We Are Social: Curiosity Stop #3
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We Are Social is a global agency with over 550 team members, delivering innovative marketing strategies for notable clients like Adidas and Google. They launched 'Curiosity Stop', a monthly report that simplifies current innovations across various sectors, focusing on making complex information accessible. The document highlights several innovative products and technologies, including augmented reality in retail and unique communication apps.
We Are Social: Curiosity Stop #3
- 2. WE ARE SOCIAL We Are Social is a global agency with offices in five continents (Antarctica is a little too chilly for our liking). We deliver world-class creative ideas with forward-thinking brands, and have fun doing it. Our clients include adidas, Google, and Netflix. As an international team of 550+, our passion is people. Our mission is to put social thinking at the centre of marketing.
- 3. CURIOSITY STOP Here at We Are Social, we love all things innovative. They’re what get us out of bed in the morning. We don’t love innovation articles, littered with buzzwords and technobabble. We reckon if information is going to be useful, normal humans should be able to understand it. That’s why we created Curiosity Stop. Our global team of inquisitive brains look out for the next big things, which we distil into this easy-to-read report. Every month, we go on a jargon-free journey through the world of innovation - from travel to tech, food to fashion. Grab a coffee and join us, won’t you?
- 4. Does it make something better, faster, cheaper? Does it make you smile? Is it truly innovative? Is it disruptive? Does it have a social implication? THE CURATION CHECKLIST
- 5. 1 Technology 2 Retail 4 Communications 3 Internet of Things 5 Electronics 6 Apps 7 Automotive 8 Food 9 Home & Personal Care 10 FMCG 11 Sport 12 IT/ Infrastructure 13 Alcohol 14 Finance 15 Travel 16 Hospitality 18 Fashion 17 Luxury CONTENTS
- 6. 1 TECHNOLOGY Lantern The subway’s no walk in the park - sometimes it feels like Hogwarts’ moving stairs would be easier to negotiate. Just imagine doing it all without the power of sight. Lantern is a system designed to guide blind people around New York’s subway system. It’s made up of small beacons, placed around stations, which link up with smartphones via bluetooth. When connected to the Lantern app, the beacons even let you know when you’re too close to the platform edge with a high-pitched shriek. Much like getting the train with my Mum, then. Ear Recognition Technology Last year in the smartphone world, it was all about the thumb. Entire social calendars lived and died by that one wiley digit. Well move over thumb, it’s the year of the ear. Amazon has released a patent for a Fire model which recognises your ear from a certain distance, then uses that data to unlock your phone and answer a call. This wonder-phone also knows exactly how your ear likes it, and will adjust the volume according to your set preferences. What an ‘ero. Air Shepherd Hate to be a Debbie Downer, but 2015 is set to be the deadliest year for rhinos. Along with lions and other animals, they’re targets for poachers in Africa. The Lindbergh Foundation has previously tried to combat this problem using planes, but they are pretty useless at night - the poachers’ golden hour. Enter, the drone. Drones use infrared to observe both the animals and poachers by night, acting as advance scouts for rangers. 1
- 7. 12 RETAIL Systeme U Want to know where your groceries are coming from? Want to see an animation of a giant cow on your weekly shop? Either way, Systeme U is your guy. When shoppers walked past an LED screen in a Thourotte supermarket System U’s augmented reality tech created an video of them alongside their origin of their food. For example, if they were buying pork, a sweet little piggy would show up on the screen, along with details of its origin. Our appetite for knowing the provenance of our food isn’t abating and Systeme U is forcing home the message. Briggo Watch out Starbucks, the robots are coming. They make coffee better than you (perfectly, actually), and can probably spell names better than you too. The Briggo coffee kiosk makes a cup of joe totally tailored to your caffeine needs. You can order it via an app before arriving at the kiosk - leave the queues to the Starbucks die-hards. In a seriously meta twist, Briggo even asks itself questions to self-improve. A bit like your know-it- all Paltrow-esque mate, but much tastier. Shopping With Samsung Samsung has unveiled its newest baby at Retail Asia Expo 2015. Its latest OLED (that’s Organic Light-Emitting Diode) is designed for the shopfloor. As well as being a TV, the screen can act as a mirror or be transparent. What’s more, it contains a built-in camera so the display can adjust according to someone’s movements. Used by retailers, they become interactive closets for customers. 2
- 8. 33 INTERNET OF THINGS TieFi Let’s face it, in the battle for family attention, the internet trumps Dad. Home is where the Wi-Fi is, and that’s the room you’ll find the kids in. One simple solution? Give Dad the Wi-Fi. TieFi is a smart tie which connects to your home network and then reroutes the wireless signal. The result? You can only use the Wifi within ten feet of Dad. Poor sod. Connected Cyclists Innovators are always trying to improve urban cycling (take a look at some of the winners at Cannes), and Connected Cyclists is just the latest. It’s a helmet (a less extreme version of something the Pet Shop Boys might wear) designed to guide a cyclist safely through the city. The helmet screen uses augmented reality to show the user their route home in an undistracting way. This removes the need for the cyclist to get out their phone and check CityMapper, which is when accidents happen. Illumigami When you’re on a client call, nothing says distraction like your colleague hovering outside the meeting room making violent hand gestures and ‘whispering’ at 80 decibel. The folks at Viget have clearly had the same issues as us, since they came up with Illumigami. Each room has a lantern with its own circuit board, which connects to a calendar app via Wi-Fi. The lanterns use a modified traffic light system; green for free, red for busy, orange for about to be busy, blue for able to be free.
