app Archives

Spotted: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2022 mitigation of climate change report estimated that changes to individual “lifestyles and behaviour” could reduce global carbon emissions by 40 to 70 per cent by 2050. Helping to make that a reality is the One Small Step behaviour change app.

One Small Step uses proven psychology to support and encourage individual behaviour shifts that, when added together with thousands of others, equate to significant reductions in carbon emissions. The app helps users track their expenditures, travel, food choices, energy use, and waste production. And for every friend that a user helps to sign up, One Small Step also plants a tree.

After establishing a baseline for their behaviour, the app lets users track how different choices impact carbon emissions and receive personalised suggestions for ways to make their habits more eco-friendly. As users record shifts in behaviour and buying habits, the app also provides vetted alternatives for some of the most commonly used products.

The company’s goal is to work with 100,000 users of the app to prevent one million tonnes of carbon pollution from entering the atmosphere, as a first step in harnessing the power of community action. The company also challenges users to try to reduce their carbon footprint to two tonnes of CO2 per year, which is the UN’s 2050 goal for individuals. With the average American having a carbon footprint of over 14 tonnes, any reduction in that figure, when multiplied by millions of others doing the same, adds up to a substantial climate impact. Currently available in the USA and Australia, the company plans to expand access to the app to other countries.

There’s certainly work to be done by heavy-polluting industries to cut their emissions, but individuals also have the power to contribute to positive environmental changes. Springwise has spotted a countertop appliance that lets you compost easily in your kitchen and a platform that helps individual employees make their company more sustainable.

Written By: Keely Khoury

Reference

Sustainable News

An app helps families avoid food waste

By Zarkon Group,19/04/2023

Spotted: Around 70 per cent of all food waste in the UK comes from households, which equates to around 6.6 million tonnes a year. To help tackle this, Kitche was launched to help families avoid throwing away food. The company has found that the most effective strategies are preventative, so aims to target food waste at the source.

Kitche has developed an app that lets users import their food to keep track of what they have at home, and users can also scan supermarket receipts to update their virtual inventory. Based on what is recorded on the app, Kitche will send reminders of when foods need to be eaten or frozen, and lets users move products between “To buy”, “At home” and “Ditch” lists. The app also has recipes to help customers use up all their products efficiently.

Since launching three years ago, Kitche has had nearly 65,000 downloads in the UK and earlier this year, the app had a re-launch with new features. For instance, the new Impact Section allows users to see the results of tracking their food waste, including water, CO2, food, and money savings. To make the app even more convenient, Kitche has also made it possible to add food products to the app by voice or scanning by barcode. Other new features include an Explore Section, which includes a lifestyle magazine-style collection of top tips and recipes, and a Community Section where people can connect and become Kitche Ambassadors to earn unique elements both in and outside the app.

There are so many innovations out there helping to tackle food waste. Springwise has spotted a startup turning wasted fresh produce into healthy snacks and another transforming broccoli waste into plant protein.

Written By: Anam Alam

Reference

Sustainable News

An app helps to capture family stories

By Zarkon Group,22/09/2022

Spotted: Stories have always been a part of human culture, but the way we interact with them has changed dramatically in recent years. With the advent of social media, we now consume stories more passively than ever before, scrolling through photos and videos without really connecting with the people behind them. Startup Remento is working to change that. Its storytelling platform encourages users to share personal stories and connect with loved ones on a deeper level.

The app provides conversation prompts to inspire the sharing of stories from every member of the family. The prompts include questions about a grandparent’s childhood home, to the context of images from wedding photos. The prompts are then selected and customised on the app, after which family conversations can be recorded. An interactive playback allows users to showcase stories from these sessions. These can then be shared and reminisced about at a later time.

The company’s co-founder and CEO Charlie Greene came up with the idea for Remento after recording various interviews with his mother after she was diagnosed with cancer. “The conversations our family recorded after we learned my mother had cancer changed our relationship forever. As she reflected on photos and answered questions about her early years for her grandchildren to one day watch, I learned more about her life than I ever could have imagined,” she explained.

