What is a LikeBelt? Simply, it's a geeky-looking utility belt (sorry Batman) that joins you at the hip with Facebook, registering your Likes online as you make--or hump--your way through the day, explains its creator Patrick Miller, senior creative engineer for Deeplocal.
The wireless connection is made through an NFC antenna attached to the belt buckle that allows it to interact with RFID tags that are strategically placed in locations. For example, if you're in your favorite bakery and there's a Like tag at the counter, a pelvic thrust could save you a few calories.
"It's a proximity system," Miller says. "Sort of like slapping high-five or humping."
(And we all know that humping is way more satisfying than clicking.)
Aside from the purely entertaining aspect, the LikeBelt is a way to experiment with new technology and combine it with the tongue-in-cheek notion of bringing "liking" back into the physical world, says Heather Estes, director of business development. Estes considers it a physical reaction to social media, the virtual world reaching out and touching the physical world.
"We spend a lot of time experimenting with technologies, repurposing things to create new experiences," explains Estes. "It's phenomenal marketing for us. A little bit of branding, a little bit of researching and educating ourselves."
And a little bit of helping to attract new talent. If you're a highly creative engineer and reading this, Deeplocal is hiring for 3 different positions, a paid summer engineering intern and two full-time engineers, one creative and the other mechanical.
We're looking for a technology agnostic, someone who is hard-working, has technical skills and passion for doing the types of things we do, says Estes.
Prospective candidates are invited to a Meet and Greet in the office on Feb. 21st. Applications may be submitted through
The Resumator.
Source: Patrick Miller and Heather Estes, Deeplocal