Over the last few years we've seen a big trend in regular household objects being turned into gravity-defying, levitating marvels. Clocks, lightbulbs, turntables and Bluetooth speakers have all been given the magnetic levitation treatment, and we've even seen things get weird with floating cloud lamps and a computer mouse that hovers over a mouse pad. The latest device to float onto the scene is the Moon – a smart camera with a wide array of extra features.
Ostensibly, the Moon's primary function is as a smart security monitor. The device has both sound and motion detection functions, so if it hears or sees something in your house while you're away it will send a direct live feed to your smartphone. It also cleverly incorporates two-way communication so you can remotely yell at intruders or politely inform a loved one that you're on your way home.
The makers, 1-Ring, are also pushing the Moon as a central Smart Hub, able to unite all your home appliances with support for an admittedly quite wide variety of home automation standards. As well as IFTTT and Amazon Alexa, the device is compatible with Google Home, Apple HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings. And in addition to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the system can communicate through Z Wave, Zigbee and IR Blaster protocols.
The device is kitted out with a range of temperature, humidity, light and CO2 sensors, and a 5-megapixel camera that can record video up to 1080p. There's also night vision capability, three noise-canceling microphones, and the camera charges wirelessly while levitating.
So what about the levitation? 1-Ring claims this is more than just a visual gimmick, allowing for smooth, stabilized image control across a full 360 degrees. Is this any smoother than a simple revolving non-levitating camera? We're not so sure, but the levitating design is undoubtedly cool, which is ultimately the real point here.
Compared to similar smart cameras on the market, such as the Nest Cam, the Moon certainly boasts wide functionality, and its broad internet-of-things integration makes it a pretty stylish smart hub. The system is currently selling on Indiegogo starting at US$217. The final retail price is estimated at $330, which makes it a relatively competitive smart camera with or without the levitating gimmick.
Take a look at the Moon smart camera in action in the video below.
Source: 1-Ring
