Beacons are being used in a project by a London startup and the Royal London Society for Blind People to help visually impaired users navigate public transport systems through audio notifications. Ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft are promoting options like UberPool and Lyft Line to allow passengers traveling to similar destinations to share rides, reducing individual costs compared to owning a private vehicle. A connected water bottle band called The Hug aims to notify users if they become dehydrated, raising questions about whether connected devices should replace personal responsibility for health and if such a hydration monitoring device is actually necessary.

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THE WEEK IN 3 WORDS

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WEEK #32

3. FIND YOUR WAY
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So far, beacons (Low Bluetooth Energy devices capable of
triggering notifications to surrounding smartphones) have been
pretty much targeting advertisers and retailers. The main goal is
of course to increase sales…
A London-based startup has started a project in
coordination with the Royal London Society for
Blind People: they are trying to use beacons to
help visually impaired find their way into public
transports. By placing beacons in corridors, they
can help locating users (users will get audio
notifications).
This project is still a prototype as of today, but it’s refreshing:
new technologies are not the appanage of marketing.

5. SOCIAL CARS
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Uber and Lyft are struggling to get the biggest share of the lucrative
ridesharing market. Both of them are announcing new services
(UberPool and Lyft Line) to help users get together in a same car for
sharing a ride to the same (or so) destination. The driver is
remunerated for the ride by passengers. BlaBlaCar, a French company,
has recently raised $100 millions for the same kind of service.
The final purpose is for users to consider Uber or Lyft over buying their
own car. UberPool and Lyft Line claim to be cheaper, even when used
a lot, than buying and maintaining (insurance, gaz, parking, etc.) a car.
And the driver starts making a profit when he has a car full of
passengers.
Such services are particularly interesting in area with limited or
inexistent public transport, and may benefit from economic difficulties in
the near future.

7. DEVICE-ASSISTED?
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Will we become so connected device-dependent that we will
need them to remind us to take care of our health?
This is what seems to think Caktus Inc. which
launched project The Hug on Kickstarter.
The Hug is a band you put around a bottle
(of water, obviously) and that’s able to notify
you in case you get dehydrated…
Connected devices is a flourishing market and there is no
wonder there will be several fantasists devices, especially until
this market gets mature. But is a device that tells you to drink
really necessary? Is this no a symptom of users letting down
their own brain for software intelligence?