7 Innovative Tech Products Created by Entrepreneurs

While we may get excited by the introduction of next-generation smartphones and other tech devices from well know companies, focusing on them means we can miss some of the biggest innovations in tech. Many of today's advances aren’t coming from big, established companies: instead, they’re the products of entrepreneurs. Here are some of the most innovative new tech products created by entrepreneurs that are on the market or coming soon.

ClearUP Sinus Pain Relief

Tivic Health has come up with an all-new way to deal with seasonal allergies with ClearUP. Instead of taking pills or using nasal sprays, ClearUP relieves sinus pain using proprietary microcurrent waveforms delivered to specific treatment points along your sinus passages. These microcurrent waveforms are delivered with a handheld device which you press against your face at specific treatment points. Lights and vibration guide you from point to point, so it’s simple for anyone to use. Each treatment takes just five minutes, and ClearUP’s small size means you can carry it anywhere.

It’s an easy, drug-free way to reduce sinus pain, which means you won’t get any of the drowsiness or other side effects that can be caused by medication. The system is FDA-cleared and clinically proven, with 74% of users experiencing pain relief — just what sufferers of seasonal allergies need.

Available: Pre-order now, ships in September

Price: $99 from Tivic Health

DBUS2 Super Portable Drone

While drones seem to be everywhere lately, the DBUS2 from DbUS packs some unique technology into a tiny, easy-to-use drone. DBUS2 is the only consumer drone that navigates entirely with visual inertial odometry (VIO). This technology uses the drone’s camera and inertial motion sensors to tell where the drone is in relation to objects in the environment. There’s no complicated setup where you have to configure the drone’s compass and GPS: DBUS2 manages to do all of its own navigation just using the camera.

DBUS2 is also extremely portable — when folded up, it’s about the size of a large smartphone, though it’s significantly thicker at 2-inches deep. At 8.4 ounces, it’s a just bit heavier than a large smartphone too. Its small size not only means it’s easy to carry in your pocket or purse: it also means it’s exempt from drone registration requirements.

But the drone’s best feature is its Smart Flight features, which make it easy to catch great shots. The DBUS2 can automatically track and follow you (or other objects) from a set height and distance, circle around an object, or fly pre-recorded paths to catch the footage you want. It can record in 4K Ultra HD or 1080p Full HD for crystal clear shots.

You won’t find a drone that’s easier to use.

Available: Now
Price: $389.99 from Drones by US 

Fresh Tri Healthy Eating App

It’s easy to get caught in an endless cycle of diets that just don’t work, but Fresh Tri is aiming to change that. Instead of walking you through the latest fad diet, the Fresh Tri app helps you build healthy habits for life — without the usual calorie counting or step tracking. Unlike quick-fix diets, it works: research conducted with Walmart Associates showed it was effective at achieving significant weight loss.

The app is based on brain science. It works by suggesting habits which users practice and then improve on. Users decide what their goal is, what makes it important to them, and how they’ll practice to reach that goal. Fresh Tri suggests healthy habits to work on and encourages you to practice them over the course of the week. You follow through on your habits for six days, and spend the seventh day reflecting on your efforts before you start the new week.

It can be tough to break old habits and build new ones, which is why Fresh Tri stresses practice and repetition. There’s no way to fail with this program: you simply try, and if it isn’t working for you, change your approach. The point is to find and use strategies that work for you rather than simply following a rote fitness plan.

The app is completely free and you can download it right now.

Available: Now on Android and iOS
Price: Free from Fresh Tri

Healium VR for Stress Relief 

Stress is a serious health problem — in fact mindfulness meditation apps are all the rage, but Healium takes the next step with a VR or AR meditation experience. That means instead of closing your eyes and letting your mind carry you away from the stresses of everyday life, you can keep your eyes open and let a peaceful virtual reality environment carry you away instead.

