How Would You Design the World’s First Smart Umbrella?
The Internet of Things is slowly reinventing our world, turning dumb objects like our fridges and cars into smart, connected devices. And yes, it's even happened to our umbrellas. Haz is a “smart” umbrella that leverages IT to solve some of the common woes of the average parasol. Though it is much smarter than the typical canopy, there are some things we’d wish it were capable of.
Haz touts itself as the creator of the “world’s first motorized smart umbrella,” aiming to “break the mold in umbrella design." The eponymous device boasts a lithium-ion-powered motor that can automatically open and close the umbrella with the push of a button. It also has Bluetooth connectivity, which is used to communicate to a smartphone when it is out of range to prevent owners from losing it.
In addition, users can check out the last known location of Haz with the smartphone app. The app also keeps an eye on the local weather and will notify users when they should be taking their umbrella so they aren’t caught in the rain.
Haz is certainly a step up from the average umbrella, solving for many of the annoyances that come with using and losing a brolly. And it has definitely hit a chord with backers, who have successfully funded an Indiegogo campaign with plenty of time left on the clock.