Social media continues to change, and so is the way we interact with it – with growing concerns about its impact on our mental health and relationships. Springwise has spotted several related innovations including social media tools that help the public assess viral posts, and an app teaching people to trust the news again.

Written By: Katrina Lane

Reference

Sustainable News

An app to identify animal and plant species through a phone camera

By Zarkon Group,07/09/2022

Spotted: As smartphones have become increasingly ubiquitous, there has been a corresponding increase in the amount of time that people spend looking at screens. This has led to concerns about the effect that phones are having on our ability to connect with the world around us. While efforts to get people to put down their phones and engage with nature have often been unsuccessful, one new app is hoping to change that.

EarthSnap is a new app that allows people to identify plant and animal species via their mobile phone’s camera. The app also provides information about the local area and its wildlife, helping to educate users about the natural world. The information will be open-source and shared with citizens and the scientific community. By making this tool available to as many people as possible, Eric Ralls, Founder and CEO of EarthSnap said he aims to “bring people back to nature, to help them realize that humanity is a part of nature, not ‘apart’ from nature.”

EarthSnap also features a social community: Earthchat. The e-social community connects users with other ecologically conscious individuals and organisations from all over the world via forums and feeds. The hope is that this will help promote and spread eco-friendly causes. EarthSnap is fully launched and can be found on the AppleStore and Google Playstore. The platform currently holds information on 2 million plant and animal species, and will use uploaded photos to grow EarthSnap’s database.

There are around 8.7 million species on Earth. With land use, pollution, and climate change driving a loss of biodiversity and an increasing number of species at risk, it is essential that we find ways to identify and protect them. Springwise has spotted several other recent innovations that aim to preserve and promote biodiversity. These include a method for conducting environmental surveys using DNA, biotech that matches trees to the eco-system, and a catfood brand helping to restore the world’s coral reefs.

Written By: Katrina Lane

7th September 2022

Website: earth.com/earthsnap

Contact: earth.com/contact

Reference

Architecture

An App for Everyone: Spaces Is the Conceptual Design Tool Architects Always Needed

By Zarkon Group,26/06/2022

The key to a successful architectural project is the development of a strong conceptual model. Conceptual design is the foundation of architecture and oftentimes, determines the future success of a project. Architects are forever in search of reliable and effective design tools that will aid in bringing their ideas to life. However, finding the right tool isn’t always easy. Many applications available today are complicated, costly and don’t always align with the designer’s working rhythm. For the average on-the-go architect, reliable and straightforward tools are key. Thankfully, Cerulean Labs has delivered just what every architect is after: the Spaces iPad app.

Cerulean Labs comprises a global team that is dedicated to improving the conceptual stage of architecture. Back in October of 2021, the company released Spaces: a parametric conceptual design tool made for the iPad. Today, the brand celebrates its continual effort in improving the conceptual design stage with a new and improved version of the app: Spaces version 2.

This updated application has recently hit the market and boasts a comprehensive list of tools fit for architects of all levels and experiences. Spaces version 2 comes complete with improved editing tools, increased 2D viewing options, new sun studies, new sketching capabilities and additional workflow integration options. This application is well and truly built for the masses.

The Spaces version 2 app boasts an easy-to-use yet comprehensive set of design tools. The app merges old-school drawing techniques with modern-day computing technologies into a user-friendly interface. Its clean and clutter-free layout makes it especially useful for those designers who are constantly on the move.

The new digital sketchbook feature lets users swiftly document their ideas whenever — and wherever — they come to mind. The sketchbook encompasses new technologies, such as the Apple pencil, and allows designers to test their ideas out by sketching and note-taking. Moreover, users can send snapshots of their models directly to the sketchbook and trace them using the Apple pencil. This app celebrates architecture’s oldest and most useful tools – a simple pencil and paper.

The improved interface allows users to switch their screen between the Sketch and Modeling modes with ease.

Another fresh addition to Spaces version 2 is the sun study feature. Recognizing how invaluable solar analysis is to the conceptual design process, Cerulean Labs has developed a tool that allows users to specify the exact location and time of day for their model, and instantly see how shadows cast by their project might impact neighboring buildings. Users can impose an animated sun study directly onto their models in real-time, helping them to better understand how their design responds to its surroundings.

