LUMOback
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LUMOback wants to help you prevent back pain through good posture
After sitting, standing and walking like a caveman for pretty much all of Macworld/iWorld 2013, it was fitting that one of my last stops of the show was to visit the folks behind the LUMOback posture sensor. Now, I know what you're thinking: "A posture sensor? Seriously? This biometric tracking thing has gone too far!" I don't blame you; in fact, that was exactly my line of thought before I saw what they're doing. But as a longtime back pain sufferer, I can't help but applaud what this device's creators are trying to accomplish. Another Kickstarter success story, the LUMOback (US$149) is a band-style sensor that you wear on your lower back with the help of an adjustable strap. Designed by three Stanford graduates, the gadget is able to tell if you're slouching or otherwise maintaining improper posture when sitting, standing or even walking, and gives you feedback by both vibrating and sending updates to a companion iOS app. In fact, the data is accurate enough for the app to generate a charming avatar that accurately mimics your current posture, so you can see exactly what you're doing right (or, in most cases, wrong). The idea behind the hardware and software combo is to encourage proper posture so that you'll ultimately feel better. As LUMOback co-creator and CEO Monisha Perkash explained to me, it's meant to be both a guide and a continual reminder to sit and stand straight. It'll also give you a heads up if you've been sitting for too long, something I can definitely appreciate as a writer. That way, over time you'll develop a habit of doing both and reap the benefits, such as less back discomfort, a stronger core and even potentially more confidence. LUMOback works with any iOS device that supports the Bluetooth low energy standard, so that means any iPhone after and including the 4S, the third- and fourth-generation iPad, the iPad mini and the fifth-generation iPod touch. It charges via a micro-USB connection and its battery lasts about four days between charges. We're planning to do a full review of the LUMOback on TUAW, so if it seems like something of interest to you, you'll want to stay tuned.
LUMOback smart posture sensor hands-on
We first met Andrew Chang -- one of the co-founders behind LUMOback -- when he approached us at the end of our panel at SXSW and offered to show us his smart posture sensor. He was wearing it right then and demoed it for us on the spot. We were impressed enough to stay in touch. Fast forward four months and the device has launched on Kickstarter and already surpassed its $100,000 funding goal. We recently caught up with Andrew to learn a little more about the device's evolution from mockup to pre-production and to get some hands-on time. While we didn't get the chance to wear the smart posture sensor ourselves, Andrew gave us a thorough rundown and brought along various iterations of the device which you'll find in the photo gallery below. LUMOback is an 8.5mm thick appliance roughly the size of a credit card that's worn like a belt and rests against your lower back. It's packed with sensors, a vibration motor, an iOS-compatible Bluetooth 4.0 LE radio and a Li-Ion battery which provides about 4 days of operation on a charge. The only visible components are a single capacitive button, an LED and a micro-USB charging port. It's splash resistant and features an adjustable elastic strap.%Gallery-160244% The hardware may be interesting, but it's the software that really makes LUMOback useful. Paired with an iOS device over Bluetooth, the smart posture sensor monitors if you're running, walking, standing, sitting or laying down. When you're standing or sitting, it knows if you're slouching and optionally alerts you by vibrating. It even measures how much you're slouching and to which side, and knows if you're laying on your stomach, back, left or right side. Best of all, the app logs your posture over time, gives you feedback, and lets you journal how you feel. There's a social networking component as well, and you're able to share some of that information with others. Andrew and his team are still tweaking the hardware and the software (nothing we saw is finalized yet), but the LUMOback smart posture sensor should cost between $100 and $125 when it ships this fall. Hit the break for our hands on video, and be sure to check out the screenshots gallery below.%Gallery-160245%
Insert Coin: LUMOback Smart Posture Sensor thrums when you slouch, charts your laziness (video)
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. LUMOback wants to show all those DIY posture dilitantes what's what with its Smart Posture Sensor, an app and hardware combo that tracks your carriage and vibrates when you hunch. The thinnish 8.5mm sensor is worn like a belt, and on top of the tactile nagging, it provides detailed iPhone or iPad charting of the sitting, running and even sleeping you did, complete with an xkcd-like stickman video replaying all your crooked moves. So far the team is about a third of the way to its $100K mark, and a minimum $99 pledge will get you a jet-black model if it's built, with a $125 chip-in letting you vote on a a second shipping color, to boot. If some of your activities consist of, say, blogging in front of a computer screen all day, check the video after the break for relief.
