WELT Corporation made it big time at Kickstarter
The South Korean startup WELT Corporation posted its signature product, the WELT smart belt, on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter last month. The belt hit the 100% funding mark in under a week and has now been over 200% funded in just two days since September 5.
The WELT belt was first born at Samsung’s C-Lab, a creative in-company space for the development of innovative ideas and projects. The WELT Corporation team is made up by former Samsung Electronics employees that spun off the venture into its very own company. The CEO of the startup is also a medical doctor and holds a master’s in public health.
Development of the wearable project has been in progress since late 2014. The WELT belt has counted with collaboration from the Samsung Fashion subdivision and was unveiled as a prototype at CES 2016 back in January.
WELT Belt’s features and specs
WELT is part wearable technology, part fitness tracker, and part health assistant. The tech belt sets itself apart from the rest as it is not a separate device that users need to include to their attire, but a mundane clothing accessory that many people use daily.
The hardware on the WELT belt is in the buckle. The 100-g buckle has a magnetic weight sensor that automatically tracks and keeps a record of the user’s waist size. Sized supported by WELT start at 28 and go all the way up to 44.
Other than that the WELT smart belt features a micro-USB port for charging a 90-mAh battery that lasts over 20 days. The battery powers a data storage system that syncs with the official WELT app, available for Android and iOS, to monitor and compare different health variables.
How does it work?
WELT’s design for its smart belt takes on a three-pronged approach: it looks to check the user’s health by regularly measuring waist circumference. It tracks the user’s sitting time and steps taken with a built-in pedometer, and prevents overeating by recording eating habits.
All data recorded by the WELT belt is visible live in the WELT app, where users can keep track of their progress and set goals for themselves. The company claims the wearable piece of tech is the first of its kind to put all these functions in one device.
The WELT smart belt will be available in different designs and sizes for both men and women. It hit the $60,000 mark at Kickstarter (more than double the original $30k goal), the Samsung-inspired wearable will finish beta app development in October and will ship to bidders across the world in January.
People can start preordering their WELT Belt for $99 up to $259.
Source: Kickstarter
