Air Artistry

If you want to draw on the air, first of all, you still have that child-like sense of wonder and imagination and we’re jealous. Second, you can do it now, so you win.

Think of it as a handheld 3D printer. The 3Doodler uses the same ABS plastic you’d find in a normal professional 3D printer, and puts it into a handheld device. It takes very little skill to use and all you need to do is plug it in and go. As you draw with it, the implement extrudes heated plastic, which almost immediately cools, creating a hardened structure. Not only can you draw freehand in midair, you can also use stencils to trace out patterns and peel them off to create flat pieces, which can either be standalone or used together to create 3D sculptures.

One of the most popular gadgets of the year, the Kickstarter campaign has raised $2,344,134 of their original $30,000 goal, so they’re doing pretty well. For a pledge of $75, you can receive a doodler in February of 2014, along with supplies. Based on the reaction this above GIF got in the office, we at Canopy loved it and will be buying, like, six of them.

What Sparks Our Fire: Creativity is no longer two-dimensional!

Would you buy this midair doodler?

Memento Morieris

“This is your life, and it’s ending one second at a time.”

Kind of a depressing sentiment, but nevertheless true. The concept of the transience of life is what led Swedish publishing creative Fredrik Colting to create a watch that not only tells you the time but also counts down the time you have left. In essence, The Tikker is a countdown to the moment of your death. This hypothetical future date is based on your vital statistics, such as age, BMI, location, and activity, in essence comparing your vitals to the average life expectancy of someone in your demographic.

Rather than a macabre attempt to perpetually leave you sullen about the prospect of your impending death, the Tikker is meant to remind you of your mortality in the way that the phrase Carpe Diem reminds you to seize the day. When confronted by the reality of his grandfather’s death, Colting was struck by the transient nature of life and how easy it is to forget each moment is precious and should be lived to the fullest. According to Colting, “Life isn’t about having more time, it’s about appreciating the time you have.”

What Sparks Our Fire: A lifetime isn’t forever, and it’s good to be reminded so we live life to the fullest each day.

Would you want this constant reminder strapped to your wrist?

Fire Power

We’re always interested when new gadgets integrate modern technology with the most basic elements in innovative ways. The FlameStower Cell Phone Charger does just that. The proposed product is a recharger for your cutting edge modern technology that uses man’s first technological innovation.

The charger has a USB port, a water container, and a flat panel to place over the heating element. This is a thermoelectric process, where the temperature difference between the heated element and water sends electricity from the higher voltage heated component to the lower voltage cooler component. This electricity can charge small devices like phones and tablets via a USB port. The FlameStower team contends that using the device can heighten ones experience with nature, blending modern convenience with the more natural processes of nature.

http://youtu.be/fysBcyIhU3s

This multifunctional device can use any open flame, and provides a consistent, moderate charge off of the grid. This is, of course, not the first fire-based portable charger, but many of the others, such as the BioLite, lack the inherent portability and space-saving folding design that comes standard with the FlameStower. For the camper who needs to save space and keep his devices charged, it’s a very portable solution. The Kickstarter Campaign is well on its way to tripling its original goal of $15,000, with plenty of time left. This is obviously a very attractive offering, and based on the response, demand for this product will be very high.

What Sparks Our Fire: Making the use of technology feasible when off the grid.

Will you take the FlameStower on your next camping trip?

Some, privacy please!

Most Americans have at least one mobile device in which they send and receive data. With all of this data floating around, it is very easy for someone to steal your personal information in a matter of seconds. Now, you probably don’t care if someone reads a silly text from your friend. But how would you feel if a total stranger read a confidential email from a colleague? Or from your doctor?

Adam Harvey, a New York City based artist, has designed a mobile device accessory that can stop all signals. The OFF Pocket, a case for your cell phone, blocks WiFi, GPS and cellular signals making your device untraceable, unhackable and undetectable. The only major downside is you cannot send or receive any information while your device is in the case.

Today millions of people are tracked through their mobile devices, even when they’re not being used. The OFF Pocket allows you to completely disconnect while maintaining total control over your privacy. The accessory will prove most valuable when the phone is not being used, which is more often than you would expect! Think about it, how much time do you actually spend on a mobile device a day? The average American spends roughly an hour a day on their smartphone, so the remaining 23 hours could be spent protecting your information.

What sparked our fire: An innovative product that encourages and allows consumers to truly unplug.

Would you give up instantaneous connectivity for some privacy?

Enjoy!

-Canopy Team

Brain power

The human brain is a mysterious place where powerful connections, signals and chemical reactions are intertwined. A recent Kickstarter project called Emotiv Insight, is beginning to explain what goes on in our brains. Emotiv Insight is a small headset that reads your brainwaves and translates the data into something meaningful and easy to understand.

To understand how it works requires a bit of thinking. Our brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called neurons, and when these neurons interact through a chemical reaction, they emit an electrical impulse. Emotiv observes and translates these impulses into simplified data. The headset and its data can help you improve your attention, focus, engagement, interest, excitement, affinity, relaxation as well as reduce stress levels.

The headset can also understand basic mental commands like push, pull, levitate and rotate. The device can even detect facial expressions such as blinks, winks, frowns, surprises, clenching and smiles.

What sparks our fire: The future is in our brains.