Your house has a brain. Rather, it has a collection of disjointed but interconnected minds, functioning like the tentacles of an octopus made of wooden beams and drywall. We are in the midst of the evolution of the smart home, in which everything around us collects data on our behavior and listens to our commands, including objects that have no business being intelligent.
Smart televisions, smartwatches, smart speakers, and smart lightbulbs are all pervasive and, at this point, somewhat obsolete. These common smart home devices are no longer the subject of conversation. Everybody has one. Using smart home hubs such as Google Home or Amazon Echo, you can even link your devices to create routines that turn on the lights and play the news as soon as you wake up or stroll in the door.
If you want to recapture the excitement of the early days of smart homes, when a new gadget was something to flaunt and appreciate, you’ll have to get creative. Fortunately for you, there are some pretty bizarre smart home gadgets out there, just ready to bring every remaining low-tech facet of your life blazing into the future.
Wink Porkfolio Piggy Bank
The piggy bank, every child’s first savings account, traces back centuries to terracotta money banks with a slot at the top. Aside from being stylized to resemble swine, not much has changed in the intervening centuries. Therefore, it’s about time they received a technological upgrade.
Wink’s Porkfolio adopts the aesthetic of traditional piggy banks while giving it a playful posture and placing the coin slot on the pig’s stomach. By pairing it with the accompanying Wink app, the bank can track the amount of money you’ve deposited, help you establish financial objectives, and construct your “porkfolio.” It can detect pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and dollar coins, and its muzzle illuminates whenever a deposit is made. Unlike old-fashioned coin vaults, however, you won’t have to break it open to retrieve your money.
Best of all, the Porkfolio coin bank has built-in motion sensors that send a push notification to your phone or tablet whenever it is moved or flipped over, allowing you to finally capture your little brother stealing your coins.
Kohler Moxie Shower Head
Probably the last place you would want clever technology is in your shower. Concerns about the security of digital devices, whether justified or not, reach a new level when you are naked and at your most vulnerable.
The good news is that the Kohler Moxie showerhead lacks cameras, so you should be fine. Instead, it contains a Harman Kardon Bluetooth speaker that connects with your phone or any other Bluetooth-enabled device to stream music, podcasts, and audiobooks directly from your showerhead. The speaker is detachable, allowing you to carry it with you wherever you may need wireless audio and to charge it.
The battery promises 9 hours of playtime, which should get you through quite a few showers, even if they’re lengthy, and the maximum temperature is 140 degrees Fahrenheit, so you don’t have to worry about the speaker being damaged by the heat.
The only drawback is that there is only one shower setting, so you cannot adjust the water flow, and the speaker occupies a significant portion of the space normally reserved for water flow. Nonetheless, if you’re the type of person who requires music to enjoy a shower, this will do the trick. Let’s just pray that it is not also listening to our shower singing.
Ruggie Alarm Clock Rug
As we all know, a stationary object tends to remain stationary. Merci, Newton! If you’re using the alarm clock on your smartphone, it’s all too simple to hit the snooze button or turn off the alarm and remain in bed. If you want to take control of your morning, you may need to experiment with something unusual.
There are numerous smart alarm devices on the market that provide unique ways to begin the day. In fact, you could argue that your smartphone or smart home hub already functions as a smart alarm clock, but the Ruggie alarm clock rug has a feature that other alarms lack: no snooze option.
With 90 to 120 decibels of sound, impressive speakers practically scream you awake, and they won’t stop until you get out of bed. To deactivate the alarm, you must lift your legs off the divan and stand on the rug. When you place your weight on the rug, a countdown between 3 and 30 seconds begins. If you step off the rug before then, for example to return to bed, the alarm will sound again.
It’s not all terrible, however. You can personalize your Ruggie so that when you get out of bed, it provides you with motivational quotes, affirmations, or something humorous to lighten the atmosphere. This should reduce the severity of a rude awakening.
Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor
Almost as long as smart technology has existed, we have used it to monitor our health. Fitbits and smartwatches monitor our steps, heart rate, water intake, and exercise to provide us with beneficial information about our health and well-being. Your Apple Watch can also detect potentially hazardous sound levels and alert you when you’re at risk of injury.
All of this information is useful, but what about the air we breathe? Depending on your location, inadequate air quality may be one of the greatest threats to your health. It turns out that there is a smart device for that.
Amazon’s intelligent air quality monitor captures continuous readings of the air in your home and displays a safety rating using a color LED. It detects carbon monoxide, particulates, and volatile organic compounds and sends alerts to your smartphone or tablet if the air quality in your residence becomes hazardous. It also archives this information and provides hourly, weekly, or monthly updates on air quality trends.
The only thing the Amazon smart air quality monitor cannot do in terms of air quality is act as an air filter, but it can undoubtedly tell you if you need one.
Ghost SmartBed
Sleep is vital to good health, and the Ghost SmartBed can assist you in obtaining it. However, the privilege will cost about as much as a used automobile. Typically, the Split King mattress retails for just under twelve thousand dollars.
In exchange for the equivalent of a condo down payment, you will receive a very comfortable mattress. Seven layers constructed around adjustable air chambers allow the mattress to automatically conform to your requirements while providing the comfort of memory foam. Each side of your split king mattress is equipped with two thousand biometric sensors that monitor your sleeping position and regulate the pressure accordingly using electrically powered air chambers that open and close based on your sleeping posture.
You can establish the ideal firmness and sensitivity for each side of the bed using the GhostBed companion app. In addition, it automatically records information about your sleeping habits, such as restless periods, sleep positions, REM sleep, and breaths per minute, to generate a personalized sleep score.
The mattress is available in all standard sizes, ranging from Twin to California King, and comes with a 101-night sleep trial and a 25-year warranty, ensuring that this will be the last mattress you need for the foreseeable future.
Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet
We were incorrect previously. A shower head is not the worst item to provide limited awareness. This distinction must be awarded to the intelligent toilet. The Numi 2.0 Intelligent Toilet from Kohler allows you to establish your preferred seat temperature and control the temperature and pressure of the water used for cleansing and drying. It’s similar to an automatic vehicle wash for your derriere.
In addition, the Numi 2.0 is integrated with Amazon Alexa, allowing you to regulate all settings with voice commands. There is something sinister about calling your toilet by name in order for it to be prepared for your visit to the restroom, even if it does make for a more convenient bathroom experience, particularly when you want to remain hands-free.
The options for lavatory customization do not end there. To make your bathroom experience as pleasant as possible, your futuristic smart toilet is also capable of displaying ambient illumination, playing music, and storing distinct profiles for each member of your household, all while resembling an MSE-6 repair droid a little too closely.
If that isn’t intelligent enough for you, scientists at Stanford are developing a commode that will analyze your excretions for potential disease markers. Not only can you converse with your commode, but it can also evaluate your health based solely on your most embarrassing moments.
Revolution InstaGLO R180 Toaster
Everyone has been there. You are rushing out the door and snatching a quick breakfast, but you overestimated the cooking time and your toast is now burnt. What could possibly be worse? Many things, to be sure, but a piece of toast transformed into a charcoal tile is among them. Toasting bread over an open flame is a practice that dates back centuries, toasting bread over an open flame should be a thing of the past at this point. Now, it is possible with the Revolution InstaGLO R180 Toaster from Revolution Cooking.
With a few presses on the touch screen of your toaster, you can select the type of food you’re cooking (bread, English muffin, bagel, waffle, or toaster pastry), the desired level of toasting, and whether your bready breakfast is fresh, frozen, or being reheated.
Instead of simply heating for a predetermined period of time, the InstaGLO uses an algorithm to adjust the heat based on your preferences in order to achieve the ideal level of browning. Why do we have technology if we don’t use it to enhance our morning routine?
The InstaGLO also addresses one of the most significant issues with toasters: the crumb tray. Unlike analog toasters, the InstaGLO alerts you when the receptacle needs to be emptied.
