Segway-style, motion-activated ‘standing’ wheelchair helps users confidently navigate life

What is the ultimate freedom for those with lower limb disabilities bound to a wheelchair? A ride that not only helps get around with minimum external human assistance, but that allows one to stand up and sit down with similar convenience. Invaluable modifications have happened to the traditional wheelchair to reach closer to this dream of ultimate freedom.

Joysticks are used for maneuvering the wheelchair through obstacles and mechanics are to allow a wheelchair to rise from the usual sitting position to semi-standing freedom. Addressing this facet with an outstanding new approach is the Kim-e, a segway-styled wheelchair users can stand upright in just a matter of seconds.

Designer: Chronus Robotics

The brainchild of Chronus Robotics, a Lithuanian-based manufacturer, the Kim-e has been developed into a production model over four years of research, prototyping and perfecting. Unlike the traditional wheelchair, the Kim-e is instantly distinguishable with its two-wheeled design. There is no word on pricing or availability at the time of writing, presumably though, it should be out sometime later in the year. You can book a free test ride with Kim-e today.

Things are made ultra-convenient not just by the instant transformation of this wheelchair from sitting to standing in seconds, but more so by its hands-free functionality. Reportedly, Kim-e can be controlled by upper body movement to raise and lower the seat or glide the wheelchair through the crowd. And when you’re ready to hit the road, it can fold up to fit into the boot of your car for easy transportation.

Drawing its power from a lithium battery onboard, Kim-e can power up fully in four hours and travel up to 30 km on a single charge at a top speed of 20 km/h. This wheelchair, along with the built-in battery weighs 38 kg and has a payload bearing capacity of up to 90 kg. Kim-e may have a slightly lesser weight-carrying ability, but it is designed with safety in mind whether you use it in a traditional seated position at the work desk or while strolling upright with your friends in the mall.

Kim-e is equipped with a scissor-lift-type mechanism which allows the seat to raise enough to put the occupant at the eye-level of your companion. No more pushing or tugging. Let your friend/partner wall besides, while you maneuver the wheelchair on your off-road capable tires over sand, gravel or shallow water. At a semi-standing position, Kim-e straps the user’s thigh and even supports one to climb slopes of up to 20 degrees without breaking a sweat.

This Spotify Speaker helps Long Distance Relationship couples bond over music

Long-distance relationships (LDRs) pose unique challenges, with 37% of couples parting ways within three months of becoming geographically separated. In response to this, the innovative product SoundMotion has emerged, offering a streamlined way of companionship specifically designed for couples navigating the complexities of distance. Unlike traditional communication technologies that focus on explicit information transmission, SoundMotion integrates music sharing, physical engagement, and subtle notifications to address the emotional nuances essential for fostering intimacy in LDRs.

Designer: Zhujun Pang

While researchers in human-computer interaction (HCI) have explored various technologies for emotional communication in LDRs, they often fall short of addressing the complex emotional changes and needs of long-distance couples, especially whose love languages include ‘physical touch’ and ‘acts of service’. SoundMotion takes a user-centered approach, focusing on implicit emotional communication through the combination of music sharing and physical interactions.

The beginning of SoundMotion involved a meticulous design process, starting with the identification of the need for a user-centered approach. The concept evolved through brainstorming, sketching, and the development of an inspiration board. The initial design involved integrating physical devices with a streaming service and creating a bespoke music-sharing channel for couples. The swinging motion was chosen as the primary means of physical interaction, signifying new messages and indicating the partner’s online status.

To enhance the user experience, the design underwent iterations, with feedback leading to adjustments in the placement of the screen and the incorporation of personification elements. The swinging motion, inspired by the movement of a bell, aims to strengthen the sense of companionship through anthropomorphism.

SoundMotion is a dedicated communication system facilitating seamless interaction between long-distance couples. Equipped with a device known as SoundMotion, each couple gains access to synchronized music listening and basic physical engagement. The tangible interaction design conveys the partner’s state through subtle, ambiguous cues, capturing attention without intrusiveness.

