this is car-a-zy.
talkin' about smart stickers today. created by estimote, these stickers (or "beacons") have wireless sensors that can attach to different objects and send signals to devices within range. the result is that these stickers can generate data that helps your devices unlock micro-locating and enhance the way you interact with your environment.
people have been talking about wearable technology for a while now. but concerns about practicality, logistics and functionality keep getting in the way. thinking about technology that your environment can wear – instead of you – seems like an interesting alternative. estimote calls this “nearable” tech: technology that enhances the users’s experience through data, motion and temperature sensors without them having to actually do anything.
also, the design of the product and the packaging is beautiful. simple and clean enough to not get in the way and interesting enough to catch your attention. still deciding how i feel about their color palette, but the product is beautiful.
here’s a good quote from steve cheney, cofounder and senior vice president: “beacons are a little bit like urls for the physical world… we don’t know exactly how it’s all going to work out, from the experience level, but i think the apps you use the most will start to integrate beacon technology in a way where you assume it was always that way.”
the applications for these are truly incredible. right now estimote’s audience is mainly developers but as you look at the video below think about the implications for: more targeted marketing, digitizing in-person retail, home automation, and in terms of reconciling how you connect with people/brands/places online and offline.
and finally, the big one for me: how can we use design to integrate technology into the places and products we interact with in a way that enhances (instead of detracting from) the aesthetic quality of our life?