An innovative social weather gadget from Hong Kong called Umbrella Here has made its Kickstarter target.
Umbrella Here is part weather gadget, part social discovery service – letting you broadcast that your umbrella is free to share to strangers, via an attachable bluetooth light that sits on the point of your umbrella.
Their Kickstarter page explains:
“It is controlled by a mobile app that tells people that this umbrella is available for sharing. Just like the light you would see on a taxi. When the light is on, it represents that strangers are welcome to come in and share your umbrella.”
If people do share your umbrella, you can then log your meetings and conversations into the app, to add them as friends and continue the conversation.
Umbrella Here’s Hong Kong-based founders, who came up with idea for the Interaction Award, said:
“Umbrella Here provides a space for you to connect with different people. Without barriers, it creates a specific moment for strangers to get together. This might give you a chance to meet someone you enjoy chatting with.
“Sharing is caring” is what we all learn from Kindergarten, but as grow older. It seems like we slowly forget about this. Especially on a rainy people only care about their own destinations and neglect everything surrounding them. Umbrella Here encourages you to help each others during a rainy day and allow us to experiences the joy of sharing.”
When not being used socially, the Umbrella Here app and device doubles up as a weather tool.
The attachable bluetooth device glows red when the weather is hot, blue when cold, and will flash when it is raining.
When it is attached, you can also change the colour of the light with the mobile app.
And to avoid moments when you “forget your umbrella and remember it when it starts raining”, the mobile app will send you a notification to remind you to bring it along. It will also give you real-time information of where it is raining.
Umbrella Here reached their $15,000 Kickstarter goal on September 17th, by selling various different bundles that included branded Umbrellas and lights.
The company is ready to manufacture, with a prototype and production plans in Shenzhen.