21 smart crowdfunding campaigns you may want to back this week

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Every Friday, we’re taking 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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Sensel Morph

This pressure-sensitive, multi-touch input device enables you to interact with the digital world like never before. Sensel has already well surpassed its goal of $60,000 on Kickstarter.

O Watch

This Arduino-compatible smartwatch is designed to help kids get started with hands-on programming and 3D printing. Eight-year-old Maker Omkar Govil-Nair is currently seeking $15,000 on Kickstarter.

3Dsimo Mini

This all-in-one pen can 3D print, solder, burn and cut. 3Dsimo is currently seeking $35,000 on Kickstarter.

FABtotum PRISM

This add-on module is bringing SLA 3D printing to the FABtotum personal fabricator. The Italian startup is currently seeking $50,000 on Indiegogo.

SmartHalo

This compact device attaches to the handlebar of your bike and provides you with easy-to-read GPS, distance, speed and other performance data. CycleLabs has already well surpassed its $50,649 goal on Kickstarter.

Sensly

This portable sensor can detect pollution levels and feed that data directly to your smartphone for real-time updates. Altitude Tech is currently seeking $15,699 on Kickstarter.

Westinghouse Nucli Smart Lock

This smart lock is redefining home security by enabling owners to see who is at their door and interact with them from wherever they are. Westinghouse Security is currently seeking $50,000 on Indiegogo.

The Beast

This 3D printer is so large that it can create four identical objects during a single print in completely different colors and materials. Cultivate3D  is currently seeking $7,129 on Kickstarter.

RageBridge 2

This no-frills, robust dual-channel DC motor controller is ideal for robotic and vehicular drivetrain applications. Equals Zero Designs is currently seeking $5,000 on Indiegogo.

TESPA

This Arduino-compatible, Wi-Fi development platform lets you create IoT projects in just minutes. Sharnon Tulabadi is currently seeking $30,000 on Kickstarter.

MYNT

This super thin Bluetooth tracking tag also functions as a remote control. Slightech is currently seeking $50,000 on Indiegogo.

MetaWear C

This highly-integrated Bluetooth sensor module can power solutions the size of a button and runs on a coin-cell battery. MbientLab is currently seeking $4,000 on Kickstarter.

REMOVU S1

This rainproof, three-axis gimbal for GoPro cameras is equipped with a Bluetooth remote control. REMOVU has already well surpassed its goal of $20,000 on Indiegogo.

DreamMe

This unique gadget allows you to see the time and other information projected from your smartphone on the bedroom ceiling. Yvonne Joh is currently seeking $7,971 on Kickstarter.

Butterfleye

This wireless camera connects to your smartphone and keeps you in touch with your home while you’re out and about. Butterfleye has already well surpassed its goal of $100,000 on Indiegogo.

JuiceJuice Sparks

These addressable, sound-responsive and smartphone-controlled lights enable you to turn any occasion into a dance party. Leeward Bound is currently seeking $75,000 on Indiegogo.

LumiPocket LT

This personal fabricator isn’t just a 3D printer, but a laser engraver and a PCB etcher as well. Lumi Industries is currently seeking $44,411 on Kickstarter.

GlowTie

This programmable LED bow-tie is powered by an ATmega32U4. Nagle Industries is currently seeking $88,000 on Kickstarter.

Bikiros

This smart bike accessory ensures that your children are safe while learning proper riding skills. Bikiros is currently seeking $45,000 on Indiegogo.

VGADuino

This small graphic card shield for Arduino boards can be connected to any kind of TV or monitor with RGB or AV ports. Masih Vahida is currently seeking $1,000 on Kickstarter.

Pulsar

This wearable board lets you wirelessly control bright, colorful LEDs from any PC or smartphone. Acrobotic Industries is currently seeking $5,000 on Kickstarter.

Did you happen to miss last week’s notable campaigns? If so, you can check them out here. Also, if your project is powered by Atmel MCUs and you’ve been featured on our blog, be sure to download the respective badges here for use in your ongoing marketing efforts. 

Control a robotic arm with force-sensitive hand gestures

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Maker manipulates a robotic arm with pressure-based hand gestures on the Sensel Morph. 

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Ray Kampmeier recently finished a project that enabled him to manipulate a robotic arm using force-sensitive, five-finger hand gestures. To accomplish this, the self-proclaimed hobbyist employed a MeArm, an Arduino Uno (ATmega328), four servo motors, and a servo shield to control the mechanism.

Sensel’s soon-to-be-released touch interface — the Morph — is used to command the robotic arm in four different ways: force down, rotation, pinch and forward/backward. For example, placing five contact points down and twisting the wrist will rotate the base, applying pressure on four fingertips will raise and lower the arm, while moving along its XY axes will extend and retract it. What’s more, Kampmeier reveals that pinching all five fingertips together on the center of the touchpad will cause its attached claw to close.

“Without the force sensitivity, I don’t think it would have been as magical of an experience for me to control the robot arm . It would have been a pretty binary detection of force — you have applied force and you have not-applied force. In this device, there’s a very robust range of force sensing. That level of control, and seeing that in the robot arm, gives a magical sense of feedback,” the Maker adds.

Intrigued? Kampmeier has made all of the code available on GitHub. While this may be a simple example of Sensel’s latest technology, it’ll certainly be exciting to see what the future has in store once the Maker community gets their hands on the interface. They won’t have to wait too long, as the Bay Area startup is planning to launch a Kickstarter campaign at the end of August. Until then, watch the project in action below!