{"id":24220,"date":"2019-10-20T06:52:33","date_gmt":"2019-10-20T10:52:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mdpair.com\/awesome-tech-you-cant-buy-yet-countertop-composters-and-inflatable-coolers\/"},"modified":"2019-10-20T06:52:33","modified_gmt":"2019-10-20T10:52:33","slug":"awesome-tech-you-cant-buy-yet-countertop-composters-and-inflatable-coolers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mdpair.com\/?p=24220","title":{"rendered":"Awesome Tech You Can\u2019t Buy Yet: Countertop composters and inflatable coolers"},"content":{"rendered":"

At any given moment, there are approximately a zillion different crowdfunding campaigns happening on the web. Take a stroll through Kickstarter or Indiegogo and you\u2019ll find no shortage of weird, useless, and downright stupid projects<\/a> out there \u2014 alongside some real gems. We\u2019ve cut through the fidget spinners and janky iPhone cases to round up the most unusual, ambitious, and exciting new crowdfunding projects out there this week. Keep in mind that any crowdfunding project \u2014 even those with the best intentions \u2014 can fail<\/a>, so do your homework<\/a> before cutting a check for the gadget of your dreams. <\/em><\/p>\n

October 20<\/h2>\n

Eforge \u2014 3D printer for electronics<\/a><\/h3>\n

Over the past several years, the number of materials it\u2019s possible to 3D print with has exploded. Gone are the days of being stuck with PLA and ABS; makers today have access to a huge variety of filament and material types, including (but not limited to) nylon, glass, wood, and even conductive materials. However, even with such an abundance of available materials, it\u2019s still fairly difficult to print ready-made objects \u2014 especially electronics. Eforge is an attempt to change that. With six different print heads and a range of electrically conductive materials, this beast is apparently capable of printing ready-to-use electronics \u2014 albeit fairly simple ones.<\/p>\n

Mochi Robot \u2014 screenless coding for kids<\/a><\/h3>\n

Robots that teach kids how to code are a dime a dozen these days. Most are just a slightly different take on the same exact idea, but Mochi is special. Of all the coding robots we have ever seen on Kickstarter, it\u2019s arguably one of the best. Why? Well, in addition to being outrageously simple and intuitive to use (it\u2019s designed for kids between 3 and 6 years old), it\u2019s also designed to teach them the fundamentals of coding and computer logic without using any kind of screen. This way, they don\u2019t have to stare dead-eyed into a tablet, and can learn through a more tactile and hands-on process.<\/p>\n

Tero \u2014 countertop composting device<\/a><\/h3>\n

It sounds crazy, but believe it or not, somewhere around 40 percent of all the food produced in the U.S. is wasted. We put all kinds of time and energy into producing it, but we still end up throwing 40 percent of it away and sending it off to a landfill. It\u2019s incredibly wasteful \u2014 but Canadian upstart Tero has developed something to help. The company\u2019s eponymous product is essentially a countertop composting machine that takes all your food waste, breaks it down, and uses it to create nutrient-rich soil for your garden. It even has stink filters to make sure your kitchen doesn\u2019t end up smelling like rotten food. Pretty nifty, right?<\/p>\n

Coolair \u2014 lightweight inflatable cooler<\/a><\/h3>\n

Coolers are arguably the most cumbersome piece of outdoor recreation gear in existence. Sure, they\u2019re easy enough to toss in the trunk of your car and fill up with beer, but what if you want to take one with you on a longer hike, or perhaps just down a short trail to the lake? That\u2019s where inflatable coolers come in. Coolair certainly isn\u2019t the first entrant into this category, but it appears to be one of the best \u2014 at least in terms of design. Check out the video above to get a peek at some of the exceptionally clever features on this sucker.<\/p>\n

Solidteknics Oz \u2014 wrough-iron skillet<\/a><\/h3>\n

Cast-iron skillets are, in many ways, the best cooking implement ever. They provide supremely even and consistent heat, you can put them in the oven, and if you care for them properly, they\u2019ll last a lifetime. But they do have some downsides, too. In addition to being a pain to maintain, they\u2019re also ridiculously heavy. Luckily, Solidteknics has devised an ingenious solution to this problem by using wrought iron instead of cast-iron. The company\u2019s new line of pans are claimed to cook exactly like traditional cast-iron, but without being so heavy and unruly.<\/p>\n

October 13<\/h2>\n

Adaptalux \u2014 flexible lighting for macro photography<\/a><\/h3>\n

If there\u2019s one thing Kickstarter is good for, it\u2019s super-creative photography accessories. The latest addition? Adaptalux Flash Arms \u2014 a hyper-specific yet totally ingenious lighting solution designed for macro photography. It\u2019s basically a xenon bulb flash system that lives on the end of a set of gooseneck-style flexible arms, which allows you to position them closer to your subject and theoretically get better shots. Stuff like this \u2014 exceedingly clever but too niche for any big manufacturer to chase \u2014 is precisely the kind of stuff that probably wouldn\u2019t be possible without crowdfunding.<\/p>\n

