Wearable technology has gathered a considerable hype over the last couple of years, mostly due to the smartwatches introduced by Apple and Samsung. While the concept still isn’t warm with majority of the population there are several people who are taking inspiration from this technology and doing some actual good. Jewelbot is one such gadget.
When you look at it, Jewelbot may seem like just another jewelry item – but it is so much more than that. It is a device that can help young girls develop and interest in coding. Jewelbots was co-founded by Sara Chipps, Brooke Moreland, and Maria Paula Saba. Chipps is a developer and co-founder of Girl Develop It, a nonprofit organization that teaches women to code. Moreland is an entrepreneur with experience in high-tech fashion products, and Saba is a graduate of NYU’s ITP program, now studying Bluetooth and Arduino as a post-doc fellow. But before Jewelbots was a product, it was a shared ambition. More than any particular feature or function, the group wanted to build something that would get teenage girls interested in programming.
This is the age of code and it has taken us a very long to reach this point where an increasing number of people are realizing the importance of technology. But we don’t need people using this technology – we need people who can create it. And there is no other time better than the early years of a child to get them interested in beneficial interests like coding. With the increasing focus on STEM education, this is perhaps the perfect time for a gadget like Jewelbot to appear.
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Jewelbot is basically a programmable bracelet. A smartphone, and a wrist, is all you need for a fully functional Jewelbot. Using its app (available for iOS and Android), you can program your bracelet for almost anything. You can use color codes for different notifications – a red light could mean an urgent email or an incoming call, a blue light could mean a notification on one of your several social media accounts. You can set reminders for, lets say, your study goals, gym goals or remind yourself to drink that glass milk so that mom no longer has to.
What is coding exactly? It is an ability to build up a logic on how a thing is supposed to work. Then you program it and there you have it – stuff of your dreams literally. Jewelbot can help young girls stretch their minds and get creative with it. The app lets you allow to invent stuff on your own, so your bracelet can have any number of features as you allow it to have. The best part of this wearable is that combines technology and fashion – something to ensure the attraction of young girls.
Also Read: Programming Guide for Absolute Beginners
Such a wearable can be introduced for boys as well that lets you program your own little game, perhaps? A version for adults is also possible. Imagine a wearable that lets you keep a track of your daily tasks – doing the laundry, picking up the kids from school or remembering to turn of the oven for some forgetful adults. While it is also possible that this gadget is popular among a small number of population but as long as it serves its purpose of teaching young girls how to code this should be considered a success.
Jewelbots is raising money on Kickstarter, and with 10 days to go, it has more than quadrupled its initial Kickstarter funding goal of $30,000. The campaign, which ends on Aug. 7, has already earned more than $127,000 from almost 1,400 backers. With only 10 more days to go a limited number of bracelets are still available for $59, $89 for a two-pack, or $225 for five wearables. $59 translates around Rs. 6000, which may seem unreasonably expensive for a single bracelet. But considering the amount of money we spend on other useless stuff, Jewelbot is worth an investment for the sake of your kids.
After its funding, Jewelbots will start shipping in 2016.
Source – Kickstarter
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