding of people, it is the first step towards empathic technology that does not ask people to become more like machines but makes machines become more human.
“We are going to work tirelessly to make sure that we not only get the first ever run of doppels made and delivered to you, but that we then push beyond that.”
Kuai biometric headphones
We’ve seen biometric heart-rate monitoring headphones before, but Kuaiwear’s effort throws a few extra ingredients into the mix – most notably by integrating a foot pod, a smart coach and an MP3 player right into the device itself.
Kuai buds pack 8GB of memory to store your tunes and have a battery life of seven hours. They are waterproof down to 3m and the company behind them claims they are multisport friendly, with running, cycling, swimming and gym sessions all supported.
You can download virtual coaching sessions and get feedback on a range of metrics including speed, cadence, distance, bpm and calorie burn. You can also sync up the data with some high-profile third party platforms such as Endomondo, Strava and MyFitnessPal.
Kuaiwear claims it is ready to go with the device, it just needs the crowdfunding cash to help with mass production and distribution. It’s looking for £40,000 and you can grab a pair now from £64.
UPDATE: Success!
The team raised £75,000 from 725 backers by the end of the campaign. Kuai buds and accessories are also up for pre-order at a discount straight from the Kuaiwear online shop.
Cogito Fit
You remember Cogito right? Back in August last year, the Hong Kong based company announced a duo of connected timepieces: the Pop and the Classic – you can check out our Cogito Pop review right here.
Well, the company is back with the Cogito Fit hitting Kickstarter. The new device keeps to the original idea – icon based smartwatch notifications – but adds activity tracking to the mix. If you read our Nevo Watch review recently, you’re thinking along the right lines.
It’s also waterproof to 100m and there’s a funky ‘plug-in’ accessory angle, whereby you can alter the watch face’s bezel simply by popping in a new one.
Smartwatches don’t have to be mini computers for your wrist, and there’s an emerging ‘less is more’ trend leading to some interesting hybrid devices. The latest Cogito fits this description and, while its styling and design might not be for everyone, the idea behind its functionality is more universally useful.
The early bird $49 offer has expired now but you can still grab one, in a range of colours, for $54 – the RRP is set to be $99. Shipping is stated as July 2015, so it’s a quick turnaround. Cogito is looking for $100,000 in funding.
UPDATE: Success!
The company hit the $100k mark with a few days to spare and is now tying up distribution partners around the world.
Kokoon
We turn our attention to a UK-based startup this week. Kokoon is, we’re informed, the world’s first sleep sensing EEG headphones.
Teaming up with the audio experts at Onkyo, the idea is that the “comfortable enough to sleep in” cans play audio that adjusts to your sleep and wake patterns. The headphones will, purportedly, help improve sleep quality, let you understand how you slept and help you to feel more awake come morning. There’s also claims the methods employed can assist with your power naps.
“At Kokoon we have developed our own miniaturized dry EEG sensors which require no set up and discreetly sit within the headphones,” state the London company. “By applying the power of modern smartphone technology our algorithms we are able to give clinical levels of insight into your sleep and relaxation.”
The campaign ends on 10 July and already the $100,000 goal has been hit. $189 gets you the tech heavy headphones – the RRP is going to be $319. Shipping is forecast for February 2016.
UPDATE: Success!
They smashed it. Kokoon raised a whopping $1,936,825 on Kickstarter from over 8,000 backers, one of the most successful wearable crowdfunding campaigns we’ve seen. Whoop, whoop.
The team posted this update for backers and said to look out for pre-orders coming soon: “We’ll be sending out a survey closer to the shipping date to collect your addresses. This is likely to be towards the start of next year as we want to ensure we have the most accurate shipping information possible for all of our backers. There will also be a comments section for queries or special requests. We will also be sending out a survey for colour selection.”
Linkitz
If you’re launching a Kickstarter campaign in 2015, it might as well be a modular, code-able system of wearables for girls aged 4 – 8. Because the world is ready for Linkitz.
The next gen friendship bracelet set includes a programmable core and snappable links with electronic components inside such as a motion link with an accelerometer, LED links, speaker and mic links and a ‘friend’ link for connectivity (it’s not clear what yet).
More links are, of course, planned and as it’s wearable the aim is to help to keep kids active and social alongside learning some basic coding with games, secret codes and walkie-talkie features.
The Linkitz app is based on Google’s open source, picture-based programming language Blockly – the idea is that there’s no barriers to girls dragging and dropping changes on their parents’ iPad. Creator Lyssa Neel said in the video: “This is going to be a toy which changes how girls think about tech. It’s the first of its kind, there’s nothing like it.”
UPDATE: Success!
$100,000+ raised and the company says: “We’ll soon be sending you a survey to get emails and/or sizes and mailing addresses for your rewards and we’ll keep you up to date every step of the way as we go through the manufacturing process to bring Linkitz to you!”