The SoundMotion device features a hat that acts as a switch, controlling Bluetooth speakers. Opening the hat to a horizontal angle activates the device as a music speaker, while fully opening it triggers the Couple Channel, displaying the screen. The swinging motion of the hat serves as a notification, indicating the partner’s status during music playback.

The development process included prototyping, where an electromagnet initially drove the swinging motion. However, due to limitations in the magnetic field range, a servo motor replaced the electromagnet for more effective performance. This user-friendly adjustment highlights SoundMotion’s commitment to refining the user experience through practical testing and improvements.

SoundMotion employs the ESP8266 as its hardware platform, establishing a connection with the Spotify server. This connection allows the transfer of emoji feedback data generated during user interaction, enabling Spotify to analyze the data through the Spotify Web API. The result is personalized music recommendations, enhancing the overall experience for long-distance couples.

SoundMotion stands at the forefront of technology designed to address the emotional needs of long-distance couples. By combining music sharing, physical interaction, and subtle notifications, this innovative product offers a unique and user-centered solution to the challenges faced by those navigating the complexities of a long-distance relationship. SoundMotion not only bridges the physical gap but also fosters emotional closeness, making it a promising development in the realm of human-computer interaction for intimate relationships.

Portable sound monitors helps you create music from the comfort of your room

Gone are the days when you will have to book studio time and spend a lot of money to be able to produce, mix, and create your own music. One tool that artists and producers need to be able to create music is to have great studio monitors so they will be able to fine tune the music they’re creating. We’re now seeing these monitors become more portable and lighter to cater to those who want to produce music from the comfort of their own homes.

Designer: AIAIAI

The Unit-4 monitors by Danish audio makers AIAIAI is one such tool that these indie music creators can use to produce their works of art. These studio monitors portable (weighing at just 2.5kg), battery-powered, and completely wireless. This means you can lug it around to wherever you are working in your house and you will not be bogged down by cables and power cords. Well, at least until the battery runs out after around 20 hours.


When it comes to quality, it can be comparable to the boxy, bigger sound monitors that studios use. It has Flat +/-2dB frequency response from 50Hz to 20kHz and can give a bass extension down to 40Hz with its 2-way active sound monitors. It has a 4-inch woofer and 1-inch silk-dome tweeter with crossover at 3kHz. It is also eco-friendly as the bass reflex enclosure is made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic which also contributes to the sound quality since it minimizes resonance.

If you want to use the speakers the old school way, there is a 3.5mm mini-jack and 6.3mm balanced TRS inputs. It comes with a magnetic steel grill to protect the woofer and tweeter but you also have the option to not use it if you feel it interferes with the sound. You can get a pair of the AIAIAI UNIT-4 for $800.

Magsafe charging valet tray helps your area look less cluttered

If you have several devices that you want to charge at the same time, your desk can look like a tangle of wires and other charging paraphernalia. I am not the neatest person when it comes to my desk so that’s not such an uncommon or uncomfortable situation for me. But for those who are a bit concerned with how their work area will look, wireless charging is probably the best solution to avoid such clutter. If you have several devices though, you might also need several wireless charging pads, unless you get one that can charge multiple gadgets at once.

Designer: Courant

For Mac users, Courant is an accessory maker that they constantly look to (if they can afford premium devices though). The MAG:3 is their latest MagSafe wireless charging device and this time it looks like a minimalist valet tray for your iPhone, AirPods, and other small items that you can place there to make your side table or desk more organized. It is available in both leather and linen finishes and in several colors for each so you can choose which one best fits your current work or home aesthetic.

