Crowdfunding project Parkable, by Stickables

[MoDu]

Hi every, my name is André and I've been working on this project for about a year with a friend, and today we finally started our crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo for our startup, Stickables.

Hope I'm posting this in the right place and not breaking any forum rules.

Our project is the Parkable, a wireless parking sensor that you stick to your car and works with your smartphone, with no wiring, batteries, chargers or cables.


 
With the app installed, you can see a visual representation of your car parking with the distance to the obstacles, just listen to the audio cues (works great if the phone is paired with the car) or just feel the vibration in your pocket.

Some interesting features are:

• Just stick it to your car!
• It works with your smartphone in your pocket or purse.
• Visual representation of the car parking, audio cues and vibration alerts.
• No wires or batteries required.

More information about the project you can find here:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/parkable-by-stickables--2/


Any question or sugestion is welcome, thanks!

[Scrts]

The company I am working in did a bit more advanced stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPH8j2mrepM, but the idea to show car and other details on the smart phone (0:15 of the video) might be patented...

Your idea is great though!

[paulie]

Looks like this EEvblog forum is becoming the goto place for free advertising crowd funded enterprises. 3rd one today.

[kolbep]

Please could the OP point us to threads on the EEVblog forums that are relevant to this.
I.E. Any discussions you had regarding this project, assistance from fellow EEVBlog Fans, or even where you assisted another member with a problem they had.

If you cannot do any of the above, then I believe that you should not be spamming us...

[Bud]

Why dont you just exercise parking your car.

[matseng]

Very impressive technology (if it wasn't just BS) - being able to run a distance sensor that can sense up to 1.5 meters for three years continuously powered from a battery that fits into that slim rubber thingie.

And then start up manufacturing of it all for a mere $25 000.

Meh... I think I'll wait until it hits the stores instead. 

[Fsck]

how did you miss the big "Crowd Funded Projects" category on the front page?

what about theft(?) and vandalism?

[miguelvp]

Is it me or is the car equipped with the stickable hitting the car behind it?



Edit: Also the units shown in the proximity doesn't really make sense, at one point it might be cm when indicating 100 (as in 1 meter shoulder to opposite arm length) but at the end it shows 34 so that can't be centimeters.

[Alexei.Polkhanov]

Most of cars already have it. I have not seen a car lately that does not come equipped with rear bumper obstacle sensor.

[MoDu]

The company I am working in did a bit more advanced stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPH8j2mrepM, but the idea to show car and other details on the smart phone (0:15 of the video) might be patented...

Your idea is great though!

That seems really nice, though, as you say, it's more advanced and integrated: we're just offering a small add-on.

Please could the OP point us to threads on the EEVblog forums that are relevant to this.
I.E. Any discussions you had regarding this project, assistance from fellow EEVBlog Fans, or even where you assisted another member with a problem they had.

If you cannot do any of the above, then I believe that you should not be spamming us...

I cannot as I don't come to forums much, I just follow Dave's youtube channel and it has helped me a lot.

Why dont you just exercise parking your car.

Something tells me you're a Linux user.

Very impressive technology (if it wasn't just BS) - being able to run a distance sensor that can sense up to 1.5 meters for three years continuously powered from a battery that fits into that slim rubber thingie.

And then start up manufacturing of it all for a mere $25 000.

Meh... I think I'll wait until it hits the stores instead. 

I'd be happy to explain any technical questions you may have. The sonar actually works up to 2 meters, but we'd rather under-spec and over deliver than the other.
For starters, of course it's not continuous, it's not the 90's anymore, we have cheap microprocessors capable of doing things like sleeping.

how did you miss the big "Crowd Funded Projects" category on the front page?

what about theft(?) and vandalism?

I did miss it, not very familiar with the forum yet. How do I move it?

Theft is a serious issue but the main protection is the PIN lock, which turns the sensor into a paperweight to anyone but the owner.

Is it me or is the car equipped with the stickable hitting the car behind it?

It's not, the angle is weird.