Additionally, Spaces version 2 has introduced IFC and OBJ exporting, which means that models can be exported and furthered in a secondary BIM tool. Moreover, the new space planning feature allows users to manage design briefs, create reports and develop project concepts directly on the app. The improved export options and new space planning features ensure that all models come out professional and presentable. In addition, users can import key site data to their design, thus producing a more precise and site-specific model.

Cerulean Labs is committed to growing and developing its Spaces app. iPads are continuing to dominate the AEC world and professional applications like Spaces version 2 offer increasingly powerful platforms to sketch, model and manage conceptual projects. The spaces app is available in both free and paid versions, with a new subscription recently becoming available: the Spaces Pro. Priced at $75 USD per month, the Spaces Pro subscription offers unlimited projects and comes with new and improved export features, reporting tools and modeling capabilities. The application can be downloaded via the Apple App Store and subscriptions can be managed directly through the Spaces website.

Spaces by Cerulean Labs demonstrates the vast capabilities of iPad use in parametric conceptual design. The application offers great depth and flexibility, all the while remaining transportable and accessible. It celebrates traditional design tools while implementing the best modern-day technologies out there. The result is a brilliantly straightforward application suitable for all architects and designers.

Cerulean Labs is currently offering an extended free trial for the app, allowing users to try it out for 3 whole months — click here to find out more and download it (offer ends June 30th). To learn more about the Spaces application and all its offerings, check out the Spaces website.

Reference

Sustainable News

Technology enables messaging and app access without data or wifi

By Zarkon Group,12/06/2022

Spotted: The internet has become so ingrained in our daily lives that most of us can’t envision life without it. However, there are still many parts of the world where internet access is unavailable or unreliable. Mexican startup Bridgefy is on a mission to connect users even without internet access.

Bridgefy leverages other nearby smartphones’ Bluetooth and Wi-Fi antennas to create a mesh network that connects devices within a 330-foot range. The company has developed a free offline messaging app but this is not the only use of its technology, which also allows apps to function without an Internet connection.

Only those apps within the Bridgefy network can provide services to users without internet access. But the startup has developed a software development kit (SDK) that helps app developers easily incorporate the mesh network technology into their iOS or Android code.

Bridgefy created the SDK to get their product out to a wider audience faster and with less hassle. Thanks to Bridgefy, developers can now provide their users with offline capabilities in a variety of situations, whether it be for messaging, payments, or even social networking.

Bridgefy charges companies depending on how many users they attract while using the app offline. The company expects to be able to support ride-hailing apps, cruise ship apps, educational apps, social media, and gaming.

One of the most successful uses of the technology is a collaboration between Bridgefy and SkyAlert that helps citizens connected in times of natural disaster. SkyAlert, which is also based in Mexico, issues earthquake warnings shortly before they happen.

Other innovations, spotted by Springwise, that look to extend connectivity include smaller satellites for faster internet, a satellite communication network for remote communities, and a startup that brings Wi-Fi to remote farm communities.

Written By: Katrina Lane

10th June 2022

Website: bridgefy.me

Reference

Sustainable News

A vegan social media app gives users the option to own shares in the company

By Zarkon Group,30/05/2022

Spotted: As the world increasingly turns to social media for news and entertainment, a new crop of sustainable startups are looking to tap into their pool of engaged users to further their social purpose. Vegan social media platform abillion is one such startup.

Launched in 2017 as a social platform for connecting people with plant-based food choices, the company is on a mission to make it easy for everyone to be an environmental hero. As the company has developed, it has shifted its focus to helping individuals and businesses become more aware of their choices and proactive about sustainability. It does this by funnelling back cashback rewards from brands to users, who can then direct those funds to their favorite environmental causes.

To date, abillion has given more than $1.4 million (around €1.33 million) to environmental causes, including Sea Shepherd and One Tree Planted. With over 60 recipients to choose from, users can easily support the causes they’re passionate about.

Now, in a first-of-its-kind move for social media, the vegan social app is giving its users the option to own shares in the company. The company says this represents a new concept of ownership and allows users of the platform to take a vested interest in its success. Previously, credits amassed by leaving reviews of vegan products could be redeemed for rewards like discounts or free products. But now those credits will be convertible into shares of abillion.

