Unless you’re living in Bill Gates’ house, chances are most of the objects around you aren’t Internet-connected. In fact, the vast majority of appliances, mechanical systems, and even doors/windows are “dumb” with respect to their ability to tell you much of anything unless you’re standing immediately in front of them. Enter Twine by Supermechanical – a wireless widget with a series of sensors that allows you to “connect your things to the Internet, without a nerd degree.”
Twine is the simplest possible way to get the objects in your life texting, tweeting or emailing. A durable 2.5″ square provides WiFi connectivity, internal and external sensors, and two AAA batteries that keep it running for months. A simple web app allows to you quickly set up your Twine with human-friendly rules — no programming needed. And if you’re more adventurous, you can connect your own sensors and use HTTP to have Twine send data to your own app.
Twine interfaces with a web-based application called Spool (get it?) that allows owners to program rules in simple English about how they would like to interface with their newly connected object.
Twine was launched as a project by two members of MIT’s Media Lab community and raised $556,541 on Kickstarter (making it one of the most successful projects in Kickstarter’s history) thanks to 3,966 backers who clearly see the potential for connecting their washing machine, garage door, and cat (yes, a cat) to the Internet.
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Filed under: Gear, Living and home, Technology Tagged: Kickstarter, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Smart home, Spool, Technology, Twine
