Ambient Umbrella - a “smart” umbrella!
March 27th, 2006 by Scott Janousek
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The folks at Ambient Devices are at it again. They have a new product called the Ambient Umbrella.
The umbrella pulsates the handle according to the local weather it receives via accuweather.com. The rate of the pulses corresponds to the likelihood of rain.
Interested? Read more about the product. It’s slated to be released later this year (possibly even as soon as this summer).
Their other products include the legacy ambient orb, weather beacon, executive dashboard, and 5-day weather forecaster.
In addition, they are slated to release an “e-ink weather wizard” later this year. Another commercial product using e-ink!
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March 28th, 2006 at 7:30 am
While I am all for self-indulgent, gratuitous, excessive gadgetry, this goes a little over the top. I mean, it’s an unbrella people. Is anything safe from having silicon and software jammed into it?
Still, I can’t resisit. It’s pretty cool. I want two.
March 28th, 2006 at 7:53 am
Over the top? Nah.
Implanting RFID chips in your hands belongs in that category!
There are actually DIY instructions on the web …
Imagine explaining that to your doctor (after something goes terribly wrong).
March 28th, 2006 at 10:39 am
While I agree with Rob I am intrigued by Scott’s response. You see I have recently been asked by my employer to have an RFID implant in my hands. This way they can tell that I am working and for how long. - Always workin’ for the man.
Seriously though the whole RFID thing is a really cool Technology and the way Wal-Mart is using them for inventory management is amazing.
I’ll bet Wal-Mart use RFID on those super cool umbrellas to track the sales and warehouse distribution.
March 28th, 2006 at 11:01 am
There was a big write up about RFID in a recent tech magazine (forget which one). The authors were under the impression that RFID right now doesn’t provide overall ROI … what!? I’m not sure where they got their numbers from … must be smoking crack.
The US forces in Iraq are using it to track essentially all inventory/shipments, and yeah, Walmart is big into it … my brother designed the RFID labels that go on some of the containers.
I do see the benefits of human inplanted RFID technology … I just don’t know if I subscribe to it (yet) … I guess I’m afraid I’ll end up like some sort of borg … like Jean Luc Picard in STNG. What was his name? Lucutis or something?
March 28th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
Hey Scott,
I just ran across this and I thought you might be interested…..
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/jO8g49Kgg31MVt/Europe-Signals-Broader-RFID-Strategy.xhtml
It compares the US and the EU in terms of the adoption of RFID Technology.
If you can find it i wouldlove to read the RFID article you mentioned about it NOT generating ROI. Thanks.
April 23rd, 2006 at 4:45 am
http://fincar.phenterminelive.com/