The tray is made up of a 7.5W output wireless charger pad for your iPhone, a 5W, non-magnetic Qi wireless charger pad for other compatible devices like Airpods, and a 10W USB-C output at the back part to power other devices like your Apple Watch or another USB-C compatible device. There is also space for things like your wallet, watch, keys, eyeglasses, and other small things that you may need to place beside your devices so you won’t forget any of them before you leave your house or your office.

The carbon-neutral Belgian Linen finish is available in camel, charcoal, and natural colors while the gold-rated Italian Leather finish has the saddle or black color options. It is now available to pre-order on the Courant website but since Black Friday deals are almost upon us, you get a discounted deal for a limited period in case you want to save a few dollars.

Innovative muscle oxygen monitor helps take your workouts to the next level

Most people probably think that training for competitive sports is just a matter of repeating a series of exercises with increasing intensity. That, however, is an extremely simplistic and quite dangerous strategy because our bodies are just machines. Knowing when to push harder and when to stop isn’t just a matter of feeling it and athletes have to rely on medical science and equipment to properly set their pace. That can be quite costly and inconvenient, especially for budding athletes or people with active lifestyles. Fortunately, you don’t need to break your wallet or become a scientist yourself just to get the information you need at the right time, thanks to this revolutionary wearable that lets you measure your muscle’s oxygen level so that you can train more efficiently and avoid injuries at the same time.

Designer: CLOMP

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

While heart rate monitors and blood oxygen (SpO2) monitors are important health indicators, they aren’t the only factors to consider when exercising, whether it’s for an upcoming competition or simply getting into shape. Oxygen saturation in muscles or SmO2 is just as critical because it’s what draws the line between just pushing the limits and fatigue. You can be breathing normally or taking in lots of oxygen, but your muscles might not actually be getting them properly. Unfortunately, this is something that can’t be accurately measured by smartwatches or trackers, and traditional methods are either too invasive or too bulky to really help athletes. That’s where CLOMP comes in, a muscle oxygen measurement device that you wear around your thigh to deliver real-time data without getting in your way.

CLOMP works by utilizing medical-grade functional near-infrared spectroscopy or fNIRS, the same technology used to monitor brain activity, oxygenation, and blood flow. It works almost in the same way as SpO2 or blood oxygen sensors that shine light through the skin and measure the reflected light to determine how much oxygen is being carried by the hemoglobin and myoglobin molecules in muscles and tissues. It’s an effective way to do non-invasive Lactate Threshold (LT) tests that tell when fatigue is about to set in.

With this information at hand, you or your coach can determine the most optimal training strategy while also reducing the risk of injury. It can even measure how much fat you’re burning by correlating muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) with O2 intake and CO2 outtake, allowing you to tailor your training intensity based on your diet and calorie goals.

Despite its advanced functionality, using CLOMP couldn’t be easier. You simply strap the exercise band or patch on your thigh and you’re literally good to go. The wearable is so lightweight and ergonomic that it won’t drag you down and add to your body’s stress. CLOMP gathers data as you train and feeds it to the CLOMP app on your connected smartphone, where this data is interpreted and presented in a way that’s easy to digest and take action on.

Like many smart health platforms today, CLOMP will be able to use this information to not only guide you but also to suggest personalized workout plans, designed with USA Triathlon certified coach Gerardo Barrios, that fit your specific body’s needs and goals.

As with many things in life, the secret to training and exercise success isn’t just a matter of working harder. You also need to be smarter and more efficient, pushing your body to the limits while reducing the risk of injuries. That requires keeping track of the different biometrics of your body, which has traditionally been costly and cumbersome to do. With the CLOMP muscle oxygen measuring device, you get a medical-grade device to get the personalized information you need in a comfortable and ergonomic wearable that helps you work your way to gold the smarter and safer way.

Click Here to Buy Now: $259 $420 ($161 off). Hurry, only 3 left!

