The crowdfuding charts: A smart necklace, sporty smartwatch, digitized umbrella, and more

One of the coolest things about wearable technology is it ability to turn nearly anything into something “smart.” Have you ever wanted an umbrella with location tracking? How about a necklace that can control your smartphone? These are just some of the new and exciting wearables we found on crowdfunding sites this week. Check them out below.

What campaigns hit crowdfunding this week

Neckst on Indiegogo

Started: July 14
Goal: $25,000
Raised As of July 17: $2,000

2015 thus far has proven to be the year of the smartwatch. Still, some people don’t adorn themselves with timepieces — but they may wear necklaces. Enter Neckst, the first ever smart necklace. This start up based in Jerusalem has created a unique button that connects to your smart devices to do just about anything, including texts, camera control, and smart home configuration.

Neckst comes in multiple styles, and not just in necklace form. The company also has bracelets and keychains with the Neckst button, making the product truly useful for everyone. Donating just $39 gets you a Neckst kit, so go claim your offer now.

HAZ on Indiegogo

Started: July 14
Goal: $15,000
Raised as of July 17: $2,432

For anyone living in a rainy climate that’s had to struggle with an umbrella that just won’t close, HAZ could be the greatest thing to enter your rain-sodden life. It’s is a smart umbrella designed to help you tactfully tackle the weather. With the push of a button, HAZ will open and close without any of the hassle an “analog” umbrella will give you.

HAZ also has other added features, like Bluetooth-powered loss prevention and weather forecast warnings. The umbrella can open and close 150 times on one single charge, and the standby life is six months, so you won’t have to replace the battery too often. It comes in six different colors and works with both Android and iOS systems.

What campaigns are hot this week

Lumos on Kickstarter

Started: July 14
Goal: $125,000
Raised as of July 17: $256,915 (goal reached!)

Boston-based startup Lumos is putting safety first, and in doing so, it has reached its initial fundraising goal twice. So, what is it exactly? Lumos is bicycle helmet that has its own brakes and turn signal lights. No longer will bikers need to rely on hand signals that drivers may not see or understand.

Using Kickstarter, Lumos is currently looking for beta testers before it delivers its first product batch in April 2016. With just over three weeks to go on the crowdfunding campaign, the smart helmet is sure to make waves in the future.

What campaigns could use some love this week

element1 on Indiegogo

Started: July 10
Goal: $125,000
Raised as of July 17: $5,420

When it comes to watches that pack in functionality, it’s hard to find the balance between elegant and sporty. element1 features all the frills you’d expect from a smartwatch: activity tracking, 2 GB for music, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity, notifications, and more. But what caught our eye was it’s traditional design and kinetic battery.

It comes in four different colors, and its environmentally friendly packaging can be reused as a bowl. The Indiegogo campaign has 23 days left, so go support element1.

Trakkies on Kickstarter

Started: July 6
Goal: €101,010 ($109,393.83)
Raised as of July 17: €42,437 ($45,959.27)

You either know someone that manages to lose everything or you are that someone that manages to lose everything. It may not be so much of a problem anymore thanks to Trakkies, a startup from Amsterdam that helps keep you objects in your possession.

Trakkies is a network of things connected by Bluetooth-powered stickers. Together, they warn you when you’ve, for instance, left your keys in your house or your phone in your car. Best of all, Trakkies doesn’t even use a smartphone. Unless, of course, you put a Trakkie on your phone.