A democracy of ownership will allow users to not only connect with plant-based food choices, but also to have a say in which companies are featured on the platform. As a result, abillion is positioning itself as a leader in the sustainable food space. And with $1 in review credit equal to a $1 stake in the company when it goes public, abillion is giving its users a chance to profit with purpose.

Other innovations in environmental giving recently spotted by Springwise include a CSR platform that lets companies choose and monitor impact projects, an ad platform that rewards users for watching ads by giving them credit to donate to a cause of their choice, and a search engine that donates its profits to non-profit organisations.

Written By: Katrina Lane

30th May 2022

Website: abillion.com

Contact: abillion.com/contact

Reference

Sustainable News

A VR brain training app to test cognitive skills

By Zarkon Group,01/05/2022

Spotted: Lisbon-based Virtuleap is a health and education startup using artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) to elevate the cognitive assessment and training industry. The company believes that VR brain training can add value to any healthy lifestyle as a frequent activity taking up less than 10 minutes per session.

Virtuleap’s core product, Enhance, is a VR app with a library of brain training games that test and train various cognitive skills like memory, problem-solving, spatial orientation, and motor control. The company says that VR “engages multiple learning systems, which makes it a more effective and natural environment for cognitive training than 2D screen-based brain training apps”.

Enhance’s games are designed by neuroscientists and game designers with the intention of being both fun and effective. The app currently offers more than 14 short games across nine different categories: memory, problem-solving, flexibility, working memory, spatial orientation, motor control, auditory cognition, task switching, and planning – with Additional skills to be introduced in the near future.

The app also allows users to track their progress with reporting tools to know how their quality of sleep and moods affect their cognitive performance.

In 2020, the company published a white paper citing 76 peer-reviewed studies explaining why they believe that VR cognitive training systems may transfer and improve specific domains or global cognition.

Parallel with Enhance, Virtuleap also developed a web-based dashboard for corporations, such as senior living communities, hospitals, clinics, and educational institutions, to access reporting and data tools. The company hopes its platform will provide caregivers with additional capabilities to help the aging population with cognitive conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Other medical uses of VR spotted by Springwise include a virtual environment for treating phobias, gamified neurology treatments, and a VR live stream of surgical procedures for remote learning.

Written By: Katrina Lane

29th April 2022

Email: support@virtuleap.com

Website: virtuleap.com/enhance

Reference

Sustainable News

A new app incentivises people to recycle

By Zarkon Group,29/03/2022

Spotted: Incentives definitely help make daily chores more fun! Bower, an app developed by an eco-minded team from Sweden, makes sure that every trip to a recycling centre is rewarded. Users scan anything with a barcode to find out where the nearest recycling point is for that product. And if something cannot be recycled, that is part of Bower’s mission too – to educate people about what exactly goes into packaging their favourite products.

The app uses crowdsourced data to list local recycling options, and users are encouraged to add to the directory. After scanning and sorting the waste at home, users receive the deposit value of each item directly to their account after confirming drop-off at an approved location. Rewards come in either monetary or coupon form and can be transferred between users, spent, or donated to a charity.

The app is free to download and use for both iOS and Android devices, and the company is seeking commercial partners for dedicated recycling campaigns. Brands can use the app to build a better understanding of the life cycle of their products and use the data to engage in new ways and at new contact points with customers. Having recently secured more than €4 million for development purposes, the company plans to use the investment to expand first into the UK and then beyond.

Bower will join similar solutions like the UK’s Litter Lotto app as another way to incentivise people to behave in a more sustainable fashion.

Written by: Keely Khoury

29th March 2022

Email: hello@getbower.com

Website: getbower.com

Reference

app

Could this app change your habits to cut carbon?

An app helps families avoid food waste

An app helps to capture family stories

An app to identify animal and plant species through a phone camera

An App for Everyone: Spaces Is the Conceptual Design Tool Architects Always Needed

Technology enables messaging and app access without data or wifi

A VR brain training app to test cognitive skills

A new app incentivises people to recycle

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