Fingerbot blasted past its funding goal in just 12 hours to become one of the hottest tech gadgets on Kickstarter. At the time of writing the device is sitting pretty with 27 days to go having already gathered over double its initial funding goal of US$20,000. Fingerbot's success is likely to be in the simplicity of its concept - it provides a remote controlled finger (or robotic actuator) which can switch on/off your non-smart devices in a smart way. It is claimed to be compatible with "all the buttons, switches, and toggles anywhere in your home through voice and app".
The product showcase video above gives a very good rundown about the possibilities that Fingerbot can open up with your dumb-devices around the home.
When you think of all the different kinds of buttons and switches in your home - many are regular switches, while buttons tend to toggle power on and off - they also come in different forms, sizes and shapes. Adaprox, the makers of Fingerbot, have already put thought into this design challenge and you will find that a Fingerbot comes with a varied pack of actuator 'fingers'. One commonly useful one might be the 'sucker' which would work for the traditional light switches in my house, for example. Modern tech gadgets tend to have buttons, which can use the regular actuator you fee in most Fingerbot images. Adaprox provides 3D print templates for you to design and make your own too.
The Fingerbot easily mounts securely to most surfaces using double sided 3M adhesive pads. It connects to smart controls via low power Bluetooth and its rechargeable battery will run for up to six months between charges.
Integration of Fingerbot into your home is very flexible. You can choose to set up command and control multiple individually labelled Fingerbots using the free Adaprox App. Then you can control the Fingerbots by app toggles, schedules and timers - or even via voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant.
For existing and more complex home setups you can get the optional free Adaprox Bridge Gateway, which brings Fingerbot online, allowing control from anywhere at any time, even when away from the home. Furthermore the bridge allows for fully customised control and routines setup using IFTTT integration.
As mentioned in the intro the Fingerbot is doing very well on Kickstarter. If you are interested in jumping onboard the cheapest entry at the time of writing is US$32 for a single Early Bird Fingerbot. There are a wide range of further options available including a Family kit with 16 Fingerbots, 8 robot arm tool-kits and 4 Adaprox bridges available for $479. Whichever you choose, deliveries of Fingerbots and accessories are expected to be in May 2020.