Edit: Also the units shown in the proximity doesn't really make sense, at one point it might be cm when indicating 100 (as in 1 meter shoulder to opposite arm length) but at the end it shows 34 so that can't be centimeters.

You're right, that Android overlay is a mock, showing the most recent version of the interface (car moving) instead of the original one (car fixed, animated bar). Check the video for the real one.

Most of cars already have it. I have not seen a car lately that does not come equipped with rear bumper obstacle sensor.

That's true, but there's still about 4 Billion cars without any parking assistance. Here in Europe, they're still sold as extras or only included in high end cars.

[GreyWoolfe]

"That's true, but there's still about 4 Billion cars without any parking assistance. Here in Europe, they're still sold as extras or only included in high end cars."

I beg to differ with you.  Every car has parking assist--mirrors--and they are included in the price of the car.  I have used these low tech alternatives to your product for almost 40 years and have never hit a car behind me while parking.  Of course, since it is a smartphone app and there are people who would rather die than be without their smartphones and their apps, you probably will do very well.

"Something tells me you're a Linux user." 

Did you stick out your tongue and blow him a raspberry as you typed this?  I love generalizations and stereotyping.  I am not a Linux user and I still prefer using the low tech alternatives listed above.

[dr.diesel]

The last thing we need is people fumbling with their cell phone, continuous text messages popping up, while attempting to park.

Why dont you just exercise parking your car.

Something tells me you're a Linux user.

Why, because he's smarter than you?

Crowd funding sites need to implement a thumbs down button/counter.

[MoDu]

"That's true, but there's still about 4 Billion cars without any parking assistance. Here in Europe, they're still sold as extras or only included in high end cars."

I beg to differ with you.  Every car has parking assist--mirrors--and they are included in the price of the car.  I have used these low tech alternatives to your product for almost 40 years and have never hit a car behind me while parking.  Of course, since it is a smartphone app and there are people who would rather die than be without their smartphones and their apps, you probably will do very well.

I also never had a fender bender and have been driving a lot ever for 15 years. Clearly you're not the target audience, but I thank you for your genuine feedback.

Did you stick out your tongue and blow him a raspberry as you typed this?  I love generalizations and stereotyping.  I am not a Linux user and I still prefer using the low tech alternatives listed above.

Just joking  , precisely because that's Linux community's stereotype of the "RTFM". I keep forgetting Poe's Law, my bad.

[MoDu]

The last thing we need is people fumbling with their cell phone, continuous text messages popping up, while attempting to park.

Absolutely, I don't even take my phone out during day testing, I just feel the vibration or listen to the audio cues.

Crowd funding sites need to implement a thumbs down button/counter.

I agree, I've been burned at least once by crowdfunding. Sorry to hear that you don't like our project, thanks for the feedback anyway

[Someone]

The last thing we need is people fumbling with their cell phone, continuous text messages popping up, while attempting to park.

Which would be illegal in most (all?) states of Australia.

[chickenHeadKnob]

Is it me or is the car equipped with the stickable hitting the car behind it?

Edit: Also the units shown in the proximity doesn't really make sense, at one point it might be cm when indicating 100 (as in 1 meter shoulder to opposite arm length) but at the end it shows 34 so that can't be centimeters.

Ha Ha - good eye, non of this "weird angle" lame excuse bullshit, that other car is visibly jostled.

Heck I can (and do) that style of parking every day with my truck. Eat bumper MoFo's! no stickables required.

[Dongulus]

Is it me or is the car equipped with the stickable hitting the car behind it?

Edit: Also the units shown in the proximity doesn't really make sense, at one point it might be cm when indicating 100 (as in 1 meter shoulder to opposite arm length) but at the end it shows 34 so that can't be centimeters.

Ha Ha - good eye, non of this "weird angle" lame excuse bullshit, that other car is visibly jostled.

I don't see it. The camera is moving too much to clearly discern. Regardless, a small love tap is better than bashing into the vehicle behind you.

