Studies have shown that the problem is not only WHAT we eat but also HOW FAST we eat. Meet HAPIfork, the world’s first smart fork! This connected device knows how fast you're eating and can help you develop healthy (or smart) eating habits, improve your digestion and also reduce your weight.
Just want to get a HAPIfork?
First, we need you to understand: We have a few prototypes but aren't manufacturing yet, and are raising money here for manufacturing and distribution.
You can support this effort by ordering the HAPIfork at the $89 level. It won't be ready until September, but that's what we can offer now.
To pre-order:
- Go to the green button at the top right. Click on that button.
- On the next page, scroll down until you see the circle next to $89. Click there. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "Continue."
- Follow the instructions. If you are in Canada, you should select US shipping.
Billing / Receiving the fork:
- You will be billed June 1 IF the kickstarter campaign succeeds, and we raise $100,000.
- We will send you a questionnaire where you select colors and give us your shipping information.
- We expect the HAPIfork to be ready in September. In any case we will keep you up-to-date.
Any questions? Ask here, or email support@HAPILABS.com
HAPIfork received a lot of attention when it was awarded the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2013 Innovations Award, chosen as a finalist in the Best of CES 2013 by CNET and also was voted Best Gadget of CES by PCMag. You may also have seen us on The Colbert Report, Bloomberg News, CNN or BBC. Here's more media coverage if you're interested...
HAPIfork allows you to simply and quickly monitor and reduce the speed at which you eat your meals. Slowing down and paying attention are important steps towards the goal of creating and maintaining healthier and smarter eating habits.
When we eat by ourselves, we might also be watching television, working, or doing other things. When we eat with friends, we're relaxed and want to have a nice time. Both these situations make it much harder to remain conscious of how quickly we're eating. If, like the vast majority of people, you find that you're eating too fast, HAPIfork can help you slow down.
HAPIfork records when you touch your fork to your mouth, and can tell how long the interval is between each fork serving. If you eat too fast, HAPIfork alerts you with a gentle vibration and indicator light to discreetly remind you to slow down. Over time, these repeated reminders from the HAPIfork allow you to adopt good eating habits.
HAPIfork monitors the following activities during your meal:
- The number of “fork servings" taken per minute and per meal.
- The specific duration of each "fork serving" interval.
- Your overall meal duration.
- The exact time at which you start and end your meal.
The HAPILABS online dashboard (screenshot below) allows you to see this information for each meal you use the HAPIfork.
- You can upload your information either via bluetooth on your mobile, or using the USB cable (included) when you connect your HAPIfork to the computer.
- You can view your information from either your online dashboard or your mobile phone.
- You can choose whether or not to share your information with family, friends, trainers, or nutritionists, and even add pictures and comments!
Since 2002, a series of scientific studies highlighted the negative effects related to eating meals too quickly:
- Weight Gain: during the meal, satiety is felt after about 20 minutes. The faster you eat, the more you eat.
- Digestive problems: food that is eaten too quickly is often poorly chewed making your digestive tract work that much harder.
- Postoperative complications: eating more slowly lessens the stress on weakened tissues in your body.
Jacques Lépine has worked on the HAPIfork for seven years. Despite its sensitivity, you can use the HAPIfork the same way you'd use any fork.
- It can be washed, either in the sink or the dishwasher.
- It can take normal wear and tear, like being dropped from a table top.
- It's simple to use.
- It's easy to get started with the online software.
The HAPIfork device works well alone, and is also part of an integrated suite. It comes with:
- A USB cable is included so you can charge the HAPIfork from your laptop.
- A mobile app allows you to adjust the interval that the HAPIfork vibrates between fork servings.
- You can check your personal data on your phone, and upload pictures, videos and comments to illustrate and annotate your meals.
- An online dashboard stores and reviews your eating-related data and help you track your progress.
- A coaching program to eat better and healthier: good advice, practical tips and balanced meal plans.
- A fun online social game to motivate you to adopt these new habits with family and friends.
HAPIfork concept has been under development for over seven years and work on the version that you see here was started some 12 months ago.
All the HAPIforks that you see in the video are real, fully working prototypes but, as you know too well, innovation is costly.
While we are close to entering production, your support will help fund:
- Production tooling
- Large component order
- Support marketing efforts and raise awareness
Together, with your support, we know that we can help a lot of people take control of their eating habits! Help make HAPIfork a reality!
January-April: After all the feedback from CES on the first working samples, we've given the product an even closer look and have literally worked night and day to make improvements.
April: The prototypes of HAPIfork go through another revision! Improvements have been done in all fields (electronics, mechanics, ergonomics, algorithm, usage, materials).
April-May: We're beginning to "tool up" for manufacturing. This will enable us to fulfill what seems to be a healthy demand for HAPIforks.
July: Post crowdfunding, the first pilot run will help us make sure the manufacturing process is working well. This is a quality control step, to make sure you will get the best possible experience with your HAPIfork. If you're a beta tester, you'll get a HAPIfork from this batch!
August: Assuming all goes well in the pilot, we enter full-scale production.
September: The first wave of HAPIfork expected to be delivered to Kickstarter’s backers, along with stickers and shirts!
There is a significant body of research that supports the idea that eating slowly is helpful for managing a variety of health goals. Here are a few snapshots from the research, with a link below of where to find more.
In 2004, the North American Association for the Study of Obesity demonstrated that eating slower results in people eating less, which may help them lose weight.
In 2006, the Melanson study from the University of Pennsylvania measured an average difference of 67 calories more per meal ingested between slow and fast eaters.
In 2011, a cross national survey of over more than 3,000 people in Japan confirmed how eating quickly versus slowly was statistically correlated to overweight.
Want to know more?
Most research related to the benefits of eating slowly are listed and summarized onSlowControl.com, HAPIfork inventor Jacques Lépine website.
Syncing HAPIfork to your smartphone or tablet requires Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) compatibility. This is currently available on:
- iPhone 4S & next
- iPad, 3rd & 4th generation
- iPad Mini
- iPod touch, 5th generation
- Samsung Galaxy S 3 & next
- Nokia Lumia 820 and 920
- Microsoft Surface Pro
The HAPILABS mobile app works with all smartphones for logging data, receiving notifications, and viewing graphs and charts based on your last sync.
PC & Mac requirements:
- Windows XP/Vista/7/8 or Mac OS X 10.5 and up
- USB port
- Internet connection
- Length : 7.87 inches // 200 mm
- Width : 1 inch // 24.5 mm
- Height : 2/3 inches // 15.70 mm
- Weight : 0.14 pound // 65 grams
- Micro USB connector
- Battery Lithium Polymere + 3.7 V
- Capacitive detection
- Alert system : 1 vibratior + 2 LEDs
A USB cable is included so you can charge the HAPIfork from your computer and even upload your data without a Smartphone.
HAPILABS was founded in 2012. Its vision is to help individuals in the 21st century take control of their HAPIness, health and fitness through applications and connected devices. The mission of HAPILABS is to provide a suite of products to consumers so they can become healthier and HAPier every day. It’s also to offer tools and services to inventors and manufacturers who want to connect and adapt everyday products to improve people’s well-being.
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