Smart Technology: How One Company Is Successfully Making Wearable Tech More Accessible

With everything from smart watches to smart homes, more people are buying products that anticipate their needs and rush to fill them. Developing these products used to be costly and time consuming. San Francisco based MbientLab has created a variety of sensor technologies that allow businesses of all types to create their own smart technology. CEO Laura Kassovic explains some of the company's developments and how clients are using the technology to improve their own businesses.

Making tech accessible

MbientLab offers a wide range of sensor technologies which are miniature Bluetooth and low energy. Some uses for the sensors, according to Kassovic, include tri-axial gyroscope, accelerometer and compass sensors, heart rate (PPG) and galvanic-skin-response (GSR) sensors, and temperature, light, color, proximity, humidity and pressure sensors. She states, "MbientLab is responsible for the creation and development of the next generation of wearable products. We help everyone from Fortune 500 companies to two man startups out of Arizona create everything from baby monitors to smart dumbbells. Last year we made over 450 products including a dog collar that allows you to collect data about all the other dogs your pet encounters in a day. You can then optionally choose to date those very dog owners, essentially dating through your dog."

Standing out from the crowd

Being based in San Francisco, MbientLab is in a pool with plenty of other tech companies, so it was crucial to make the company stand out among the pack. Kassovic states, "With the rise of Bluetooth and sensor technology, and lowering prices and barriers to entry, we decided we wanted to create a suite of tools, such as hardware development boards and software, to help entrepreneurs create new and competitive products. We couldn't find traditional funding for our company, and opted for crowdfunding. Our campaign was so successful that we started the company a few weeks later." She also cites customer service as a key component of the company's success. "We work with entrepreneurs closely, and we make sure that our users have a great experience with our products. With tech becoming a commodity, it's all about experiences and good customer service. Great software to accompany our hardware doesn't hurt either."

With an innovative idea that could be used to help smaller companies enter the realm of smart technology more affordably, MbientLab was able to successfully launch its company. By listening to customers and using their feedback to improve your product, your company can gain visibility in a crowded marketplace as well.

This article was written by Alaina Brandenburger  of Examiner.com for CBS Small Business Pulse.