To go against the generally unhelpful and unwelcoming comments so far, I'll try to offer some humble insight.
-- I see that the app starts up automatically when the sensor detects that the user has begun to back up. Does the app give you any indication that it has started up, like some sort of audio chime? If the user's phone is on silent or BT is turned off or the phone is dead etc... then the user could be obliviously flying free.
-- What sort of delay do you get between the device and a smart phone? How fast can the car be moving for a user to react in time?
-- You are definitely going to need to put a BIG disclaimer somewhere to notify users to still rely on their mirrors or else risk a barrage of lawsuits.

[Alexei.Polkhanov]

Crowd funding sites need to implement a thumbs down button/counter.

Agree 

[SL4P]

Ha Ha - good eye, non of this "weird angle" lame excuse bullshit, that other car is visibly jostled.

Just decided on a new Crowd Funded Project...
Glue a sausage shaped 'party pillow' along the bumper
(or a whoopee cushion for the PC-crowd).

As you approach the parking limit... silence...
-- then PPHHAARRT means you have to stop now.

[miguelvp]

I'll buy that

[zapta]

That's true, but there's still about 4 Billion cars without any parking assistance. Here in Europe, they're still sold as extras or only included in high end cars.

Same here. And you pay extra for front and rest sensors. It's very useful though, at least my integrated one which comes on automatically at low speed.

Would be interesting to hear more about power management and general smart in your product.

[MoDu]

Is it me or is the car equipped with the stickable hitting the car behind it?

Edit: Also the units shown in the proximity doesn't really make sense, at one point it might be cm when indicating 100 (as in 1 meter shoulder to opposite arm length) but at the end it shows 34 so that can't be centimeters.

Ha Ha - good eye, non of this "weird angle" lame excuse bullshit, that other car is visibly jostled.

I don't see it. The camera is moving too much to clearly discern. Regardless, a small love tap is better than bashing into the vehicle behind you.

To go against the generally unhelpful and unwelcoming comments so far, I'll try to offer some humble insight.
-- I see that the app starts up automatically when the sensor detects that the user has begun to back up. Does the app give you any indication that it has started up, like some sort of audio chime? If the user's phone is on silent or BT is turned off or the phone is dead etc... then the user could be obliviously flying free.
-- What sort of delay do you get between the device and a smart phone? How fast can the car be moving for a user to react in time?
-- You are definitely going to need to put a BIG disclaimer somewhere to notify users to still rely on their mirrors or else risk a barrage of lawsuits.

Thanks for your feedback.

-- Yes, there's a boot up chime and then you start hearing the typical "beep.... beep... beep.beep.beeeeeeee". This happens at the same time as the vibration. An app can override the silence mode, if needed, but that'll be up to the user. Without BT on, there is ONE warning that you're flying solo, although it can be disabled.
-- The app starts in less than 1 second on an old Android phone. In terms of sonar, we're running at about 3 Hz sampling, with room to increase it if necessary: but lower number means lower power.
--- Pretty much what you said.

Ha Ha - good eye, non of this "weird angle" lame excuse bullshit, that other car is visibly jostled.

Just decided on a new Crowd Funded Project...
Glue a sausage shaped 'party pillow' along the bumper
(or a whoopee cushion for the PC-crowd).

As you approach the parking limit... silence...
-- then PPHHAARRT means you have to stop now.

Brilliant

That's true, but there's still about 4 Billion cars without any parking assistance. Here in Europe, they're still sold as extras or only included in high end cars.

Same here. And you pay extra for front and rest sensors. It's very useful though, at least my integrated one which comes on automatically at low speed.

Would be interesting to hear more about power management and general smart in your product.

In terms of general smart and power management, we are basically hostages to what we can do WITHIN the accelerometer so the whole device is basically asleep 99% of it's lifetime. Everypart was chosen to be efficient and I even designed our own driver and analog processing, among other things, in discrete components.

[yemisvx]

And what happens after 2-3 years when the battery dies?
Can it be replaced.