17 smart crowdfunding campaigns you may want to back this week

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Every Friday, we take a look at some of the smartest, most innovative projects that caught our attention on Kickstarter and Indiegogo over the last seven days. 

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Droppler

This unobtrusive monitor uses advanced audio recognition technology to track water consumption in real-time. Nascent Objects is currently seeking $70,000 on Indiegogo.

CoDrone

This drone can be easily programmed to do whatever you want, whether that’s following you, engaging in laser battles or navigating its way through a maze. Robolink has already soared past its goal of $50,000 on Kickstarter.

ZAR

This lightweight, foldable electric scooter is ideal for those needing to travel short distances quickly. Crazyfire Technology has almost doubled its initial $50,000 Kickstarter goal.

Tinylab

This tablet-sized, fully-integrated platform makes prototyping a breeze. Bosphorus Mechatronics is nearing its $25,000 goal on Indiegogo.

Teslasuit

This full-body haptic suit enables you to touch and feel the future of VR and gaming. Tesla Studios is currently seeking $369,009 on Kickstarter.

Gestor

This sleek air mouse is equipped with touch ring buttons that let you control your smart TV or computer using hand motions. Gestor Devices is currently seeking $39,550 on Kickstarter.

BASE by Wiivv

These 3D-printed, body-perfect insoles are designed from 2D snapshots taken from a smartphone. Wiivv has just about doubled its $50,000 goal on Kickstarter.

dokiWatch

This smartwatch is exclusively made for kids and features things like video calling, GPS and fitness tracking. Doki Technologies has already well surpassed its $20,000 goal on Kickstarter.

ChameleonMini

This freely-programmable, standalone tool for NFC security analysis allows you to emulate and clone contactless cards, read RFID tags and sniff RF data. Kasper & Oswald GmbH has garnered more than $25,000 on Kickstarter.

FitPal

This continuous heart rate monitoring  and activity tracker patch will take your fitness and health to the next level. FitPal is currently seeking $100,000 on Kickstarter.

Hobby Hand

This 3D-printed, Arduino-driven robotic hand mimics the natural movement of its human overlord. Biomechanical Robotics Group is currently seeking $30,000 on Kickstarter.

Orilamp

This origami-inspired, Bluetooth-connected lamp boasts a wide range of applications, from accent to outdoor to emergency lighting. Orilamp is currently seeking $50,000 on Indiegogo.

Mu

This sensor add-on acts as a smart eye and brain for your existing remote-controlled toys. Morpx is currently seeking $100,000 on Indiegogo.

AromaCare

This smart essential oils diffuser allows you to configure your own aromatherapy sessions right from your phone. AromaCare is currently seeking $59,507 on Kickstarter.

AlphaTechBlocks

This set of alphabet blocks combines the charm of yesterday’s learning toys with the powers of modern-day technology to teach preschoolers letters in both English and Spanish. AlphaTechBlocks is currently seeking $90,000 on Kickstarter.

Arduino PLC

This industrial-grade, Arduino-based PLC is perfect for home automation, security and HVAC systems, as well as robotics projects and 3D printing. Team IoT is nearing $5,000 in funds on Kickstarter.

Blaze

This stackable, mini development board includes a high-res 1.6″ display with capacitive touch and a 32-bit ARM Cortex-M4 MCU. Kevin Webster is currently seeking $7,380 on Kickstarter.

Explore the world of robotics with this 3D-printed, Arduino-driven hand

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Hobby Hand is a 3D-printed robotic hand that mimics natural movement and can be easily controlled by anyone.

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The brainchild of Iowa City-based Biomechanical Robotics Group, the Hobby Hand is a 3D-printed robotic hand capable of mimicking the natural movements of its human overlord.

The modular platform is ideal for hobbyists, tinkerers, Makers and robotics enthusiasts, as well as educators looking to introduce students to programming, analog sensors and hardware. In terms of its design, the Hobby Hand consists of five servo motors for lateral movement and five additional servos responsible for bending. A top piece mounts the hand onto the servo motor frame, which guides the flexion cables to the servos.

An Arduino Mega (ATmega2560) and servo shield are tucked away inside the base, which acts as the control center for the Hobby Hand. This is also where you’ll find all of the motors, sensors and additional peripherals attached to the board. The electronics are driven by a 5V 4A power supply.

Each finger has a total of four bands that saddle the center line to maximize the stability of each digit. These elastics are tasked with bringing the finger back to its original position after closing. Additionally, the team has devised an analog board of potentiometers that handle flexion and side-to-side movement.

What’s more, the Hobby Hand even comes with a mini breadboard, which is connected to the servo motor frame. This enables Makers to add extra analog sensors (light, sound, muscle and others), LEDs and speakers to their project.

The hand itself ships in one of two forms: either as a fully-assembled, out-of-the-box product or as a DIY kit with a step-by-step instruction manual. The Biomechanical Robotics Group crew advises that the latter option requires some basic soldering know-how and a few common tools. Intrigued? Head over to its Kickstarter campaign, where the team is currently seeking $30,000. Delivery is slated for June 2016.