This curved vertical ergonomic mouse helps lessen fatigue on your hand

As someone who has not used a mouse since I switched to Mac years ago, the idea of mouse fatigue is foreign to me. But I do know a lot of people who spend more than half of their day in front of the screen and with a mouse to guide them most of the time and they testify that it can take a toll on your hand and fingers. There are several ergonomic options out there but this one from Protoarc seems to be unique and even more ergonomic than the usual ones out there.

Designer: Protoarc

The EM11 RGB Wireless Ergonomic Vertical Mouse lets you have a more relaxed position when using the device, especially if you’ll be using it for long periods. The ergonomics vertical grip gives you a more natural position for your hand and will also supposedly give you fatigue resistance because of the way you use it and the way it’s designed. It should be able to reduce the strain on your arm, wrist, and hand and also is more convenient with its back and forward thumb buttons.

If you’re using multiple devices, the mouse is able to switch connection mode through low bluetooth with up to 3 devices and with three different available DPI for high precision control. And if you prefer something a bit more stable, you can also connect it to your computer through a USB receiver. It also has four different RGB light modes to match your mood while working or playing: neon, monochromatic, streamer, breathing. The battery life is also pretty impressive as it can last up to 90 days on a single charge.

With a lot of people staying in front of screens more hours every day, whether for work or for play, it’s really important to have ergonomic devices like these so we lessen the fatigue on our body. If I was still using a mouse, I would probably use something like this as the design seems more natural than your usual mouse devices.

This MagSafe compatible accessory with real clock helps curb digital addiction

Smartphone as a tool has evolved beyond comprehension but the double-edged sword characteristic of the mobile device has turned it into a nightmare for some. When not used in moderation, or excessive indulgence in time-consuming apps takes a toll on health and productivity, the smartphone becomes a self-destructive tool.

Even if you decide to go cold turkey and completely give up smartphone addiction, the demon haunts you, and the vicious circle strikes again. The best strategy is to have that sense of realization and not try to restrict anything, but rather realize how important your time is.

Designer: Hyunsub ‍Shin and Yeji Han

Thinking along the same lines, the two budding designers have mustered up this unique MagSafe-compatible accessory to get over digital addiction. Sticking to the back of the smartphone, there’s a real clock with a single-hour hand to keep one aware of the passing time. It also doubles as a holder for all your cards, quick cash, or any other important receipt. There’s space to insert a supplied paper card that gets the embossing of the clock hand for the time you’ve not used the phone. This can be used to jot down the tasks completed during that period for a sense of accomplishment and create a journal.

The premium-looking accessory also doubles as a stand if you want to consume multimedia content. Sure, it will add bulk to your phone but if you desperately want to take your digital detox seriously, it is a good way to do it.

This MagSafe compatible accessory with real clock helps curb digital addiction

Smartphone as a tool has evolved beyond comprehension but the double-edged sword characteristic of the mobile device has turned it into a nightmare for some. When not used in moderation, or excessive indulgence in time-consuming apps takes a toll on health and productivity, the smartphone becomes a self-destructive tool.

Even if you decide to go cold turkey and completely give up smartphone addiction, the demon haunts you, and the vicious circle strikes again. The best strategy is to have that sense of realization and not try to restrict anything, but rather realize how important your time is.

Designer: Hyunsub ‍Shin and Yeji Han

Thinking along the same lines, the two budding designers have mustered up this unique MagSafe-compatible accessory to get over digital addiction. Sticking to the back of the smartphone, there’s a real clock with a single-hour hand to keep one aware of the passing time. It also doubles as a holder for all your cards, quick cash, or any other important receipt. There’s space to insert a supplied paper card that gets the embossing of the clock hand for the time you’ve not used the phone. This can be used to jot down the tasks completed during that period for a sense of accomplishment and create a journal.

The premium-looking accessory also doubles as a stand if you want to consume multimedia content. Sure, it will add bulk to your phone but if you desperately want to take your digital detox seriously, it is a good way to do it.

