Every week, we're going to be checking out what's new on Kickstarter to find
the most innovative and interesting new projects on the crowdfunding website.
That's because in the last couple of years, some of the most exciting
developments in technology have come, not from the established players but from
small teams with big dreams, like the Pebble smartwatch and the Oculus Rift.
We're watching out for what comes next. Something like the SmartMove smart
insole, for example.
The majority of new wearables on the market are wristbands. The reasoning is pretty simple - a wristband is something that you can keep on your person at all times, it's something that is easy to use and non-intrusive, and we're used to the idea of wearing watches, so it's not a big behavioural change.
As anyone who's used their phone or a fitness tracker regularly quickly learns though, the accuracy of a device that is in your pocket or on your wrist can be questionable. If you're wearing a wristband and sitting and eating, the movement of your hand will make it seem like you're exercising, while cycling - where your hand stays in one place - isn't going to show up accurately.
That's where the SmartMove Kickstarter which is open till May 27 comes in. With 33 days to go at the time of writing, this project is nearing 20% of the funding being sought, which looks pretty positive.
The SmartMove is a sensor built into an insole, which you can move from one shoe to the next; you can keep it in your running shoes is you want to measure your exercise alone, but if you want a more comprehensive picture, you could just shift the insole to your dress shoes in the morning before going to office.
According to its creators, the SmartMove can track sitting time, as well as other daily activities such as standing, walking, running and cycling. This pairs with a smartphone app that can give you a real time display of your current activity and calorie burn rate, and can also track all your exercise history.
The majority of new wearables on the market are wristbands. The reasoning is pretty simple - a wristband is something that you can keep on your person at all times, it's something that is easy to use and non-intrusive, and we're used to the idea of wearing watches, so it's not a big behavioural change.
As anyone who's used their phone or a fitness tracker regularly quickly learns though, the accuracy of a device that is in your pocket or on your wrist can be questionable. If you're wearing a wristband and sitting and eating, the movement of your hand will make it seem like you're exercising, while cycling - where your hand stays in one place - isn't going to show up accurately.
That's where the SmartMove Kickstarter which is open till May 27 comes in. With 33 days to go at the time of writing, this project is nearing 20% of the funding being sought, which looks pretty positive.
The SmartMove is a sensor built into an insole, which you can move from one shoe to the next; you can keep it in your running shoes is you want to measure your exercise alone, but if you want a more comprehensive picture, you could just shift the insole to your dress shoes in the morning before going to office.
According to its creators, the SmartMove can track sitting time, as well as other daily activities such as standing, walking, running and cycling. This pairs with a smartphone app that can give you a real time display of your current activity and calorie burn rate, and can also track all your exercise history.
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