HAPIfork smart fork
Forks are among the few perfect inventions in the universe. They are lightweight, comfortable in the hand, and dependably pierce and deliver food to the mouth. How might they possibly be enhanced? Obviously by introducing some electronic components.
This Bluetooth-enabled smart fork from HAPIfork is designed to help you develop healthier eating habits by encouraging you to consume more slowly. According to HAPIfork, eating too rapidly can lead to poor digestion and health issues, so they’ve created the ideal eating implement to slow down your snacking.
Their smart fork monitors how quickly you consume and alerts you with a series of flashing lights and vibrations if you’re eating too quickly. The fork also collects and transmits information about your eating practices to an accompanying app. If you have your phone out at the table, the app will inform you the length of time it took you to finish a meal, the number of bites or “fork servings” you consumed, and the amount of time between bites. It also provides a timer to indicate when it’s appropriate to take the next nibble.
We are unsure of our level of comfort with a utensil that essentially spies on your eating habits. There are so few pleasures in life that optimizing mealtime may be too ambitious. In the end, you should consume however makes you the happiest, including with a vibrating fork.
Kisha Smart Umbrella
If you don’t live in a particularly windy area, an umbrella is one of those items you almost never need, but when you do, you’re happy to have it. Due to their infrequency of use, they tend to be neglected. They are not accorded the same revered status in the “phone, keys, wallet” enumeration. Therefore, there is a good chance that you will forget to bring it back inside, particularly if the weather suddenly improves.
If only your umbrella could notify you when you’ve forgotten it! Now, however, it can. The Kisha smart umbrella is a unique solution to a unique dilemma. It knows precisely what it is and nothing additional. Kisha, which is marketed as “the last umbrella you’ll ever need,” syncs with an app on your smartphone or tablet so that when you inevitably misplace it, you’ll know exactly where it is.
A beacon within the umbrella communicates with your phone and sends a notification if you move more than 10 to 20 meters away, so you’ll know you’ve left it behind before you get too far. Setting a safe location at your residence or place of business prevents alerts when your umbrella is in its designated location.
In addition to location services, Kisha’s companion app provides advanced weather forecasts and text notifications to let you know whether or not you’ll need an umbrella on a particular day.
Furbo dog camera
The Furbo dog camera is the second-best companion for your dog. It is essentially an avatar through which you can interact with and monitor your companion when you are away from home. The Furbo may be the solution, whether you simply want to keep a watch on your dog throughout the day or you want to discover how they get to the treats when you’re not looking.
By strategically positioning the Furbo, its built-in camera will provide you with a second set of eyes on your companion. You can set up alerts to notify you of your dog’s activity or excessive barking or view live videos. You configure it so that your pet can take photographs.
The onboard speaker allows you to communicate with your dog and remind them that you adore them even when you are separated. The Furbo is capable of dispensing treats to your dog in order to provide them with stimulation and a reward for being the best companion you could ask for.
Furbo is more than just a motion-sensing camera, its artificial intelligence learns your dog’s behavior over time, so you won’t receive false alerts when your dog is simply being a dog. We cannot conceive of a more compelling reason to add some smart technology to your home than to ensure your dog’s safety and happiness.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed exploring these 12 amazing smart gadgets that have flown under the radar. From clever home assistants to futuristic health trackers, there’s no shortage of innovation in the world of technology. But we know there’s always more to discover!
We want to hear from you now. Have you come across any remarkable smart gadgets that weren’t mentioned in this list? Maybe you’ve had personal experiences with some of the featured devices and want to share your thoughts. We encourage you to leave a comment below and let us know about your favorite hidden gems in the realm of smart gadgets. And don’t forget to bookmark our website for more fascinating articles and updates on the latest smart gadgets!
Technology keeps evolving, and the possibilities seem endless. So, join the conversation and help us uncover even more extraordinary inventions. Together, we can continue to be amazed by the advancements that shape our future!
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