Share:
What would you stick them to?
If you fancy making your own smart projects, this is the start-up for you. It's called MESH, and it's a platform that lets you create your own connected devices.
Using a series of Bluetooth sensors that communicate with an iPad app called Canvas, you can program it so you get an email every time your front door opens. Or you can send a pre-written goodnight text message by pressing a button next to your bed. Or receive a reminder to take an umbrella whenever the weather forecast predicts rain. The opportunities are limited only by your imagination.
According to the makers, there's no coding required, so you won't have to learn any complicated computer language. Instead, you just drag and drop icons and attach MESH Tags to any physical object you want to make smart, be it a bin, door, drawer, wall, or anything else.
The Mesh Tags include an LED light, motion-sensing detector, wireless button and a GPIO (general purpose input/output) switch.
The project is backed by Sony. The Japanese company had previous success in crowdfunding with an e-paper smartwatch called FES.
Read more: Nest announces smart home partnerships at CES
It looks like a lot of fun. One of the examples is setting up a camera that takes pictures when a door opens, so you can catch the startled look on someone's face. While it might be too advanced for kids – they'd be better off with Bitsbox – it could be a way for the less technically minded to dip a toe into the programming waters.
It's almost halfway to its funding goal, and if successful should ship in May.