- 9. 44 COMMUNICATIONS Emoji Press Release Words couldn’t explain the latest Chevrolet car (at least that’s what they reckon), so Chevvy created a press release written entirely in emoji. This stunt is the latest in a series of attempts by brands to talk to millennials, who apparently only speak emoji. Tab Tab is here to put the serendipity back into online dating. It’s a Chrome extension which runs on your desktop browser. Every time you open a new tab, a potential match will pop up. You can either ‘heart’ the other person, and a match will connect the two of you. Or, you can ignore it and go about your day. The potential matches are found using a profile test, but are also affected by your browsing habits. Tab is designed to make dating a part of your everyday (internet) life, rather than something you have to go out and seek. WHIM The What-if machine (WHIM) is a creative computer which can judge how good its own stories are. The software generates fictional storylines, by twisting true facts found on the internet. For example, it might ask: ‘What if there was a woman who woke up in an alley as a cat, but could still ride a bicycle?’ Through machine learning techniques, it then assesses the quality of its own writing (I reckon the above needs some work). Over time, it will understand people's preferences more and more. Harper Lee better watch her back.
- 10. 55 ELECTRONICS The Happaratus The Happaratus is a power glove which can sand both stone and wood. To use it, you simple run your fingertips along the material you are working with, varying the pressure depending on the desired depth of contour. The Happaratus allows for greater flexibility and precision, whilst still allowing the artist to work intimately with their material. CropX You can’t have missed the worrying problem that California is facing. No, it’s not the fact that green juice is more popular than mojitos, it’s the drought. Farmers are struggling to irrigate their fields with the small amount of water they’re allowed to use. CropX uses only 3 sensors and a app, meaning it is a lot more affordable than traditional irrigation tech. Each day, the sensors work out which parts of the field need water. They then beam this information to sprinklers, so they don’t needlessly waste water. Migraine Simulator Experiencing a migraine through virtual reality doesn’t sound altogether tempting, but the Migraine Simulator is helping to educate non- migraine sufferers. If you’ve never had a migraine, you might assume that it’s just like having a really bad headache. With this in mind, the team behind the technology conducted an experiment whereby friend and family of sufferers wore an Oculus Rift headset for 30 minutes. The headset portrayed exactly what a migraine-sufferer sees during an attack. What a headache.
- 11. 66 APPS I.am.here For paralysed stroke victims, communicating emotions has been nigh-on impossible… until now. I.am.here is an app linked up to a Brain Computer Interface - essentially a set of nodules worn on the victim’s head. The app processes brain data captured by the BCI, and translates it into the human language. For example, a relative using the app might see the words ‘I’m so happy’ pop up on their iPad during a visit. Mona Meet Mona. She knows when your running trainers are looking a little worn, and the size of your underwear. The more she gets to know you, the better she understands your style and tastes. No, she’s not the girlfriend you never knew you had, she’s a in-app personal assistant. Mona is designed to break the one-fits-all model, by finding you deals based on your size, budget and style. Hands-Free Tinder Enough of this swiping left and swiping right - Hands-Free Tinder allows you to choose with your heart, not your head. The Apple Watch app offers up a selection of potential matches, in the same way as Tinder. The Watch monitors your heartbeat, so if it goes up at the sight of someone, they get a heart. If it goes down, you say goodbye. Finding the apple of your eye has never been so simple.
