Save your wheels from damage and scrapes, and help you park easier and safer.
The SmartRim™ wireless sensor system uses advanced technology to automatically detect objects on the side as the vehicle wheels near the curb.
SmartRim alerts driver through a smartphone app, to avoid wheel and side damage.
You have invested enough in your car. Keep it looking great!
Using an internal temperature sensor (to compensate for the speed of sound in air of different temperature) and calibration parameters, SmartRim can gauge the distance between the car and the curb.
PROBLEM: A kid or your pet is running towards your wheels as you begin to move. Your SmartRim app starts beeping and you stop on time. Your wheels are no longer a blind spot. You have avoided what could have been an accident.
SOLUTION: With SmartRim, be aware as kids or pets or anything that approaches the sides of your vehicle. Cover one of the most important blind spots: your wheels.
PROBLEM: As you quickly maneuver into the tight quarters, one wheel scrapes against the cement curb and leaves a scar across the metallic surface. Sounds familiar?
SOLUTION: SmartRim protects your car’s sides, wheels and rims when parking in tight spots. Save thousands in costly repairs. Avoid frustration and inconvenience.
SmartRim uses high-frequency ultrasonic sound waves to locate curbs or obstacles and measures the time to reflect off an object. Reflections are analyzed to extract echoes that are close to the car sides.
Using an internal temperature sensor (to compensate for the speed of sound in air of different temperature) and calibration parameters, SmartRim can gauge the distance between the car and the curb.
SmartRim takes many measurements per second and tracks objects to ensure that surrounding noise does not trigger false measurements.
It periodically wakes up to send radio beacons and remains in deep sleep most of the time when the car is not in use. Inside each SmartRim is a micro-electromechanical sensor that constantly measures acceleration.
It can detect minute vibrations such as when someone enters the car or the larger accelerations when the car is driven around.
The use of a single AA battery simplifies the maintenance of SmartRim and keeps the running cost very low. Rechargeable batteries such as Lithium Polymer were considered, but they add inconvenience and cost. Lithium Polymer batteries have a hard time at low temperatures.
If you are willing to sacrifice a few parking cycles between battery swaps, SmartRim will also work with rechargeable NiMH batteries, but will not work as long at low temperatures as with Alkaline (preferred).
Works with any vehicle on the road today
SmartRim works with any car or SUV. It is not brand specific. It sets up easily inside the wheel well of your vehicle. In some cars you should also be able to set it up under the bumper near each wheel well. We all know nothing can ruin your day like scraping your expensive rims on the curb. That unmistakenable sound of metal scarping on to the cement. Put your mind at ease knowing that you can avoid the cost, frustration and embarrassment with SmartRim. The app will warn you automatically as the wheels near the curb or other hazards so you avoid damage and inconvenience before it happens.
Discreet installation – Will not affect the look of the car – Dual mounting method – Adhesive-based or self-tapping screw
Each SmartRim sensor is less than 1 inch in diameter and is held in place by Smart Rim’s universal support bracket, which you will always be able to stealthily fit it in the surroundings of your wheel. Depending on your preference and/or car configuration, you will be able to bond the support bracket without the need of power tool
Durable. SmartRim is made with glass reinforced plastic ruggedized to withstand tough road conditions
Don’t worry about SmartRim being damaged. With the addition of glass fibers to the plastic and an IPX7 rating, it will withstand anything the road will throw at it!
Open API Architecture – Use SmartRim Bluetooth Smart API in novel applications.
SmartRim uses Bluetooth Smart to communicate with the smartphone application. Since you may find other uses for a smart, battery powered and accurate distance sensor, once the project funding goals are reached, we will release the communication application interface such that you can interface the sensor to other applications or re-use it for other purposes such as robots, or whichever contraption you may wish to build that could use a short-distance proximity alert.
The sensor enclosure is rugged and will resist rain, debris and temperature variations. You could use the sensor to trigger the opening of doors, monitor people and pets crossing the ultrasonic beam and relay the information to the cloud by using a Bluetooth Smart to Wifi Bridge. The applications of SmartRim through its API are only limited by your imagination.
STRETCH GOAL-Safety warning as an object approaches your vehicle on the sides while idling (or waiting).
Imagine sitting in your car idling, waiting while for someone outside a store, a supermarket, or even in your driveway. Your wheels are always a blind spot. A pet is running towards you, as you begin to move. The SmartRim proximity sensor will trigger an alert to your smartphone through the SmartRim app, when any object approaches your wheels on the side, helping you avoid a possibly difficult situation or even an accident.
STRETCH GOAL- Know when your vehicle was bumped while parked
The low-power accelerometer of SmartRim is constantly measuring acceleration (50 times per second). We will add the ability to keep a timestamp and log a bump or impact on your car. When you return to your car, your SmartRim will be able to report this to the smartphone and you will be alerted that something happened. You could use the opportunity to review the data (see which direction the impact came from) and this could help you locate security camera footage if you find that damage was done to your car.
