In our technologically advanced world, there’s an abundance of new, innovative devices and solutions to help us make the most of long summer evenings with friends and family. In fact, there are so many of these new solutions, that it can at times be hard to decide on what you should consider investing in. To help you decide, and to highlight some innovations that caught our eye recently, we’ve made a shortlist of our top three must-haves; all of which should serve as inspiration for those of you who fancy themselves as a future IoTMaker.
The Smart Bikini
One of the best innovations we’ve seen in the wearable IoT world so far this year is a new smart bikini. This new trend in smart clothing, evident with Google’s recent partnership with Levi’s, means it’s now easier than ever to be prepared for summer rays. The smart bikini has a small detachable ultraviolet sensor that sends a signal to your smartphone or tablet to provide you with updates. The device delivers a “sunscreen alert” when the user’s skin needs more protection. This system will save you from sunburn in the short term, and perhaps even skin cancer in the long term! So it’s well worth a look, especially when you consider how many people get burnt badly during the summer break. It’s also worth noting that this idea has been around for a while; it’s just taken some time to put it into a bikini! The bikini is just one of many new solutions to help protect you from the sun – for example, there are now bracelets, as well fitness trackers which also monitor UV exposure.
The Smart BBQ
Those who are keen to cook outdoors can now go digital with the first IoT-connected BBQ. Texas, home of the world’s largest BBQ, is now also home to the world’s first BBQ wired with sensors that ensures perfectly grilled burger every time. GE has created this custom-built 14 ft BBQ, which creates a dashboard for the chef on their mobile device, shows the smoke velocity, relative humidity, and temperature. The device’s sensors collect this data, and then calculate the percentage of cooking completion, which is then displayed for the chef. This self-monitoring BBQ is a sure-fire way to impress your friends this summer, and also serves as a solution to preventing undercooked meat, which can be a serious health problem.
The Smart Plant Sensor
The innovative team over at Parrot has created a plant sensor that monitors your plant’s needs and lets you know when you need to look after it. The sensor assesses the moisture in the soil, sunlight and humidity, and then sends alerts to your smartphone using Bluetooth. This way you’ll never forget to water your plants again, and may even be recognized for your green thumb this summer!
Parrot has also provided a solution for those away on holiday this summer. The second generation Flower Power H2O now includes a built in irrigation system that can look after your plants for up to 3 weeks while you’re not about. The partnership between sensor and water store means it will deliver the right amount of water at exactly the right time, every time! It claims to be “the world’s most advanced plant sensor and irrigation system” a may just rescue your garden this summer. Another reason we liked this solution was it reminds us of our favorite smart plant, Horst, known officially as the M2M-connected office plant.
What do you think of our favorite three? Have you seen a better IoT solution for the summer? Let us know by tweeting to us @Gemalto. And, if you’re planning to build a nifty wearable technology device yourself, make sure you meet us at Wearable Technologies Conference 2015 USA, July 9-10, 2015, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco, where we can discuss how to connect it securely to the IoT.