Legion Solar 4 \u2014 simplified solar panels<\/a><\/h3>\n

These aren\u2019t your average solar panels. In addition to being completely plug-and-play (in other words, you don\u2019t need professional help to install them), they also come with a super clever inverter system that allows you to use grid-tied solar energy without any special permission from your utility company. \u201cWe created SolarRegulator, an artificial intelligence computer to contain generated energy behind your meter where the utility company does not own,\u201d the company explains. \u201cEnergy production of each micro-inverter is controlled so that energy production is less than or equal to energy consumption, allowing you to generate your own electricity unrestricted. [Your] utility company only sees less consumption from you, not a grid-tied solar system. As a result, it is not necessary to seek interconnection permission pertaining to utility company-approved grid-tied solar systems.\u201d<\/p>\n

Orbi Marine \u2014 waterproof, 360-degree video glasses<\/a><\/h3>\n

360-degree cameras are a dime a dozen these days, but just like most action cams, you still have to hold them or awkwardly mount them on your body somewhere. That\u2019s less than ideal if you\u2019re trying to film while doing something active. Furthermore, very few of them are waterproof \u2014 but Orbi Marine aims to solve both these problems in a single stroke. It\u2019s basically a set of rugged, waterproof glasses with built-in cameras positioned at various points along their frame\/body. So, in addition to allowing you to film totally hands-free, these spectacles can also go anywhere with you \u2014 including the lake. Just don\u2019t try to wear them to a fashion show!<\/p>\n

Whistler \u2014 self-healing windbreaker<\/a><\/h3>\n

High-performance textiles have come a long way in the past couple of decades, and now gear manufacturers have a veritable boatload of different materials to choose from when designing stuff. There\u2019s super-lightweight stuff like Dyneema, insanely strong stuff like Spectra, and even waterproof stuff like GoreTex or Futurelight. But the material in Whistler windbreaker makes the aforementioned textiles seem like they\u2019re from the Stone Age. This sucker is made from something called HiloTech nylon \u2014 a material that has self-healing abilities. If it ever gets punctured, all you need to do is pinch the fabric around the hole and rub it between your fingers. Due to the material\u2019s unique construction, this slight bit of friction and heat will cause the fibers to bond with each other and fuse together again \u2014 thereby filling the puncture.<\/p>\n

Zero Co \u2014 Low-waste household goods<\/a><\/h3>\n

Single-use plastic is going the way of the dodo. It started with plastic grocery bags, and then we moved on to plastic straws. More recently, there\u2019s been a movement to eradicate plastic utensils. Next, if Zero Co has its way, we\u2019ll ditch single-use containers for household goods. The company has developed a system of reusable containers paired with a subscription-based mail-in refill program. The idea is that instead of buying a new bottle of window cleaner, laundry detergent, or whatever, they send you new ones when you run out, and you simply mail in your empty containers.<\/p>\n

October 6<\/h2>\n

Bijou \u2014 pocket-sized projector<\/a><\/h3>\n

Tiny projectors aren\u2019t a new thing at this point, but this one is remarkably small. Like, so small that you can comfortably fit it in your pocket. Yet, despite the fact that it\u2019s roughly the same dimensions as a deck of playing cards, it\u2019s also equipped with some damn decent features. For example, it uses a MEMS laser beam scanning technology that allegedly allows it to project images at greater distances than DLP projection does, with better focus, and also with deeper blacks. I\u2019m not sure how much I believe these claims, but if the creators deliver on their promises, this thing is practically guaranteed to be awesome.<\/p>\n

Hunt23 \u2014 prybar flashlight<\/a><\/h3>\n

Flashlights are a handy thing to have with you at all times, but most people will agree that lugging around a full-sized flashlight is a bit of a pain. More often than not, it\u2019s easier just to skip the flashlight altogether and just use an app on your smartphone. But what if there was a flashlight so small that you\u2019d hardly even notice you\u2019re carrying it? That\u2019s where the Hunt23 comes in. In addition to being one of the smallest torches in the world, it\u2019s also equipped with a fully functional prybar on the end. So now, if you ever find yourself in a situation where you have to pry staples out of hardwood flooring in the dark, you\u2019ll be prepared!<\/p>\n

Tetracube \u2014 sustainable smartphone<\/a><\/h3>\n

Smartphones are a crucial part of modern digital life, but unfortunately, they\u2019re pretty awful for the environment. In addition to being filled with rare earth metals that can only be obtained through environmentally damaging mining operations, they also have relatively short lifespans, and can leech toxic chemicals when discarded improperly. Tetracube aims to address all these issues. How? With a phone that\u2019s guaranteed to last for at least 4 years.<\/p>\n

Shine \u2014 automatic toilet cleaner<\/a><\/h3>\n