Free Invention Idea

[kurtyordy]

The techonology exists for this, I just do not have the inclination to figure out how to put the pieces together.

A digital scale that automatically interfaces and posts to your FB wall. You could be from humorous to serious.

Examples: Kurt weighed in today. The baby elephant is growing nicely and is now up to 250 lbs. oh wait, are you telling me he is human?

Kurt has not weighed in for 3 days, why don't some of you contact him and find out why he hasn't.

Kurt lost 4 pounds in a week. Maybe he had a hand amputated.

Kurt gained 2 lbs since yesterday. One of you should call fatty up and tell him to stop eating, or better yet wire his mouth shut.

etc. etc. etc.

With the right programming and the right friends, the purchaser would have an instant weight loss support group.

I hope someone makes a mint off of this.

btw- wifi scale exists. wii scale exists. the key would be creating an interface between either one and fb and then programming the appropriate responses to post on fb

 

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[CommonCents]

that's an interesting idea, Kurty. I think the big component to fitness/weightloss success is consistent training and discipline, something you get from peer pressure and accountability from ideas such as this. I think the big success factor of paying a trainer is you actually get to the gym. The rest is fairly easy.

 

[Milkanic]

The techonology exists for this, I just do not have the inclination to figure out how to put the pieces together.

You could whip this together in a weekend with an Arduino micro-controller board and an Ethernet shield (~$50 of materials).

This is for twitter but the same could be done with the Facebook API
Tweet Library for Arduino

 

[CommonCents]

something a bit easier to do than having to use specific technology(is cool but would prob limit the customer potential) is utilize gym checkins on FB/4SQ, or posting a pic weekly of the scale displaying your weight, cyber weigh-ins. You could have the person recruit 1 or more sponsors that sign on with you and you can't quit the app that posts whatever reminders unless your sponsors sign off allowing you to quit.

this idea might be a great candidate for licensing to existing scale manufacturers to roll out a program with their scales.

 

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[Deleted5250X]

Sounds Awful, I'd hate to have my weight posted on Facebook every day for everyone to see. This would be useful technology, I'd love to have a scale that records what time I weighed in at and what my weight was automatically. That way I'd be able to keep a record cause no way I'm going to write it down first thing when I wake up in the mourning.

 

[JasonR]

There are Social Fitness websites out there with sort-of the same idea. Not sure about recording your weight and sending it to FB/other social network directly, however. Novel idea. If you could expand the idea to make it more social it could be useful.

 

[TJPB]

......consistent training and discipline, something you get from peer pressure and accountability from ideas such as this.....

I couldn't agree less. If you need peer pressure to get in shape, you've lost before you started.

I don't agree with the logic of this app idea.....but I do agree that people that are overweight and have no clue how to "fix" it would probably buy it. So in that respect....it could be a $ maker.

 

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[kurtyordy]

I couldn't agree less. If you need peer pressure to get in shape, you've lost before you started.

I don't agree with the logic of this app idea.....but I do agree that people that are overweight and have no clue how to "fix" it would probably buy it. So in that respect....it could be a $ maker.

countless weightloss programs are built around the very principle that would make this a success. peer support

 

[Felix II]

Funny, I've already designed this system. Except it doesn't post to Facebook, it simply records to a computer program.

Edited to add: I didn't design it for myself but for another company and it is not for weight loss. Though I did think about the the exact application described in the original post and thought I would love to use it like that.

 

[wade1mil]

My dad has daily updates about his weight loss posted to Facebook from this website: myfitnesspal.com

 

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[CommonCents]

I couldn't agree less. If you need peer pressure to get in shape, you've lost before you started.

hmmm peer pressure is a huge motivator, many times to do stupid a$$ things, but can be used to motivate us to do things that are good for us. Just like paying a trainer builds in accountability and motivation to get off our duff and to the gym. That is more than half the battle. An app that provide that motivation and accountability would be valuable to those who make the effort to initiate it.

 

[TJPB]

countless weightloss programs are built around the very principle that would make this a success. peer support

Peer support...yes. Peer pressure is a completely different animal.

 

[GuyJeb]

Cool Idea!,
Unless it can be patented, I dont think it can be much of a money maker due to the ease of entry/ copy cats.

Also Kudos for looking to the fitness industry though. Like everyone says, that is a huge market since everyone believes all the BS marketing about weightloss, eating 6 small meals a day, etc etc. It is amazing how the best selling fitness products usually do absolutely nothing more or less for the consumer had they not bought it.

I can't beleive people thought those 'waist shakers' back in the 1950's would 'wiggle' the fat off.. but hey, people were sold on it.

 

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[VinceT]

My dad has daily updates about his weight loss posted to Facebook from this website: myfitnesspal.com

That is actually a great site, you can scan barcodes from the stuff you are eating and it logs everything. But there doesn't appear to be much money flowing around the company, its all free.

Now if you could have your weighing device some how connected to a safe with the junk food in it, and if you forget to weigh in or it goes up, the safe is locked..

 

[AgonI]

Yeah , the idea is not bad, however there is something very similar out there already. I'm talking about Withings - Find out more - the Withings scale
This thing updates all the details on your smartphone, from where you can then share it on Facebook if you wish. With some slight modification they can pretty much do the feature you are suggesting, ie posting on Facebook automatically.

 

[slobra96]

That is actually a great site, you can scan barcodes from the stuff you are eating and it logs everything. But there doesn't appear to be much money flowing around the company, its all free.

I have used that app as well, great app and helped me lose around 30lbs.

I could possibly see this idea succeeding say if you could get local and big name gyms to carry your product. Then have some sort of easy way so people can link their phone to the scale and be able to post thier weights on their FB wall or twitter. Also this could bring up an easy way to start gym competitions, say who can lose the most weight in a certain amount of time etc.... hmmmmm

 

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[Alana]

I have nothing to add as far as weighing in adults (some people will like it....some won't...depends on the person...and there are already similar products like it). My initial thought when reading the first post was: BABIES. I get updates (whether I want them or not) of my friend's babies' every move. Parents love to post (and post....and post) everything about their precious little bundle of sugar...and this could be a way to update the world of the baby's weight (even better if it can update other phsyical aspects too...).
True story: one of my favorite items from my husbands' youth is his 'Baby Weigh In Journal". He was born underweight, but soon made up for it and then some. Quotes like "We weighed Baby again....he's gained 2 lbs..... Today he gained 4 pounds...Holy COW!! This little guy ain't so little anymore...he's gained 9lbs since last weigh in!! Lord help us!!"