The Healium experience is powered by your brain patterns and heart rate. The system uses a headband to track your brain waves, which are then used to control your environment. When your brainwave pattern indicates your mind is quiet and calm, you might make flowers bloom or planets shine brighter. Healium currently has 12 different stories to enjoy in VR or AR, with new content rolling out every 60 days.Your mood controls the experience and, just like traditional meditation, the experience improves your mood.

Stress is a 21st century health epidemic, and we need new, effective methods to fight it. Studies have shown that using Healium can reduce anxiety and increase feelings of positivity in as little as four minutes. Instead of going through the harm stress can cause your body, spend a few minutes with Healium so you can start feeling better almost immediately.

Available: Now
Price: $500 for Healium VR bundle with Occulus go, plus a $29/month subscription from StoryUP

MyndVR VR for Seniors

Virtual Reality has brought new experiences to gaming and entertainment, but MyndVR is working to bring the technology to a new audience: the elderly. These VR experiences are designed to let seniors experience events they couldn’t otherwise participate in. MyndVR’s experiences might allow them to hang glide, swim with dolphins, or simply visit a faraway place.

You may be tempted write off VR as a simple entertainment experience, but VR therapy can have real health benefits for seniors who have lost the ability to participate in some activities. Though the potential benefits of VR are still being studied, MyndVR is already being used by healthcare providers and in assisted living communities. VR experiences can help relieve anxiety or depression, as well as provide mental stimulation that may help patients with cognitive ailments like Alzheimer’s.

MyndVR is currently only available for healthcare providers and senior living communities, but it’s coming to the public later this year. A subscription service — likely to cost around $30 per month — will bring new content to users regularly.

Available: Currently available for senior living communities, with consumer availability later this year
Price: Subscription price to be determined

Ohmni Supercam Telepresence Robot by OhmniLabs

Technology has long promised to let us be anywhere at any time, but it doesn’t always live up to our science fiction expectations. Sure, applications like Skype and FaceTime can let you video chat with people anywhere in the world, but you’re still stuck wherever the screen is located.

Telepresence goes beyond standard video conferencing by attaching the video screen to a robot which you can move around, letting you experience and interact with distant places. And while there are a number of telepresence robots, the Ohmni Telepresence Robot stands out for stripping away the complications of this technology.

It only takes a single click to connect to the Ohmni, immediately immersing you in your new environment. The wide-angle 4K camera is the best you’ll find on a telepresence robot, for video quality that’s as good as being there — and when the wide-angle camera isn’t enough, the neck can tilt to allow you a better view. A far-field microphone and speaker combo complete the package, letting you hear and be heard with ease. And despite the high quality of its audio and video, Ohmni uses a low-latency encoding system so the experience is smooth and responsive.

It’s the best telepresence experience we’ve seen yet.

Available: Now
Price: $2195 from OhmniLabs

SMACIRCLE S1 Ultra-light Ebike

Ebikes are an incredibly convenient way of commuting, but their bulky size can make them difficult to get around. Enter the SMACIRCLE S1, the world’s smallest and lightest ebike.

This ebike is super portable because it folds up: in just five quick steps it becomes small enough to fit in a backpack. That makes it perfect for commutes that take you places you wouldn’t want to take the average bike. If your commute involves a jaunt on the subway or a trip up a flight of stairs, you can just fold up the 17-pound SMACIRCLE S1 and easily go on your way.

The bike can travel up to 12 miles on a charge, at a speed of around 12mph. And if you run out of power by the end of your commute, it just takes three hours plugged in to give it enough power to go back.

All in all, this is a fantastic choice for commuters who are just a bit farther from work to practically take a standard bike. The SMACIRCLE S1 ebike lets you make an environmentally friendly bike commute without showing up at the office drenched in sweat.

Available: Now
Price: $1,399 from SMACIRCLE

[Image credit: SMACIRCLE, Ohmni Labs, Fresh Tri, Healium, MyndVR, Drones by US, Tivic Health]