A start-up developing a cigarette lighter that could help wanna-be ex-smokers has just seven days to meet its crowdfunding goal and it's a goal within reach.
The Quitbit lighter tracks a smoker's behavior with tobacco, from counting cigarettes to providing support to smokers striving to cut down or quit the habit. The company launched crowdsourced funding on KickStarter at the start of May in hopes of reaching its goal of $50,000. As of Tuesday the startup had raised $44,843 from 614 supporters. The funding raised will pay for tooling for molded parts and manufacturing and further app development.
The Boston-based venture hopes to begin selling the device, at a price range between $70 and $90, starting in December. As Tech Times first reported Quitbit lighter uses a heating element like that of a car lighter and counts every cigarette lit. Its display lets smokers know about their habits -- from number of
The lighter works with a smartphone app, already available in the AppStore, which helps smokers calculate smoking costs and track cessation goals. According to the company, an Android app is in the making.
The device has been in development for over a year and has gone through four prototypes. All that's left is to pass regulations regarding electronic devices and Bluetooth signals.
Once in market Quitbit faces some stiff competition, as there are dozens of apps that promise to help smokers quit the habit. But the founders of Quitbit don't seem too fazed by the competitive landscape.
"There are mobile apps out there; they are hugely popular. Many of them do tracking, online communities, and keep them motivated. Quitbit's key differentiator is that we seamlessly integrate into their lifestyles and are able to give real-time feedback. Also, by being integrated into the habit, we can collect much more accurate data," Takuji Nakano told Tech Times in an email interview. He adds that when he and his partner began the device journey both were smokers and that his partner was able to quit using Quitbit prototypes.
That kind of testimonial is hard to dispute and the lighter is also getting raves from early users.
"During our beta trial, we interviewed them after they had used the product for a month,
explained Nakano. One user said he had been unaware of how many cigarettes he smoked.
"I delayed a lot and cut back from a pack and half to about 10," he wrote to Quitbit. Another use said, "All lighters should be like this!"
Another liked the user interface which clearly illustrates the number of cigarettes smoked and said he devised a personal competition with the lighter.
" It was a game I was playing by myself was to see how long I could not smoke for. I think I cut down about 5 cigarettes permanently."
The new device comes as lawmakers and scientists are battling it out of e-cigarettes. The federal government wants to enact new policy to prevent marketing and sales to those under age. Scientific studies seem to indicate there could be potentially harmful impacts yet one of the most recent studies stated the device is a good way to quit the habit. In fact a group of scientists is lobbying to ensure the government doesn't try to ban them.
