You can help the blind see with this app

I came across the Be My Eyes service very recently, when scanning some Innovation awards entries.

In summary, it’s an app that helps blind people solve everyday tasks and problems with the help of a sighted volunteer, via videochat on your smartphone or tablet. You can sign up from any country, but you can set (or indeed add) any languages you speak in the Settings of the app.

It’s remarkably easy to use and it took me, ooh, 30 seconds to sign up as a sighte volunteer.. The app is up for multiple innovation awards as is the founder Hans Jørgen Wiberg. You can download the app from either of the major App stores so take a look at the video below and get involved!

 

 

Hear and feel your partner or child’s heartbeat, even when thousands of miles apart

• Who is this post for? Everyone with a loved one!
• What does it discuss? Connecting people through heartbeats
• How does it benefit you? Feel connected, even when miles apart

A product that takes its name from shared moments is hoping to bridge that gap between loved ones. Pillow Talk enables you to feel your partner’s presence by sharing heartbeats via a wristband and speaker and is launched mid-December.

While modern technology has allowed people to connect with loved ones through text, video chat and simply talking on the phone, the founders thinks those connections aren’t enough, especially for those separated by long distances. An iOS or Android app pairs you and your partner together. When you go to bed, you both strap on wristbands that contain heart sensors. You can hear and feel each other’s heartbeats through a speaker you place under your pillow or, using the app, you can plug your headphones into your phone and listen.

The product can be used for connections other than the romantic variety . For example, parents who are often home away from their kids can use it to feel more present.

Pillow Talk isn’t the only device connecting people through heartbeats, though. The Apple Watch’s Digital Touch lets you send a heartbeat to someone so they can see and feel it. The watch’s healthcare app uses sensors so parents can listen to their baby’s heartbeat right on their wrist.

What are your thoughts on this method of connection?

Is your phone changing the way you fall in love?

• Who is this post for? Everyone
• What does it discuss? How we are entering and conducting relationships differently due to technology
• How does it benefit you? Fresh perspective on human behaviour

The deep breath before the first nervous approach, perhaps an extra glug from your glass of Dutch courage. The fear of rejection, perhaps public humiliation. If you got past that stage then there was waiting by the landline for a call or perhaps even a letter from one’s new infatuation. Yes, dear reader, that was how one conducted one’s love life before the advent of smartphones.

But it seems technology is changing the way we meet, greet, and fall in love. Deakin University anthropologist Roland Kapferer says that in one generation, phones and apps have spawned a whole new way of dating and mating. We’re witnessing a complete behavioural shift in the way we search for soulmates. Kapferer shares insights on how our love lives are changing in this fascinating, brief article

Do you think smartphones have changed our love lives? Heck, can you even remember? 😉

Photographer Dad makes his son with Down Syndrome fly

• Who is this post for? Everyone with kids
• What does it discuss? A heartwarming digital photography project
• How does it benefit you? Inspire your children; Get creative

When Utah-based art director and photographer Alan Lawrence found out his son Wil had Down Syndrome, he reacted in the most wonderful fashion. Noticing how Wil would lift his legs and flap his arms whenever he would crawl around, Alan likened it to flying. It was the inspiration for the photo series ‘Wil Can Fly’.

In the series, Alan would hold his son high up in the air, and then would later edit himself out, making it seem as though Wil is flying. After posting the photos online, Alan’s family has been praised for the positive attitude towards their son’s condition.

‘These photos of Wil flying have taken on a special meaning for me as I think about the unique challenges Wil is going to face growing up. I hope to teach him that even with his disabilities he can do anything he puts his mind to’.

Check out the beautiful images here

Have you seen any inspirational digital photography projects that use the editing technology to tell a powerful, positive story?

 

Mix your technologies to share music like it’s the ’80s

• Who is this post for? Everyone
• What does it discuss? A lovely retro-style product
• How does it benefit you? Increased smiles

Those of us the wrong side of 35 will have grown up sharing mixtapes and what treasured items they were! Just think back to the effort they took to compile and the appreciation of the person who was the recipient of your labour of love.

It’s just not the same sharing your playlist on Spotify is it? I can create a playlist in minutes. It’s efficient and the music is just as good but there’s little emotion involved from a sharing perspective. Thus, we really like the work of Sydney based designer Tiffany Roddis whose rendition of a mixtape is actually a USB that can hold up to 8GB of files and media (hopefully music!). It also has a personal message written on it for those of you planning to give it to someone special.

Easy to buy from anywhere as ships worldwide from the UK at the designer’s Etsy store, Wild Card.

Immerse yourself in 360 degree video

(Please note image above is not clickable – see links in article to play with videos)

• Who is this post for? Everyone
• What does it discuss? It shows you the potential for immersive video experiences. Go play!
• How does it benefit you? Get inspired, get creative

The potential for 360º video has geeks like me excited everywhere. But what’s the point, one might fairly ask? Thus far the video format has been touted as the perfect experience for virtual reality headsets which are hardly mass market consumer items.

All that changed last week when Facebook announced it was supporting 360° video. That’s important because unless video can be watched in a video player that supports its format, it’s about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Now, any Facebook user can watch a 360° video without any special hardware or software.