- 12. 7 AUTOMOTIVE People Powered Tesla Does your electric car need filling up? Just ask a passerby (or two thousand). Tesla and Pavegen have got together to design a system which powers your car using kinetic energy from pedestrians. No more cruising the city at a snail’s pace in an attempt to find a free charging station. Teentrack Two British brothers have developed Teentrack, as a response to teenagers’ high accident rate when driving. A small box is installed in the dashboard of the teen’s car, which beams real-time info back to their parents. This includes speed and location, as well as braking, acceleration and cornering data. Lunar Quattro Audi has entered a race, and it’s in space. All the company has to do to win, is drive a third of a mile on the moon. Easy peasy. In an attempt to win the Google Lunar XPrize competition, Audi has unveiled the Lunar Quattro - one of its most difficult design challenges to date. Thought negotiating potholes was hard? Try moon rocks. This is why each wheel of the Lunar Quattro can rotate 360 degrees and be driven independently. It should be set to launch in late 2017, so watch this space. Sorry. 7
- 13. 8 FOOD Le Petit Chef Le Petit Chef is an animation projected onto your plate while you wait for your feed – a 3D projection map concept by the artistic collective SkullMapping. Watch as a tiny chef pops up from the table and uses your plate as a grill, which he accidentally sets on fire. Let’s hope the same thing isn’t happening in the regular-sized kitchen. In the future this will save us from actually having to talk to each other before the food arrives as an excuse for us to keep our mouths shut. Sonic Seasoning Culinary creatives Bompas & Parr put the theory of sonic seasoning to the test with their latest food installation. The theory is that a dish can be made up to 10 per cent sweeter or 10 per cent more bitter, depending on the accompanying music. The music serves to draw out and accentuate tastes that are already present in the food, rather than create new ones. For example, low, brassy sounds would bring out the bitter taste of a lemon cheesecake. Kaffeform Kaffeform coffee cups are made from recycled coffee grounds. This means they retain the smell of coffee, so should soon become the hipster cup of choice potentially replacing plastic or paper alternatives. With millions of coffees being made every day, the lightweight, washable and durable cups are one answer to the waste produced when being a cup of joe. This technology is in development and Kaffeform cups are available on their website and maybe in a Starbucks before too long. 8
- 14. 9 HOME & PERSONAL CARE Peepoo The fantastically-named Peepoo is here to combat the world’s sanitation problem. At present, 40% of the world’s population lack access to a toilet - and that includes a simple hole in the ground. The Peepoo is a lightweight, affordable, and hygienic solution. It comes in the form of a biodegradable bag, with an inner layer which unfolds to serve as a wide funnel. No water is wasted in the sanitation process (except for hand washing, obviously), as the bag remains odour-free for at least 24 hours. After that it should be disposed of and will disintegrate naturally. Lovely Lovely is a smart sex toy with a hole designed to slip onto… well, use your imagination. Besides improving your good time with its ergonomic design, Lovely has built-in sensors designed to track your sex life. Yes, really. After your session, you and your partner can gently spoon whilst reading an in-app report detailing how you did, and areas to improve. Not one for a first-timer, we’d imagine. Thanks to Lovely, you can check out your duration, average speed, and even G-force (ambitious). Lovely. Tamper-Proof Pill Dispenser This pill-safe, designed by mechanical engineering students at John Hopkins University, is designed to stop overdoses. It only releases pills depending on the timetable set by your doctor. It’s made from the same steel alloy used in aircraft landing gear, and requires a fingerprint match to release a pill. This prototype could prove extremely useful when dealing with addictive drugs prescribed by doctors. 9
- 15. 11 SPORT EdiPulse How to get people to exercise? Reward them. With chocolate. EdiPulse does just that, by combining two of the hottest trends in innovation - wearables and 3D printing. To use EdiPulse, you wear a Polar heart rate monitor. The harder you work out, the higher your heart rate, the thicker the machine prints the chocolate. For example, if your heart rate hits 141 to 180 BPM, you’ll get four tasty layers of chocolate printed for you - but not enough to negate the workout. Sea Shoes The new primeknit shoes from adidas are seriously trashy. In fact, they’re made entirely from plastic rubbish found at the bottom of the sea. This knit-together plastic eliminates waste by avoiding pattern cut-outs. Icaros Icaros is a home gym which combines fitness with gaming - or more specifically, flying. It uses virtual reality to take you on an ocean dive or interstellar flight. As you follow the scenario on-screen, you find yourself mirroring the actions with your muscles - which provides a real workout. Cancel that gym subscription, and start your workout in the sky. 11
