I am going to use a picture because this is how I want to use this idea in the real would where not would notice the product because in would be so seamless. If there had to be a picture it would be of a normal everyday person not a tech geek but regular people going about there lives as always but always there in times of trouble and need. Here is my picture of normal everyday people not knowing they have an electron with sensors always ready to help 
Talk about this project on social media all you want. I want to spread the word on a life saving device that could save so many lives yet be so seamless and invisible. If I do win I will make the project and post about it in the spark forums and give a prototype of the device based on the electron to my grandma to make the project even better! I chose to enter this idea because I asked my self one question âWhat is more important than your health and keeping your body healthy?â. You can live with a bunch of stuff that wonât get you help when you need it automatically and this project will help save you and make our lives better.
Maybe an âX-Rayâ picture 
I plan to build a true remote automobile starter with GPS tracking and eventually OBD-II port monitoring.
I commute on the bus, but to get to the bus, I have to take my car. So Iâd love to remote start my car 10 minutes before I arrive on the bus when itâs snowing. Right now, I can start it when we pull up, which doesnât do much for me.
This is my plan. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
As suggested from the get go : use an Electron to make a plug and play module for any remote control vehicle to collect live telemetry and geopositioning data. It could interface to (certain) existing sensors or have its own sensors incluidng accelerometer, GPS, etc for an even more versatile device. Add NFC or bluetooth, or use the GPS capability, to geofence and get alerted if host strays too far (or too high).
The module would collect the data and transmit live - while connected to the host power source, or at any programmed interval if working off its own power source (battery, solar panel, âŚ). Solar would be useful to turn it into a âtrack and findâ (as opposed to a âsearch and rescueâ) device, while it gets sun light to recharge its battery and operate nearly 24/7 until you recover the host - misplaced R/C plane, quadcopter, truck, ⌠or even your full size car ⌠or family member ⌠or pet. It would be acting as a âlojackâ since being misplaced could mean it grew legs and walked off. Set it to âbeaconâ data when moving, not moving, too high, too hot, too fast or any activity the available sensors can indicate.
A miniature camera could be added to grab pictures which could be sent as part of its âcry for helpâ, facilitate locating the host or maybe grab a photo of the person who âfoundâ the host.
An âallâ purpose miniature tracking device which could come in various shapes to fit particular needs (cylindrical to be mostly hidden in a bike or quadcopter frame - antennae need to be âoutâ; âcigarette packâ for some R/C or full size vehicle; âŚ)
Make it programmable - easy user interface to ID sensor(s), set limits and action to configure with a computer (USB) or mobile device (bluetooth, cell, âŚ) with a few taps in an App, use the appropriate sensors and it becomes a very versatile remote self powered (battery + solar) monitoring device.
Connect it to temperature sensor(s), intrusion sensors, relays, etc. and it keeps an âeyeâ on your lodge, camper, ⌠while you are away with the ability to turn the heat on, start a sump pump, etc. automagically or on command from your mobile or computer.
I would use the electron to help kids learn programming from beginner to advanced. I would make a rc car with an electron and nfc. There would be an app that you can setup code to run on the electron, like move forward turn left turn right etc. You place the phone( with nfc) on the car, the car reads the nfc code you lift the phone off the car when the app gets notified it recived the code. the car then executes the code and displays data errors etc on the phone.
This project would help kids learn how to program from start to finish. Teachers could use this in class. You could also implement this into many different toys, such as helicopters, robotics, etc
An RUOK (Are You OK?) device for elderly, lone, relatives that you want to keep an eye on. Put the device in their hallway or kitchen with a few sensors such as PIR, light-level and temperature and get the device to send the data to you each hour. If it gets too cold, or you donât detect movement for a while you know to pop around and check that they are ok.
Lots of good ideas on here. My idea would be to use a motion sensor and camera (likely with a raspberry pi) for animal tracking. For example inside a birdhouse / bird feeder. When a bird comes it takes a picture and sends it to your phone. That way you can ignore it if itâs just a common bird or rush to get a closer look if itâs something rare. I figure this could also be used for animal documentary filming too.
