Nazar Bilous and Dmytro Baryskyy wanted a central location for all of their information. They wanted the information to be displayed to themselves, their team or the public depending on the situation. Their solution to this was LaMetric, the smart ticker.
LaMetric is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to pull in funding for their first production run. The funding page is full of information about the project and different applications that can be displayed on the unit.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/smartatoms/662867866?token=1a018bf8
The casing itself was designed to sit on a table or hang on a wall, with bright visible numbers. Scrolling text or animations are shown in the campaign video, along with real time graphs giving visual representation of data. Three recessed touch buttons in the top of the unit allow users to switch between applications or perform immediate actions.
Inside LaMetric is a short list of components - an LED screen, a speaker, a circuitboard and an ethernet plug. All of the design work is very elegant and simple. The team was inspired by the Nike Fuel band to build a screen that looked like part of the surface when turned off.
LaMetric is controlled by an app that allows the user to display what they want to see. Text duration, scroll, and timers can be controlled instantly from a smart phone. Users can choose from several premade visuals or develop their own in the API.
The entire feel of LaMetric is an elegant retro theme with advanced capabilities. The display looks to be 1980s 8bit technology but subtle color variations in the 8x8 pixel display region allow for artistic expression.
A widget is online to give potential users the feel for creating their own display and personal icon. I've played with the icon generator but my pixel art skills weren't good enough to develop the ENGINEERING.com logo. The online simulator is a great sell to show the unit's existing capabilities and the ease with which you can create new applications.
At first glance LaMetric seems simple but watching the Kickstarter video and reading through the developer notes reveals a highly advanced customizable product. The early bird units are expected to ship in January 2015.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/smartatoms/662867866?token=1a018bf8