- 16. IT/INFRASTRUCTURE 3D Printed Bridge A Dutch startup plans to to build the world’s first 3D printed bridge in Amsterdam this September. Robotic arms will print the steel structure as it moves along, essentially using what they are building as support - with no scaffolding in sight. If it works, the idea could be used across construction sites, particularly for dangerous projects. Will it work? We’ll cross that bridge when we build it. Brain vs Brain Scientists found a way for brains to speak to computers back when dinosaurs were still around (almost), but they’ve just had another major breakthrough. They’ve found a way for one brain to speak to another telepathically. Computers were still involved though, obviously. The researchers were able to send the words ‘hola’ and ‘ciao’ from one person’s brain in India, to another’s in France. The jury’s still out on why they chose those particular words. Lowline A group of NYC entrepreneurs are looking give New Yorkers some much needed space with an underground version of the High Line. They want to take a disused trolley park in Williamsburg and turn it into an underground park. In an attempt to lure the sunworshippers below street level, they plan to use solar technology to beam light into the darkness. This can be done using what is essentially a remote skylight - a solar panel which collects sunlight at street level and carries it underground. 12
- 17. 1213 ALCOHOL/FMCG Beer Beauty Carlsberg has launched a beauty line targeted at men who like beer so much, they want to lather themselves in it. Researchers at Carlsberg Laboratory realised that beer actually contains many natural ingredients containing vitamins which are good for your skin and hair. Each bottle of Beer Beauty contains 0.5 litres of beer, which has been freeze-dried and mixed with other ingredients. Connected Champagne Maison Mumm have created the world’s first connected champagne bottle. A sensor in the cork sends a signal when you open your bottle, and a chip lets the club know (of course you’re in a club, you’re drinking Mumm). The club then turns the spotlight on you and plays your favourite song. Which is all well and great, unless your favourite song is by Journey. Nitrogen-Infused coffee that tastes like beer Nope. I mean it. As if coffee needed a new innovation this new stimulant tastes a bit like a Guinness and looks a bit like it too. No one likes a big head on their pint. Well we don’t like it on our coffee either. When you infuse nitrogen and coffee correctly without a giant head of foam it feels like there’s cream in it, but it’ s just black coffee and gas.
- 18. 14 Emoji Passwords It’s official, emoji have taken over the world. UK digital banking software firm Intelligent Environments have created a system of emoji passcodes. They believe that these tiny images are far easier to remember than a combination of numbers, particularly because you can tell a story with emoji. There are also many more possible combinations (3,498,308), when using just 44 emoji. Word of warning? Don’t go for the money bag emoji x 4. It’s taken. MasterCard Facial Recognition MasterCard is testing a program which lets you pay for stuff with a selfie. When online shopping, instead of inputting a password, you simply hold up your phone and blink once. Mastercard’s facial recognition program will roll out to about 500 users at first. If all goes to plan, they may take it public. Start practising those selfies! Doge The Bullet Citibank is under massive threat from the cryptocurrency DogeCoin. Well not exactly, but it is running a test platform for digital currencies and is experimenting with it’ s own currency based on the bitcoin protocol, , CitiCoin. FINANCE
- 19. TRAVEL 15 fathom The largest cruise company in the world has launched a new brand called fathom, which offers a cruise that’s not a cruise. The social impact travel brand will offer passengers activities such as cultivating cacao plants and helping to build water filters - all while cruising to the Dominican Republic. Instead of awkward entertainment nights, the ship will offer Spanish lessons. Well, as long as there’s a pool and an abundance of cocktails, we’ re in. Oh, wait. Lexus Hoverboard Robert Zemeckis, director of Back to the Future 2, broke the hearts of millions of fans when he told them hoverboards didn’t actually exist. Well, Robert, it’s 2015 and time to eat those words. Lexus have unveiled a hoverboard which can be ridden much like a skateboard. The board still shares the same design style as Lexus’ cars. How does it hover? Using magnetic levitation. Obviously. Graubunden Tourism The folks at Graubunden Tourism have come up with a novel way to reach out to potential visitors. They targeted busy commuters in Zurich rail station with an interactive billboard. Normally, you’d steer clear of a bearded man trying to lure you over in a train station. This man, however, was yodelling from behind a screen. He chatted with passersby and offered them a ticket to the idyllic mountain village of Vrin. If they accepted, he printed them a ticket right there and then. Talk about Swiss spontaneity.
- 20. 116 HOSPITALITY KidZania We all know that being a kid is the new adult (see the cereal cafe trend for a case in point), but the folks behind KidZania have flipped that on its head. KidZania a theme park (no rides, mind) which offers kids the chance to play at being adults. The little ones can earn fake currency by testing out jobs such as surgeons, policemen, and even nightclub owners. In short, think Lord of the Flies meets Capitalism. Scary. Girls Aloud Blokes? Messing up my hotel room? No thanks. The need for less blokey accommodation has been delivered by Atlanta's Ellis Hotel. It offers a women-only floor with keyed access with a selection of amenities like hair straighteners and curling irons, each room offers an online "kiss cam" to help keep in touch with friends and family. Mobile Homeless Shelters Hawaii’s city officials and architects have teamed up to turn 70 old buses into mobile shelters for the homeless. The buses are renovated with recycled materials, and the interior of the buses are adaptable for both day or night. They include beds which fold down, thus giving people a safe place to sleep.