STRETCH GOAL – valet parking joyride checker
When handing your keys to a valet parking attendant (your children or to a friend…), you could activate the peak acceleration logging facility in each SmartRim. That will activate an acceleration recording mode that will log peak accelerations and time interval between those. Each SmartRim will use its internal RAM memory to record the data for about 10 minutes of driving. When your car is returned to you, you can confirm that it has been handled gently by downloading a graph and the app will compute a ‘valet care’ score based on how gently the car was driven. You would not want the guy parking your car to do a reckless spin around the block without asking permission first, would you?
STRETCH GOAL -Find my car – Easily locate your car with a push of a button
SmartRim is built around the concept of wireless sensor network and is made to leverage the capabilities of your smartphone along with its own sensors. Through the SmartRim app, the phone can also help you locate your car after you parked by recording the parking location within the SmartRim app. No need to use 3rd party applications to perform this task. Finding your car in those huge parking lots will be simple as touching a button and following the app instructions.
Power Supply
Battery Type
Single AA (LR6) per sensor
Recommended battery
Duracell QU1500 (Quantum)
Rated Battery Operating Temperature
20 to +54C (4F to 130F)
Rated Cycles
> 1000 parking cycles (user initiated)
Radio Technology
Core
Bluetooth 4.0 LE (Bluetooth Smart)
Frequency Band
International ISM 24002500 MHz
Target Certifications
FCC CFR Part 15 Subpart B (USA)
IC RSS210 (Canada)
2014/53/UE (Europe **Crowdfunding Stretch goal)
Sensor Detection Delay
30 seconds Power Savings mode
3 seconds Normal Mode
Sensor Range
Curb detection pickup distance
50 cm
Closest reporting distance
0 cm Wheel contact with curb (require minimal depth wheel well mounting as per instructions manual / video)
Alignment Method
Laser guide (Bluetooth control)
Mechanical Specifications
(*preliminary subject to change for universal mounting method and impact testing results)
Dimensions
90mm x 24mm Overall
Weight
approximately 100g
Mounting type
High Bond Adhesive with removable clip base plate OR self tapping screws (x4) Included
Smartphone
iOS™ Versions
7.0 and above
iPhone™ Models
iPhone (6 Plus, 6, 5s, 5c, 5 & 4s)
Android™ Versions
After IOS
Environmental Ratings
Operating Outside Temperature
20C to +50C
Waterproofing
IPX7 (with increased frontal protection to support car wash cycles cycles)
May: Spread the word and fund the dream!
November: Final run of refinements towards production injection molds and test shots of thermo-molded components. Software QA testing reaches beta software release. Cloud platform for app distribution and updates is completed.
December: Finalize the assembly process, beta unit release and begin integrating end user feedback.
January: App refinements and release to early SmartRim™ BIG TIME BACKERS and then transition to order fulfillment to our backers
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Where SmartRim Is At
We went through many design iterations and several prototypes. We have now completed the R&D on the Bluetooth Smart and processing core and now need your help and support to miniaturize the ultrasonic sensor and integrate all the technology to bring SmartRim to production, and into the hands and cars of customers all over the world.
We’ve turned to Indiegogo to open our idea to you and the awesome community of tech-savvy car owners around the world. We want to get your ideas to help enhance SmartRim with much needed features, and with your support, we will get this product to market much faster. We ready to transition SmartRim from the design lab to mass production to make it viable and into the hands of customers all over the world. Only with your help can we make it there. We have selected key manufacturing partners that are experienced in building commercial grade electronics components. All together, we can make this happen.
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About SmartRim
SmartRim™ was born out of our own frustration of scraping our car wheel rims and not finding a solution in the market to give a curb proximity warning (you know, the beep, beep), similar to that of the front a rear parking assistance systems that most modern cars have. But then it become more than that. SmartRim connects your car to your lifestyle enabling a range of new capabilities. SmartRim™ is the first product to do that with a completely wireless, self-contained, battery operated, commercial grade sensor with an iPhone application. Our technology is patent-pending. You will be ready to go in minutes. No wires. No tools. No training required.
No more rim scraping nightmares to spoil the looks of your car and bruise your ego. With SmartRim, you will be confident to park smarter and better. But we did not stop there. We realized that SmartRim™ can be also a platform to build on many other cool features that car owners would want. We listed some of these features that we plan to add here. When our project is funded, our team has many other ideas that can be added to SmartRim™ to make our lives better.
Most of today’s vehicles featuring large rims (typically over 17”) are susceptible to frequent damage and scraping particularly during parallel parking. Wheel rims can be easily scraped by curbs, walls, and other hazards. Repair costs are extensive (several hundred to thousands of dollars) and very time consuming (several days). According to the Insurance industry statistics, 40% of all automotive accidents happen at parking lots.
And 51% of all drivers have at one time scraped their alloy wheels. Wheel and tire insurance policies cost about $1500 – available only during purchase of the vehicle – and cover only functional damage (e.g., torn wheel when falling into a pothole). They do not cover cosmetic damage repair costs. For some high end sports cars these policies are not even available. With SmartRim™, we end all that.
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FAQ’s
Here are the questions more frequently asked! Feel free to leave a comment or email us at info@SmartRim.io and we try to reply as soon as possible!
Why SmartRim?
