TechCrunch’s annual Disrupt NY conference is always a good place to find the best new technology that’s going to change the world (in theory). Here’s what we think are the 3 most disruptive new ideas from Disrupt NY 2015.
1. Voxiebox
Voxiebox is the project of VOXON labs, a startup funded in part by
Techstars. They call it an “entirely new way to see digital media come alive in physical 3D” which we can agree is pretty disruptive.
It’s basically a board that can project light in three dimensions extremely quickly, so that the human eye is tricked into thinking it’s a 3D object. There are no glasses or goggles involved, just a board that you can project any image you want with pure light.
TechCrunch compared it to the scene in Star Wars when R2D2 projects Princess Leia.
Voxibox makes that a reality.
Some of the suggested uses includes
education, 3D modeling,
design, as well as gaming potential in a 3D space. Even though it was started 30 years ago, the world’s resurging interest in virtual reality and 3D computation means that now might be the time for Voxibox to really hit its stride.
Why it’s disruptive
Voxibox does what all the other high-end VR or augmented reality systems do. It just does it better. You don’t need a full mask
like the Oculus, and you don’t need a headset like the
HoloLens. It’s user-friendly and it’s easy to understand what it does, instantly. Voxibox could be the device that takes computers into 3D on mass production scale.
2. Case
Case is a secure wallet for Bitcoin. But unlike every single competitor, it’s
actually a secure wallet.
It’s a small device the size of a credit card that let you transact bitcoin to whomever you want. First, you scan a QR code for whoever you want to send money to. Then you swipe your finger, and presto! Money sent. The device operates independently of a smartphone, which further reduces the security risks.
It works by having three security keys, and any transaction requires two of them to go through:
- One key is generated by you on your device when you get it. It stays on the device forever
- One key is stored on the Case servers, and your device communicates with the servers via a built in GSM chip. You only get access to that key once the server confirms your biometric data (fingerprint scanner).
- If you lose your device, there’s a third backup key stored in a literal offline vault.
Each key is stored and protected separately. It would be extremely difficult to hack, so much so that Case actually advertises it as malware/virus proof. Only one key is ever controlled by Case servers, so it’s not actually possible for them to access your funds (or for someone to hack their server and access your funds).
Why they’re disruptive
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies thus far haven’t really taken off. But if they did, it would change the very nature of our economic system, since until now governments have pretty much had a monopoly on issuing currency. Granted, there are other reasons that cryptos have failed to catch on besides the security risks, but security is a big part of it, and is absolutely the first step towards widespread adoption. Consumers have to have faith that their money is secure before they do anything else.
Case makes that first step easier.
3. PageCloud
PageCloud has created the easiest way to build a website. The
Ottawa-based startup has created a product that lets designers and website owners make big and small edits to their sites quickly and efficiently.
Their tool lets you drag-and-drop pretty much anything into a website. Whatever changes you make are launched, live and interactive. This includes:
- Layers from Photoshop
- Images
- Text documents
- Videos, either via YouTube URLs or from your desktop
- URLs, like Eventbrite events
The thing is, this doesn’t just create an image of something – it’s actually a totally integrated and interactive final product.
For example, if you copy an Eventbrite link into a PageCloud website, then an entire Eventbrite sign up form appears that lets people sign up and pay, instantaneously.
It makes creative websites as easy as creating word documents or a PowerPoint presentation, and it all happens in real time from within your web browser.
Why they’re disruptive
There are a huge host of products out there for both designers and small website owners to make the job of moving stuff from the program it was created in to the web faster and easier. PageCloud reduces the steps and programs needed to one. It also gives you one interface and one set of tools to do everything, rather than dozens of different ones for each unique task.
But mostly, it brings the actual content creation online in a fast and easy way, streamlining web publishing to the point that it’s comparable with opening a word doc and writing a blog post.
Summary
It’s impossible to know what the next breakthrough in tech is going to be, or where it’s going to come from.
What’s going to be the next smartphone, or the next Internet, or the next personal computer?
Maybe some of these startups are going to be the bleeding edge of a new wave, or maybe they’re going to be quietly working away, pushing incessantly for that breakthrough. It’s impossible to know, but given the quality and diversity of startups at Disrupt, the next breakthrough might be closer than we think.