- 21. LUXURY Etihad Premium Want the latest from Etihad airlines on Twitter? Of course you do! Not so fast though… you need to be vetted by the airline before you can follow them. The @EtihadPremium Twitter feed is available to Gold and Platinum frequent flyers only. Once you make it into this VIP area of Twitter, Etihad promises round-the-clock customer service with a five minute response time. That’s sounds great, but where’s the Dom Pérignon? Eye Tracking Allow me to set the scene. You’re on the red-eye from New York to London. You’re halfway through a flick. The free wine starts to kick in and before you know it, you’ve missed half the movie and dribbled on your neighbour’s shoulder. Well, Thales can help with that. At the Paris Air Show, Thales unveiled a monitor which follows your eye movement. If you fall asleep or turn to talk to your neighbour, the screen will pause. When you turn back to the screen, it will resume playing. They can’t actually help with the dribble though, sorry. MIITO Meet MIITO, the humble kettle’s posh cousin. MIITO can heat up all kinds of different liquids, without a hint of limescale in sight. To use it, simply place your glass of mint-infused organic tea on the induction base and insert the rod. The touch sensor whirs MIITO into action, and your drink will start boiling. As soon as it has boiled, the MIITO will switch itself off. It’s almost like having a butler in your own home. Almost. 17
- 22. FASHION The Fashionable Algorithm It’s a scary world when you discover that a computer is more fashionable than you. Computer scientists in Spain have created an algorithm which judges your outfit, and tells you how you can improve it. It does this by using data from chictopia.com, where users rank others out of 10 for their fashionability. Electroloom Off on a night out but bored of your wardrobe? No problem, just print a new outfit from the comfort of your home. The Electroloom is a 3D printer which can print a simple top by spinning fibres from electrically charged liquid. Think candy floss machines for the likes of Anna Wintour. The best bit about the new technology? It eliminates almost all waste and gives sweatshops a run for their money. ALGARA Smart Jewellery The ALGARA necklace is a mood ring for the morning day. Its stone is a chameleon which can match to almost any colour, thanks to the mobile app. You simply upload a photo with your desired colour, and the stone will change before your eyes. You can change its colour according to your mood, or what you’re doing with your day - so it’s essentially 365 necklaces in one. Nifty. 18
- 23. TECHNOLOGY Lantern Ear Recognition Technology Air Shepherd AUTOMOTIVE Lunar Quattro People Powered Tesla Teentrack RETAIL Systeme U Briggo Shopping with Samsung INTERNET OF THINGS TieFi Connected Cyclists Illumigami PUBLISHING Emoji Press Release Tab WHIM ELECTRONICS The Happaratus CropX Migraine Simulator APPS Hands-Free Tinder I.am.here Mona FOOD Le Petit Chef Sonic Seasoning Kaffeeform HOME & PERSONAL CARE Peepoo Lovely Tamper-Proof Pill Dispenser SPORT EdiPulse Sea Shoes Icaros IT/INFRASTRUCTURE 3D Printed Bridge Brain vs Brain Lowline ALCOHOL/FMCG Beer Beauty Connected Champagne Nitrogen-Infused coffee FINANCE Emoji Passwords MasterCard Facial Recognition Doge The Bullet TRAVEL fathom Lexus Hoverboard Graubunden Tourism HOSPITALITY KidZania Ellis Hotel Mobile Homeless Shelters LUXURY Etihad Premium Eye Tracking Miito FASHION Algorithm Electroloom Algara
- 24. BUZZWORD BUSTER The Internet of Things Imagine that your appliances can not only listen, but talk to each other too. Your coffee machine has a sugar- free vanilla latte with soy milk ready as soon as the alarm clock buzzes. Your swimming pool (wishful thinking) heats up when a barbecue is in the diary. The best bit? You didn’t have to do a thing. This is the Internet of Things. Wearable Tech Think of a wearable as your phone and your bracelet getting together to make sweet, innovative love. Any electronic gadget which you can wear, either as an accessory or as part of your clothes, is a wearable. These gadgets can also connect to the internet, which is what makes them so darn clever. 3D Printing This does what it says on the robot-made tin. If you had a 3D printer, instead of spitting out gig tickets and boarding passes, it could produce dinner for two or even an entire house (or at least the parts). It effectively does this by sticking together a whole bunch of layers - with not a paper jam in sight.