SXSW Roundup: Japanese IoT Innovations by HACKist

Last year, we wrote about five different prototypes uncovered at SXSW by HAKUHODO, Japan’s second largest ad agency. This year, their digital production arm, HAKUHODO i-studio, showcased six innovative (and cute!) IoT prototypes at the SXSW Trade Show under their creative lab, HACKist.

Two of the exhibiting prototypes, INUPATHY and POSTIE, are available for pre-order via Indiegogo. (It’s INUPATHY’s debut and POSTIE’s second time at SXSW!)

INUPATHY’s Indiegogo campaign –>

POSTIE’s Indiegogo campaign –> 

As a follow up to our recent article introducing the six IoT products by HACKist, we gathered the online and SXSW reactions to these innovations all in one place. Check out what other people think below and let us know if you have a favorite!

1) INUPATHY

The world’s first dog mental visualizer based on heart rate monitoring.

What Did People Think?

INUPATHY was a popular product! Here’s their booth:

Several trade show goers brought their real dogs to try out the product.

https://twitter.com/YokoInAustin/status/709534155625762816

#SXSW2016 #coolstuff Inupathy @Indiegogo visualize your dogs feelings pic.twitter.com/mEmVWhNRch

— Blue Water (@BlueWaterDC) March 13, 2016

https://twitter.com/YokoInAustin/status/709243337799114752

With @inupathy @sxsw apparently Flash is very calm and happy with me here. pic.twitter.com/HQ4A1LewRT

— John Bates (@johnbates) March 14, 2016

Amazing! Japanese dog emotion tracker- inupathy! I love it's UI, too! https://t.co/v47DPhaB6M

— TomomiSayuda 左右田智美 (@TomomiSayuda) March 11, 2016

2) Dig-Log

IoT device that gamifies snow shoveling and turns it into an enjoyable experience.

What Did People Think?

Here are some photos from their booth at the SXSW Trade Show.

Lots of trade show attendees came to try out the product!

https://twitter.com/ErikRydell/status/709430811720699904

#SXSW2016 #coolstuff Dig log turns hard labor into fun and sport to turn snow shoveling into a fitness routine https://t.co/hVGRM6PtQ5

— Blue Water (@BlueWaterDC) March 14, 2016

Shovel from @diglog tells you how much exercise you're getting while shoveling, time+calories. #SXSW2016 pic.twitter.com/TKwxXLpLmv

— Adam Balkin (@AdamBalkin) March 13, 2016

Gamified Shoveling Apps – Dig-Log Turns Snow Shoveling from Labor to a Fun Activity https://t.co/ledvbZzrQo #Tech pic.twitter.com/LB6q6fGWWz

— Jeremy Gutsche (@jeremygutsche) March 7, 2016

3) POSTIE

Messenger device to deliver simple yet meaningful handwritten paper messages, stickers and photos anytime, anywhere.

What Did People Think?

#SXSW #postie 😍 pic.twitter.com/Zb7fOI9brY

— Maria Isabel (@CSMariaisabel) March 15, 2016

From @sxsw #Postie from Japan @sxsw It converts personalized messages into letters https://t.co/bnU8Dtbe8K pic.twitter.com/RZRyMXNmiJ

— Just Amazing Studio (@fab_brianson) March 15, 2016

4) TREK TRACK

Tracking system that can locate the whereabouts of mountain climbers using their phones even when they have no reception, allowing climbers to be found and rescued faster in the event of an emergency.

What Did People Think?

And at SXSW…

All my hiker friends out there… Check out this new tool to keep your friends aware of where you are! #trektrack pic.twitter.com/XGjwN679RZ

— Stephanie Yingling (@yingling03) March 14, 2016

Interesting solution for tracking backcountry hiking using #beacon technology. #trektrack

— Joey Trimyer (@jtrimyer) March 13, 2016

Network Hiking #trektrack pic.twitter.com/ubFCR8KOyS

— William Richardson (@wddrichardson) March 13, 2016

#trektrack a very cool piece of tech that allows users to be tracked in a 'mesh' network to prevent accidents pic.twitter.com/tF1wzU1ELZ

— SDC – Springate Design Consultancy (@springatedesign) March 13, 2016

#SXSW #trektrack nice idea for tracking hikers and outdoor activities pic.twitter.com/LxdFN4MrI2

— TIRIAS Research (@tiriasresearch) March 13, 2016

5) HELLO WORLD!

What if inanimate objects can talk? HELLO WORLD! Is a magic table that brings to life any object you place on its surface.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSl9f5ev-hw

What Did People Think?

Gizmodo Japan took a video of HELLO WORLD! in action, check it out:

「Hello World!（https://t.co/uHCpFfS5iQ）」by HACKist ものを置くとそれを判別して、話し始めるテーブルです。YES／NOのボタンも出てくるのでものと会話しているような気分に #SXSW pic.twitter.com/ijdLqU0j0z

— ギズモード・ジャパン（公式） (@gizmodojapan) March 14, 2016

6) PLAN-NET

A table clock that turns your calendar schedule into a work of art to help you visualize your time.

What Did People Think?

Alarm clock by #Hackist turns your schedule into art. #SXSW2016 pic.twitter.com/jErlql2DKU

— Adam Balkin (@AdamBalkin) March 13, 2016

Plan-Net data visualizer takes your Google Calendar and makes it desk art. Would stress me out. #sxsw pic.twitter.com/rXDhcze9NS

— Greg Swan (@gregswan) March 13, 2016

Here’s the clock in action courtesy to Gizmodo Japan. Clusters on the left (in the dark section of the clock) are events that are already finished, and clusters that are just crossing the boundary between light and dark are events and tasks that are almost finished. Clusters to the right that are moving are events that aren’t finished yet.

HACKistの「PLAN-NET」はスケジュールをアートにする時計。タスクや時間の進みをマルで視覚的に教えてくれます。丸が動く様子は宇宙をイメージしたんだとか #SXSW pic.twitter.com/m1wtO5XaVE

— ギズモード・ジャパン（公式） (@gizmodojapan) March 14, 2016

Wrap up

All in all, HACKist had a strong showing at the SXSW Trade Show this year. INUPATHY and POSTIE’s crowdfunding campaigns are both more than 20% funded at the time of writing, and INUPATHY has a month left of the campaign while POSTIE has two more months.

Which product is your favorite? Let us know!

Images from HACKist