The 360º experience is unlikely to be new to any of us. I’m sure we’ve all taken ‘virtual’ tours online around property, stadiums, theatres, famous buildings etc. Now, wearable cameras like those from GoPro allow for the relatively simple creation of 360° video for the viewing pleasure of us all.

It was this Star Wars video that kicked up a storm on social media but for a moment of natural beauty, check out this new surfing video from the team at GoPro. If you’re viewing on a smartphone or tablet, simply drag your finger across the video to control. If you’re on a desktop or laptop computer, simply drag your mouse cursor across the screen. Enjoy!

How to find patterns in your baby’s behaviour

• Who is this post for? New parents
• What does it discuss? How to track your baby’s behaviour and find beneficial patterns
• How do you benefit? Peace of mind; decrease in stress; better communication with your partner

Last week I wrote about soothing your baby with technology. This week I’m going to take a look at ways of identifying patterns of behaviour that help you understand whether your baby is finding the holy grail for all parents – a routine!

We’ve all seen stats in the news – how babies who have regular sleep times, feed times etc. are better behaved, more balanced, and so on. But when you’re in the middle of the emotional whirlwhind that comes with having a new baby, dutifully remembering key information is…well…low on your list of priorities.

In the first year of her life (and especially those incredibly tiring first six months) my wife and I were keen to use an easy technical solution to give us a clear picture of how our daughter was progressing. We wanted to monitor sleep times, feed times (even what breast she had been suckling on), how many times a day she was pooping, bath times…I could go on.

Crucially, I also soon figured out the last thing my wife wanted on my return from work was for me to start grilling her on how many sleeps and feeds my daughter had had that day. She was tired and had been with our daughter all day and if she was going to engage in conversation at all, she wanted to talk about something else!  So I needed a solution that was cloud-based – where either of us could input simple information and wherever we were, we could both instantly see what was going on. This was great for me as I could see what kind of day my wife had had before I even got home – meaning I knew when to buy some chocolate or flowers before I walked in the door, and then just quietly put the TV on and went to make dinner!

We tried 3 or 4 different apps on our smartphones but settled on Total Baby, (yes, website is ugly but ignore that) available for your iPhone or your Android phone or tablet. It was AWESOME. We simply pressed a button when baby went to sleep or started feeding and pressed it again when baby stopped.  All the data was recorded and then presented to you in easy-to-read visual formats that made it very clear if we were starting to see a pattern develop or not. We didn’t have to remember a single thing and we never had to wonder about any aspect of baby’s behaviour at any point. It was all there, available at the touch of a button, wherever we were, without having to ask the other. There are even settings for recording activity of multiple children, just in case you happen to have twins or more!

In summary, very simple to use, easy to see impact, incredibly useful. What more do you want for £3.99?

Surely there’s a better alternative to business cards?

• Who is this post for? Anyone who wants to exchange professional contact information
• What does it discuss? Technical alternatives to business cards
• How does it benefit you? We’re reserving judgment on this one but you’ll defiinitely be more environmentally friendly!

Here’s an interesting piece from CEO of Hootsuite Ryan Holmes. For some years now I’ve wondered why on earth I’m handing out or being given business cards. This article looks at various apps and uses of your smartphone that claim to be the solution.

From a personal perspective, it’s clear to me why no technical solution has yet to supercede the phsyical card. If something isn’t universally adopted then you can’t be guaranteed to exchange information with a stranger. No point asking if you can bump phones if the other person looks at you like you’ve lost your mind. For me, LinkedIn has simply replaced the business card – if I’ve had the pleasure of meeting someone new and interesting then I ask to connect with them on LinkedIn as soon as I can on my computer or smartphone app. If they were worth connecting with then there’s zero chance I’m going to forget their face or name. But I accept that method is hardly flawless – what if I was at an event all day and met scores of people?

What technology have you used when meeting this challenge? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Does love live here anymore?

• Who is this post for? Anyone looking for love (or anything else found through dating apps!)
• What does it discuss? The video (15mins long) looks at the variety of dating apps out there and whether they deliver the benefits users are looking for
• How will you benefit? Fresh perspective on the dating game

I started dating my wife in 2000 so my dating days were over well before the advent of smartphones and dating apps. So when I observe the popularity of apps like Tinder I often find myself wondering how my dating years would have panned out differently with such technology at my fingertips.

There are hundreds of different dating apps catering for every taste and need imaginable. But what is gained and what is lost when using dating apps? Certainly the convenience and speed at which one can meet people is incredible – scroll through some photos and swipe to like is enought on some apps.  I used to hate dating because of the expectation placed on a night out – would I meet anyone new, would I pluck up the courage to talk to a stranger when necessary?

But, but…one can’t help but feel that much of the experience is very procedural, perhaps even dry. Whereas before it was like looking for a needle in the haystack, people are now faced with the very opposite challenge – there are so many needles right in front of you it’s impossible to properly evaluate which one might suit you best.

I can’t say I have a firm opinion because everyone will use dating apps differently and have their own expectations of them. But this video from the BBC is an interesting piece on how dating apps are being used and the type of behaviour they generate.

We’d love to hear and share your opinions on dating via apps so please leave comments!