Enabling ordinary objects to become extraordinary tools via an internet connection is the next frontier of high technology. The Internet of Things keeps growing and expanding with the introduction of Knocki, a stick-on sensor that lets you – you guessed it – knock to initiate programmed actions. It eliminates the need for switches, buttons, and remote controls.

As long as it’s within wi-fi range, the Knocki can be stuck to just about any solid surface and activated with a pattern of knocks and taps on that surface. One knock on the dresser can tell the device and its app to turn on your sound system in the morning to get you up and moving. Three spaced-out knocks on the bedside table could tell Knocki to start the coffee brewing.

The system works by detecting vibrational patterns on a surface via an accelerometer. There’s no chance of the Knocki “hearing” environmental sounds like clapping and mistaking them for commands because it doesn’t operate on acoustic cues. The internal software can analyze knocks or taps to determine if they were intentional or if they were, for example, just you knocking over a coffee mug.

In addition to activating various gadgets around the house, the Knocki can be programmed for home security. You can tell it to text you if someone knocks on your front door or to call an ambulance if you tap out a specific pattern. The Knocki doesn’t even have to be in plain sight to work; you can mount it under a table or inside a cabinet. It has a range of up to six feet when mounted on wood and 3-4 feet when mounted on stone or other very hard surfaces – meaning you don’t have to knock directly beside or on top of it.

The creators of the system envision it being used outside the home environment, as well. They say it could be helpful in restaurants to let diners knock on the table to get their server’s attention. That would probably be the most annoying possible use (for the servers, anyway), but it’s a cool idea nonetheless. Knocki is available for pre-order on the company’s site.

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Deadbolts have long been considered to be the strongest physical barrier to home intrusion, but Haven moves the securing spot to a place much more stable: the base of the door frame. It’s both a traditional physical barrier and a connected smart device, allowing users total control with an app.

The metal smart lock looks like a wedge the anchors at the base of the door. When it’s unlocked, it bears a low enough profile that the door can swing right over it. When you lock it, a motorized accordion lift gate pushes the middle portion of the device up, forming a strong physical barrier that makes it impossible – without a stick of dynamite, anyway – to open the door.

Haven can be operated by a key fob or by a mobile app. It has built-in wi-fi and connects via Bluetooth to an iOS or Android device. Like other smart locks, you can pass out temporary digital keys with set parameters such as the time of day guests are allowed to enter the home.

The Haven system integrates with other established home management systems. If it detects excessive force being applied to the door – such as an intruder trying to break in – the mobile app will notify you immediately. If it is connected to a home management system, the Haven can even trigger other security measures like turning on interior or exterior lights.

The lock is powered by a redundant battery system that will keep the lock powered even if one battery runs down. If the power begins to run low, the app sends you notifications until you replace the batteries. As a precautionary safety measure, an emergency physical footplate lets you lower the liftgate manually by stepping on it.

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The Internet of Things is real, and it’s already started to slowly change the way we do things at home and in the workplace. You can control your thermostat, lights, and even your door locks from a remote location via mobile apps, and other home functions will definitely join up in the near future. Bttn is a simple but brilliant design meant to make controlling the Internet of Things a bit simpler.

Bttn is programmable through the IFTTT platform, which lets you program actions based on triggers. In the case of bttn, the trigger is pushing that little button. The action could be calling a taxi, turning off all of the lights in your house, texting you when your kid gets home from school, or even a string of commands. For example: when you wake up in the morning, you could press the bttnto turn on the hallway and kitchen lights, turn the thermostat up or down, and start the coffee maker.

The bttn is connected to the internet via wifi or 3G (if a microSIM card is installed). It runs on four AA batteries which are said to keep the device going for an entire year, but if you don’t mind wires you can also plug it into a MicroUSB adapter. You get visual and aural feedback when you push it, which lets you know that your action has been registered, but quite frankly is just really satisfying.

Actions for the bttn are programmed through any web browser. The setup is simple enough that even tech novices can use it, but robust and customizable enough that it feels fun and satisfying to the hardcore tech junkies. A number of actions are already created and can be activated through the bttn website with a single click (after you activate and register your bttn).

Although we think that pushing a big red button is probably the coolest option, bttn also comes in blue, yellow, and green. As of the time of publication they are available for pre-order for a $99 pledge on Indiegogo.

The post My Finger is on the Bttn: Single Control For All Your Stuff first appeared on Gajitz.

Sci-fi movies set in the future often show characters controlling their environment with little more than a wave of the hand. The future is now here, and devices like Nod are making it happen. Nod, designed by Nod Labs, is a simple control that fits over your finger and lets you operate everything in your home from the lights to the thermostat to video games.

Another brilliant step forward in the field of interaction technology, the Nod essentially makes your body the input device. Rather than using buttons or a touchscreen to control, say, a slideshow presentation at work or school, you can just wiggle your thumb to move from one slide to the next. This on its own may not seem like a big deal, but Nod can be work everywhere, at all times, to control all kinds of things in your life. It’s even waterproof, so you can wear it in the shower or pool without worrying about losing it.

Using 32,000 DPI resolution, Nod can follow your commands to within half a millimeter of accuracy. It runs on Bluetooth’s Low Energy technology, giving it a battery life of approximately one full day. When it’s ready to charge, you pop it into a ring box that’s connected to a wall socket or USB outlet.

Nod’s open source programming interface will let programmers develop the device’s functionality and improve the way it interacts with its surroundings. It will eventually be compatible with Internet of Things so that nearly every electronic device in your home can be controlled with a single device that works as though it’s a part of your body.

The post Hi-Tech Ring Gives You Ultimate Power Over All the Devices first appeared on Gajitz.

Although things meant for babies to play with are bright and colorful, the things parents use to take care of those babies are often dull and boring. Designer Tom Evans decided to change that up with a line of parenting tools that look more like toys.

The line is called Bleep Bleeps, and each funny character has its own specialized function. They are all designed to make parenting a little more fun. Evans saw The Internet of Things starting to take off in the design world and decided to create tools that made parenting easier for him and would also look good in a home.

Some of the objects in the collection are an ear thermometer, a motion sensor, baby monitor, and both male and female fertility testers. They all have silly (and very English) names like Sammy Screamer, Tony Tempa, and David Camera.

The colorful little objects are all synced with a smartphone app to offer help and keep track of patterns, such as the changing temperature of an ill child. You can also control some of the objects via the app, such as the volume and sensitivity of the motion detector.

The first product of the collection that will be made available for purchase is Sammy Screamer, the tiny motion detector that lets you know when your stuff is being moved and alerts you via a beep and a smartphone notification. Other products from the collection will be released at later dates, letting parents fill their homes with fun and colorful parenting helpers.

(via: Dezeen)

The post Adorable Parenting Tools Look Like Colorful Playthings first appeared on Gajitz.