Awesome idea! Is there a way to extend the functionality of 2-step, 3-step Authorization to verify identify utilizing the pebble smartstrap? Security is a major issue these days with privacy dwindling by the minute. Is there a way to utilize the smartstrap to enhance the security of private data? Health data? Corporate data? I work in health care and there is a HUGE NEED TO SECURE DATA. Hackers are not just targeting retailers, entertainment organizations and banks. Theyâre targeting troves of medical data through âsecureâ insurance companies. You can use mobile devices for 2 step AUTH but how aobut if you lose your phone or if its stolen or compromised? Is there a way to use the smartstrap to further verify oneâs ID for added protection? Thereâs got to be a way to make data more secure. I think the market would be ripe for a product of this nature. Especially if it secure. It would be great to have added verification for point of sale transactions for debit/credit cards. Something that is quick and convenient but still safe. Could the strap use NFC or some sort of radio signal to communicate with other like minded devices, registers,etc to further verify who you are in case someone has stolen you information? If this were done right, the field is ripe with opportunity. There is social media, personal/private data, medical data used by health insurance carriers, agencies across the board, not to mention the government.
There I said it. Thatâ's my pebble time pipe dream.
Feedback anyone?
What about sending notification to database from your phone and then receive them on your watch no matter if your connected to your phone or not.
Several people have already built fully operational astromech droids, unfortunately I havenât started mine. The Spark Electron could add many useful features:
-
Backup communications when no WiFi is available:
â Running off a separate power supply than the main drive units
â Report useful information:
â low power on the main drive units
â stuck on an obstacle or no traction on a drive wheel
â my current speed exceeds what my main drive units can supply, so obviously I am not moving under my own power, which means someone has stolen me and I need you to come find me alerts
â periodic GPS coordinates for tracking
â excess tilt from an accelerometer
â Iâve fallen and I canât get up alerts -
Interact with all the things:
â No scomp link to interface with? Just use the cellular connection
â Use IFTTT, REST or the other APIs to
---- send out links to the latest hologram (or still frame) you recorded
---- email important weaknesses in enemy superstructures
---- open doors for your companions
---- tweet your current mood
----- like when too many younglings are gathering around you
----- your scanners picked up hostile forces
----- you just saved the day
----- youâre bored due to limited sensory input
----- when that translator droid said something snarky
----- (I think I should design an Lindenmayer System that when given an initial string and a number of iterations, the final result can be converted into droid sounding beeps and boops) -
Time for some on-board displays:
â flash an LED to visibly indicate major system malfunctions
â control two RGB LEDs to make it look like you are thinking or to indicate your mood
â hookup 1 (or 5) Pebble Time units:
â to display system config and status information
â to cycle between various QR Codes that link to related social media sites
â to show lots of ever-changing color dots arranged in a rectangular pattern for no good reason other than the fact astromech droids do that kind of thing
â to show the time of day?
To many great ideas, I am so happy that spark is opensourced. I would want to make a digital picture frame(any words, phrases, or images the owner wants). The frame would be given to all family members, this frame would be special. It connects to the internet, and families can send messages to eachother. When they send a message it can go to the whole family or just spacific family members. Also there would be leds to flash to show they have messages. There would be an app that you record a message and it sends to the electron. There would be voice control for when you have your hands full. This project would allow families to share and come together as one.
Use
A family got a set for there relatives.
kids get home from school âtell grandmaâ start recording âI love you grandma from granddaughterâ
âokâ from the photo frame
across the country
grandmas frame flashes while she is making dinner.
grandma âread messagesâ
âI love you grandma from granddaughterâ recording from frame
grandma âtell granddaughterâ start recording âI love you tooâ
âsentâ from the frame
granddaughter gets the message.
granddaughter asks parents to take a picture of her latest drawing and send it to grandma
grandmas photo frame updates and shows the picture
I think families would love being in touch with all of their relatives.
Whereâs that DAMN FOOD TRUCKâŚ.Iâm hungryâŚ
So I get in my car and start looking for great, unique food truck food. The problem is that there is no universal app that allows me to find any of my favorite food trucks that are open and near my location. Iâm not only a food truck stalker, but I am also a food truck owner. The number one question I get from people is WHEN ARE YOU OPEN and WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED!
My mind is always working on new business ideas⌠so when I saw the Kickstarter for Spark Electron, my mind went into overdrive. OMG my customers can now find my food truck or another food truck in the area and know we are open.
Food truck owners have enough to worry about.