Fast Charging Is Killing Your Battery Lifespan. This Tiny Gadget Helps Extend Its Life by 50%

The secret that most companies don’t tell you is that fast charging to 100% actually benefits them rather than the consumer. Sure, you save 10-15 minutes every time you use a fast charger to charge your phone or other device instead of a normal one, but charging at high wattages degrades your battery’s lifespan faster too. A phone that holds its charge for 2 years now begins wearing out faster in 1 year, and that’s great for companies because they can then sell you the newer model… often with an even faster charger!

Leo is a clever little product that prevents that from happening. Sitting between your phone and the power outlet, Leo understands your battery’s health and charges it in a way that keeps it healthier for longer. It optimizes charge speeds to ensure you don’t degrade your battery, ensures you don’t always charge your phone to 100% (that harms the battery too), and automatically pauses charging when you leave your phone plugged in overnight to ensure your battery performs at its best capacity even 2-3 years after you buy a phone… or any battery-powered device for that matter.

Designer: Jaime Camarero

Click Here to Buy Now: $58 $85 (31% off). Hurry, only 2/1115 left! Raised over $200,000.

All batteries degrade over time, losing their ability to hold energy the way they previously would… An iPhone right out of the box has a battery that needs charging once a day, but a year or two later, the same iPhone needs to be charged an average of thrice a day because it gets discharged faster. Leo was designed to prolong that eventuality, allowing your Lithium-ion battery-powered gadgets to last longer than ‘they were planned to’. Touted as a Battery Life Extender, Leo simply ensures your battery doesn’t get overcharged every time you plug it in. Designed to work with your smartphones, tablets, headphones, game controllers, handheld consoles, drones, or pretty much any gadget with a built-in battery and charged through a USB cable, Leo manages its power requirements to give you a balance between a ‘full battery’ and a ‘healthy battery’.

Set a Charge Limit – Maintaining your batteries within the range of 10% to 90% can significantly extend their lifespan.

Adaptive Charging Speed – Leo charges at a slower, more sustainable rate when you have the time, such as during the night.

Leo does this using a few clever tricks. All you do is add Leo between your device and its charger (so the power passes through it) and it begins working instantaneously. For starters, it makes sure you don’t always charge your gadget to 100% (which can degrade your battery’s health in the long run). Instead, it sets an optimal charge limit of approximately 90% for all your USB devices, which on itself can increase the lifespan of your battery by a lot.

Ghost-mode Button to Fast-charge to 100% – Simply hold the button to swiftly override Leo and switch to fast charging. This way, there’s no need to unplug Leo.

It also manages those wild 60W to 120W charging speeds touted by most Android makers, setting a power cap to your charger’s power delivery. Sure, that means you don’t get those fast charging speeds, but that also means your phone’s battery lasts for as much as 50% longer than it previously would. In a hurry and want to fast-charge your device? A simple button on Leo helps disable it temporarily so you don’t need to unplug it to fast-charge your phone.

Optimized Night Charging – Leo takes a break at around 80% during night charging, effectively reducing the duration your batteries remain at a high charge percentage and voltage.

If you’re one of those folks who plugs their phone in overnight, Leo ensures it doesn’t constantly get charged for those 7-8 hours while you’re asleep. During night charging, Leo takes a break at around 80%, further reducing the duration your batteries remain at a high charge percentage and voltage. You don’t need to toggle through any settings to activate any of Leo’s features – it intuitively reads your battery’s charging protocol, managing the charging process accordingly based on your device, your charger, and the time of the day.

Universal USB-C Connector – Leo’s adaptability enables implementation on both the charger side and the device side.

Roughly the same size as a USB thumb drive (with an eye-catching light strip running vertically), Leo is designed to work with a wide range of USB-C devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, gaming devices, e-readers, headphones, and other accessories. Its compact form factor allows it to easily act as a bridge between chargers and gadgets, without adding to the clutter of your wired charging solutions. It adapts autonomously based on the device and the charger you’re using, instantly adjusting charging protocols to match your device.