Pulse Play
Pulse Play is a simple idea designed to do battle with an age old problem – people who cheat at tennis. So, rather than let your dubious pals keep score, it keeps a track of all the points you score, on yours and your opponent’s bands, and the overall score too – simply tap the device every time you score a point and it will do the rest.
As well as basic score-keeping, the band also provides real-time audio updates of the score – with 50 voices on offer (Elvis is, bizarrely, one of the options).
The final aspect, and probably the most clever, is the companion app keeps a record of all your matches, letting you tap into a social network of like-minded and, hopefully, like-skilled opponents.
Grand Slam doubles champ Andy Ram is the company’s CEO and they are looking to raise $75,000 on Indiegogo. $75 gets you one and it’s $20 more for a pair.
UPDATE: Success!
Campaign goal hit and now the company is providing plenty of updates on the manufacturing process.
MetaWear
We’re cheating a bit here as MetaWear isn’t essentially a wearable tech device, although it has been described as “a Leatherman for wearables”.
A more apt description may be that it’s the Raspberry Pi for the wearable world as it’s a low-power sensor board packed with all the hardware you could need to build your own wearable. It’s actually the second version of MetaWear which successfully raised $115,000 in 2014.
The idea is that, combined with an app that handles all the complicated coding and debugging faff, the sensor board itself can be inserted into whatever you see fit – a skateboard, a backpack, a wristband and so on. It can then track and record a wealth of info from its 6-axis sensor setup that measures acceleration, rotation, orientation, pressure, angular velocity, altitude, and temperature using an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a barometer and a high precision temperature sensor.
It’s super simple and super complicated all at once, which is why it’s such a great idea. The early bird devices have sold out already on Kickstarter but a MetaWear board can be yours for $30.
UPDATE: Success!
MetaWear was looking for just $5,000 and is on more than five times that amount already.
Swimmo
A dedicated swimming wearable is big news as many sports watches and fitness trackers – we’re looking at you Jawbone UP3 – fall short of the necessary waterproofing and features.
Enter Swimmo. It’s a smartwatch for swimmers which is compatible with iPhone and Android phones. It can track the time and duration of your swimming sessions, distance in laps or metres, calories burned, heart rate and pace/speed.
With a colour OLED screen, a functional but tidy-looking plastic build and a five to seven day battery life, Swimmo ticks a lot of boxes. The team has also confirmed to Wareable that the waterproof device will be tested to 10 ATM (down to 100m).
With its PaceKeeper feature, the watch can buzz to nudge you to speed up, slow down or keep the same pace and likewise, its Intensity Coach feature can help you to stay in your desired heart rate zone.
Stretch goals include pro stats such as stroke details and SWOLF scores (the time and number of strokes it takes to swim a pool length) plus an open water swim mode.
You can bag yourself a Swimmo watch for an early bird price of $149 over on the Kickstarter campaign which is aiming to raise $39,000 in 35 days. Delivery is planned for October 2015.
Update: Success!
Swimmo’s target has been well and truly smashed: $184,305!
HiSmart bag
HiSmart takes a bit of tech we drape around ourselves – the wired, in-line remote – and simply puts it into an accessory that’s there already.
The convertible, waterproof canvas and Italian leather backpack/messenger bag is nice enough – it has a 12 pocket organiser – but this isn’t just another charging bag. It’s the strap that’s got us all hot under the collar, so to speak.
With a simple silver disc control that connects to a HiSmart app you can skip tracks, change volumes, answer and dismiss calls, pin locations and take selfies. Plus the obligatory find my phone function.
Assuming you wear the bag with the strap across you or down one arm, it should in theory remove the need for an in-line remote or possibly even a smartwatch, depending on what you use it for.
If you like the look of this connected messenger bag/backpack, you can pledge $199 to Chinese company Lepow on Indiegogo now with shipping by July. It’s available in black or cognac.
UPDATE: Success!
The HiSmart bag has blasted past its modest $50,000 target – with the campaign near closed, it raised a total of $280,000. The personalised HiSmart perk was also unlocked – this means backers can have your name on the inside label for an extra $10.
Aivvy Q
We’re quite strict when it comes to covering headphones on Wareable. Sure, they’re wearable, but if they do nothing for the connected self – forget about it.
And while the Aivvy Q cans don’t pack heart rate sensor tech, or play your music in time with your running strides, they do offer a very unique personalised service. These headphones are a music playing system in themselves but, rather than a drag and drop MP3 affair, they offer wearers a personalised curation of tunes from a cloud boasting millions of tracks.
It’s a system that learns what you like, when you like it, and offers up unique playlists that change every time the device syncs with the cloud – and that happens every time you put them on to charge.
Not that you’ll need to charge that often, there’s 40 hours of playback on a single charge and the Aivvy Q system also offers noise cancellation and CD quality audio.
Update: Success!
The Kickstarter campaign met its $125,000 goal in just one day and $188,000 was raised in total.
