Welle: Turn Any Surface Into A Smart Interface

I was just notified about a new Kickstarter Campaign announced today on a potential consumer product called Welle. In a world of “smart” everything, including tooth brushes, I have become rather jaded about the multitude of “smart” products on the market currently. Nothing seems to jump out to me anymore as a cool or innovative product with a market saturated with “smart” devices. I seriously got pitched on “smart” toilet paper holder, no joke!

When I found out about Welle I was intrigued again with “smart” technology. Welle is a smart device that allows users to turn any flat surface into a smart interface utilizing Sonar Technology through hand gestures. While I was at SXSW, Sony’s Wow Factory lounge had a similar product called the Xperia® Touch that is not yet launched or available to purchase or pre-order currently. Xperia® Touch is basically a portable projector that transforms your wall or table into an interactive touch-screen, a very similar concept to the Welle.

What can the Welle connect to and control?

Welle can control any device any where and below is a list of devices it can connect to:

  • Thermostats
  • Coffee makers
  • Lights
  • Windows shades/curtains
  • TVs
  • Doors
  • Speakers
  • Locks
  • Humidifiers
  • Fans/air conditioners
  • Outlets
  • Garage doors
  • Robot arms
  • PowerPoint presentations
  • Creates custom gestures
  • Assigns short-cuts throughout handwriting recognition or gestures (i.e. “C” for “make coffee”)
  • Changes volume and tracks when listening to music
  • Connects with IFTTT
  • Tiny size, weighing just 3.5 ounces, with measurements of 2.97” x 1.38” x 0.64”

Welle currently has a goal of  $20,000 and $12,460 has been pledged so far with 44 days to go on Kickstarter. If you are interested in learning more about Welle or would like to contribute to their Kickstarter campaign click here and below is the official press release with more information as well.

March 28, 2017, Shenzhen, China – Welcome to the modern world of controlling devices. Welle (pronounced vell-uh) is a smart device that instantly turns any surface into a “smart” interface using Sonar Technology through hand gestures. Welle http://getwelle.com/ gives you the ability to use unlimited simple gestures to control your favorite Internet of Things (IoT) devices, appliances, and apps – so powerful it even tracks your finger movements and recognizes handwriting.

With Welle, the entire surface becomes connected to Sonar, allowing you to use hand gestures to control all your smart devices, such as lights, TVs, speakers, doors, thermostats, cameras, curtain/blinds, fans; and even PowerPoint presentations, apps, and IFTTT (If this, then that) conditional task applets, and more. Welle is launching today on Kickstarter at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1781885077/1423513448?token=74255447

Uses Most Advanced Sonar-based Gesture Control to Connect to All Kinds of IoT Devices & Appliances – Mounts on Wall

Welle works in the home, office, or anywhere with a Bluetooth connection. Simply place the tiny Welle on any convenient surface or location, or mount Welle on a wall with the included 3M stickers. Working as a universal remote for all kinds of IoT devices and appliances, Welle uses the most advanced Sonar-based gesture control, replacing the multiple traditional household remote controls for a convenient and enjoyable connected home and office experience. Welle recognizes standardized gestures and also lets you assign your own gestures or handwriting short-cuts to interact with devices everywhere in your life.

Creates Custom Gestures, Tracking, & Even Recognizes Handwriting

Welle means “wave” in German and Welle’s logo shows two fingers tracking human gestures with ultrasonic waves. Welle uses Sonar Technology, advanced ultrasonic signals used in the military, automotive and drone markets, that can accurately track human movements. Welle’s Sonar Technology transmits signal pulses and collects the reflected energy back from targets, identifying motions, gestures, and finger movements from the echoed signals. These echoes are translated into different instructions and words to IoT devices using an advanced hardware design and software algorithms. The Welle Sonar Technology tracks your fingers when you touch a surface and can even recognize handwriting motions, transforming them into customized actions. Conventional gesture detectors, such as those used in smartphones, only provide single gesture readings. In contrast, Welle provides rich information, such as trajectory data and digitized gestures, enabling a wide variety of control functions for everyday convenience.

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