Overall, Leo’s broader pitch is to end (or at least drastically prolong) planned obsolescence. We’re all too familiar with headphones dying out after 1-2 years of using them, or a smartphone not having an ‘all-day’ battery life after a year. While a lot of that boils down just to the fact that lithium-ion batteries aren’t designed to last forever, a portion of it can also be attributed to companies engineering obsolescence into their devices so they can sell newer models every year. Simply by ensuring your products last 50% longer than they originally would, Leo helps drastically cut down e-waste while also saving you money in the long run.

Recycled plastic, Modular & Long Lasting Design – The cable is modular and easily replaceable to ensure longevity since even the best cables can wear out over time.

Its sustainable ethos extends to every part of its design too, from the fact that it comes made using recycled plastic to the fact that it even runs OTA updates to ensure that it stays up to date with charging protocols of new devices that launch in the future. If you’re interested in deep-diving into the analytics of your device batteries, Leo will even offer an optional app that lets you measure the battery health, charging status, and charging cycles of the various devices you plug into it. The app also enables the aforementioned OTA updates to keep your Leo on the cutting edge of battery technology.

On paper, Leo’s $58 price tag justifies itself pretty well. Even if it increases your battery’s overall lifespan by 10-20% (as compared to its touted 50%), that effectively means your gadgets last for at least 4-6 months longer than their intended 2-year life cycle. Account for the fact that each household has approximately 5-10 battery-powered USB gadgets, and that translates to hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars in savings per year because your devices are effectively lasting longer. Sure, that’s great for the planet… but it’s even greater for the pocket! Each Leo ships with its own USB-C to USB-C cable (with a max 100W output if you ever want to toggle fast charging) and comes with a free, optional smartphone app that’s available on both Android and iOS devices.

Click Here to Buy Now: $58 $85 (31% off). Hurry, only 2/1115 left! Raised over $200,000.

2-in-1 Toy E-scooter for Children Helps Them Learn to Ride while Playing

The kids of today will be the adults of tomorrow, and the experiences they have will shape their skills and behavior in the world they grow up to inhabit. Keeping this in mind, designer Cindy Kwok of Husky Design created an e-scooter designed to help children get accustomed to learning how to ride both standing as well as sitting-style scooters. Tiny toy electric cars are a dime a dozen, but this electric scooter is more than just a toy… it’s the child’s first proper vehicle with its own accelerator, headlight, horn, and a hybrid design that alternates between sitting and standing positions.

Designer: Cindy Kwok (Husky Design)

The scooter’s 2-in-1 design makes it a compelling vehicle for kids, giving them both the ‘scooter’ experiences. In the seated mode, the main stem folds downwards and becomes a seat, while the handlebars plug directly into the front fairing above the headlight. To use the scooter in standing mode, detach the handlebars and lift the seat up. Once the seat is fixed in its vertical position, clamp the handlebars on top to give you a standing scooter that’s much more akin to the last-mile e-scooters we see in urban setups today. The three-wheeled ride makes it more of a trike than a scooter, but it helps children maintain their stability without having them learn how to balance the way they would on a bicycle – something reserved for older kids after they grow up.

The e-scooter comes outfitted with a rear-wheel motor that’s activated through a big pedal switch on the back of the e-scooter. A ‘Go’ button on the front of the platform helps control acceleration (letting go brakes the scooter), and the handlebars offer a steer-by-wire functionality, allowing them to be plugged directly in the sitting mode or indirectly in the standing mode. The handlebars also have dedicated buttons to toggle the headlight or sound the e-scooter’s horn, helping children pick up the right on-road practices.

While this e-scooter is currently just a concept, one imagines that its top-speed mustn’t be rather high. Like most toy vehicles, the e-scooter is a slow-steady toy that has real-world features and details that allow the child to learn proper riding techniques and on-road etiquette through playtime.