SmartRim was born out of our own frustration of scraping our car wheel rims and side bumpers, and not finding a solution in the market to give a proximity alert similar to that of the front a rear parking assistance systems that most modern cars have. To date no solution exists to protect the vehicle sides. Until now! SmartRim is the first product to do that with a completely wireless, self-contained, battery operated, commercial grade sensor with a smartphone app. Our technology is patent-pending. The benefit of SmartRim extends beyond helping drivers avoid wheel rim and side bumper damage. It makes it easier and safer for people to park especially in tight spots, like malls or apartment building parking lots. Your car might seem that can fit in a tight spot, but how about your side mirrors? With SmartRim, you will receive a warning if the spot is too tight for your vehicle. With SmartRim™ a potentially costly and frustrating experience is avoided. Harnessing the best of technology and design, SmartRim™ serves as a platform that enables many new features to connect the vehicle to the driver’s lifestyle
What phones and devices will work with SmartRim?
SmartRim will work with Apple iOS initially. We are also using Android systems internally to test the system, but we need to focus our development effort for the current iPhones based on our market survey. The support for other platforms will come right after this campaign. We use an open standard for communication (Bluetooth Smart) and this let us rapidly transition to other platforms.
Your phone is required to support Bluetooth 4.0. Apple started to support this protocol with the iPhone 4S, so iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, 6, 6 Plus all support SmartRim. You can also use SmartRim with the iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad 3rd and 4th generation.
What are the dimensions and weight of the SmartRim?
SmartRim is 90mm x 24mm Overall
Weighting approximately 100 grams* (subject to change based for universal mounting method and impact testing results)
What is the range of the SmartRim sensor?
The Bluetooth signal range is about 200ft (60m) without interferences. We have validated that even with the car metallic structure; we get a good signal inside the car. If you just bought a tank and wish to protect its new rims, please send us a picture and we will consider the design of a repeater unit to get the signal through the armor…
How often do I need to replace the SmartRim battery?
We aim at getting one year of SmartRim operation out of the AA battery in each sensor. If you don’t park your car too often, you can easily exceed that. However, if you are very bad at parking and use the sensors during very long sessions (we’ve seen a few funny YouTube videos on that topic…), then you will need to change the battery more often.
Are there any countries in which SmartRim will not operate?
SmartRim works anywhere in the world! It does not depend on any third party network in order to work properly. Any cloud based functionality will obviously be unavailable if you do not have a data connection of if your country restricts data transfers. The SmartRim uses the 2.4 GHz ISM band which has worldwide usage rights.
Am I supposed to manually add shipping?
Yes, for international destinations, you have to add shipping on top of your selected perk before checkout! Shipping to US and Canada is FREE. Add $30 for shipping outside US and Canada per order, $40 for the Super Backer perk. We will add a shipping Perk at the end of the campaign for those who have forgotten to include shipping. If you choose the EZ Pay option, you will be asked to provide the remaining balance of the perk plus shipping (for outside of US and Canada), during the last week of the campaign.
Can I pick a color for my SmartRim?
The SmartRim is meant to be discrete and not really visible when looking at the car. At the moment the sensors are in “Graphite Black” to blend in properly.
I have more questions, do you have answers?
Yes! Please leave a comment on the COMMENT tab at the top of the page, or email us at info@SmartRim.io and we try to reply as soon as possible!
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RISKS & CHALLENGES
SmartRim™ Risks and Challenges:
We have been working for more than a year developing the pieces that build up the SmartRim product. We know what the next steps are for manufacturing and fulfillment and have great partners ready to start. However, we know that before mass production begins, we are likely to encounter problems and kinks to iron out. We have seen many in the past and have always found ways to make the best of it. We have plans to mitigate the risks and have enlisted great advisers that will also help us take the right decisions. After all, only by pushing the boundaries can we make truly great products.
Manufacturing:
We need to create the tooling to manufacture different parts of the product. This process is complex and requires time and money. Complications could potentially emerge and delay the manufacturing schedule. To tackle this risk, we’ve selected experienced manufacturing partners that can work closely with us through the whole process. Automobile accessories are subject to harsh operating conditions and we want to build a tough product that will last a long time. We have selected test facilities that will run the SmartRim through a battery of harsh tests (vibration, shock, temperature cycling and water infiltration). If any of those tests fail, we need to remedy the situation which can add unexpected delays. However, we know how to design for harsh environments and to select components for such applications.
Software and Firmware:
The software and firmware are inherently flexible and we have the ability to emulate a lot of the functionality of each subsystem to ensure proper operation of all elements. Our unit testing approach will also allow regression testing of each intermediate releases. We still have work to do to bring up and integrate all the features that we want to include in the SmartRim app such that the end result is beautiful and a breeze to use. Putting together software that work well is hard work. Making an app that you will love to use day after day is even harder, but we love challenges. We have many years of experience in this area and if necessary will look for additional help to solve any problems that could emerge.
We will undoubtedly have surprises on our journey, but we trust that we have the team to overcome all challenges, as we’ve done so far over many years in challenging projects. Our goal is to make a world class product and deliver it right on time.