Cooking
Taking care of the truck
Marketing (twitter, facebookâŚ)
Getting more customers
Shopping for the next day
Managing their Yelp Reviews
Now there is Spark Electron
Spark + Asset Tracker + Constant Power Supply (all trucks generators) + Open Close button or switch + mobile app
This is not simply a hacking of Spark Electron, this is Spark Electron keeping a community of small business owners and their customers connected.
Cool idea. Would be really interesting if Google Maps allow you to update a business location in real time. I doubt they do but, in the mean time, you could have it on your website which would be linked to on Google Maps
You could also add a âestimated waitâ value which I, as a Food Truck visitor, would love but I could imagine how that might potentially hurt your sales
My grandparents spend their winters down in Florida instead of PA. Unfortunately, my grandfather doesnât see that well anymore and so they no longer take a car down there with them to get around. Cabs are one option, but they are expensive and inconvenient for them.
On a recent trip, my cousin introduced them to Uber and they absolutely loved it. It is cheaper, no cash needed, and super convenient for them. However, they do not own a smartphone and my grandfather probably couldnât see the screen well enough to use it anyway, and my grandmother isnât exactly tech-friendly. Without the app, they canât use Uber.
Until:
Uber has a REST API, I plan to combine that with the Electron and GPS tracker (and probably Webhooks) to create an Uber Button for them. It will just be a physical one-click button, thatâs it, and it will call a car to their location. I plan to put colored LEDâs on it to indicate status (car is on the way, car is late, etc.) and a battery so they can carry it anywhere. Since it is cellular, they donât need a smartphone or Wifi, it will just work wherever they go.
As a bonus, we can also use it to make sure they are getting around ok and donât get stranded somewhere. It can send us a message about where they are going and alert us if they donât get a ride back.
For $2.99/month, it is the perfect way to get them the only thing they want from a mobile device, Uber.
If you put it into an easy button, and then redid the gfx so it was an âUBERâ button I have a feeling the Uber people would be crazy excited if they saw it
Howâs that? Canât take credit for the photoshop work on the button, though, the awesome Spark community stepped up yet again and helped out!
Looks good to me. What other services could we have? Imagine a Spark Button in there. Weâve got 4 buttons. Letâs have 4 services. Uber/Sidecar/Lyft is one. What else can people come up with?
David, I would like to build a kid tracker. My daughter does not want my 8 year old grandaughter to have a cell phone. I donât have a problem with that but it would be nice to know where she is. Iâm going to add a gps to it, I could then ping it and find out where she is. You could even sew it into a backpack and the kids donât even need to know its there. I love the low cost for a data plan, makes this project finally affordable.
Hello,
here is my idea (I actually wanted to realize it since long time!):
building one or more floating explorers (easy done with a plastic bottle) to explore rivers.
Thanks to the Electron + GPS + a few sensors + battery and solar panel, we could monitor river stream speed and also some other health parameters, like temperature and maybe water oxygenation or other chemical data.
The Electron could send its position plus data measured every 15 minutes to a receiving station which would collect data and elaborate them for the public.
Given the affordable cost of the materials, the loss of one explorer wouldnât be too severe. Also the GPS would help find any stranded âboatâ if necessary!
Finally a message on the bottle would help it return home if found by someone else. 
Here is my concept in picture:
I hope you like it!
AndreaHereâs my Electron Idea Contest submission!
A temperature & wind sensor for an RC Aircraft field, feeding intermittent data to a web page you could check before you head out for some flying. Use case:
- Want to go flying
- Check web page showing conditions at field (which are not the same as whatâs outside your window).
RC fields are rural (like, farmerâs fields kind of rural) and donât have wi-fi but DO have cellular coverage.
I have a membership at a local field Iâd deploy this at, and document it on my blog at least.
Two things are worth special mention for my proposal:
- The location and application are well-suited to the Electronâs strengths: no wi-fi, but good cellular coverage, intermittent lightweight data only, and power is available.
- This project could be a gateway to DIY hardware for people in the RC crowd. Many are huge DIY-ers and while they have electrical knowledge, nitty-gritty electronics⌠not so much. This might help show some of them that this kind of hardware work doesnât have to be complicated, and they could probably bang something out quite easily if they just knew where to start!
Proposal with Visual Aids Time 
