Mon Nov 19 '18 Announcement
over 5 years ago
– Mon, Nov 19, 2018 at 05:45:46 AM
Hi Lumen Backers,
Soon, you’ll receive an email from us with a special link to your BackerKit survey. It’s important to respond to your survey as quickly as you can since we need this information to fulfill your rewards.
You don’t need to create a BackerKit account to answer your survey. The invitation email contains a link to your personal survey. When you receive the email with the survey, click the survey link to respond.
Please answer all the questions, provide or update your shipping information, and purchase add-on items, if you like.
You don’t have access to this survey link yet, but it will be available soon via email!
After you respond to your survey, you can go back later and change or update your shipping details at any time before we close the surveys and get our final counts. You will be notified prior to this happening.
If you need to review your information or pledge status, you can return to your survey by clicking the link in your survey email or requesting your survey link under "Lost your survey?" on our BackerKit project page at https://lumen.backerkit.com.
If you used your Facebook credentials to log in to your Indiegogo account, the BackerKit survey is sent to the email address you use for your Facebook account. If you have another email address that you prefer to use, please contact support at https://lumen.backerkit.com/faq.
As always, our team is here to help answer any and all questions you have. Please feel welcome to reach out to us at [email protected] and we’ll be happy to chat with you.
Have a healthy day,
The Lumen Team
Wed Oct 17 '18 Announcement
over 5 years ago
– Wed, Oct 17, 2018 at 12:51:07 PM
Hi Lumen Backers!
We’re back, and excited to share what our team has been up to the past two weeks.
Before we dive in, we’d like to address the questions we’ve been receiving about shipping dates and delivery. We’re reminding you that the shipping date depends on the perk that you backed. Shipping will begin February 2019 and continue through May 2019. If you’re unsure where to find your shipping date, feel free to email us at [email protected].
Additionally, if you’ve moved or are planning to move– no worries, we’ll be sending out a dedicated email survey in December through BackerKit. In BackerKit you will confirm your shipping details and have the ability to update your address before your Lumen ships out. We’ll send more updates about this in November. If you’d like to change your email address, you can email us directly and we’ll take care of this manually for you.
Now let’s dive in!
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WHAT THE PCB?!
Production and testing are underway for the Lumen team. Over the past few weeks, the hardware team has been working on the new PCBs (printed circuit boards) for the Lumen device and charging dock. They’ve been doing quality control on the first batch of PCBs, testing functionality, reliability and ensuring that they are in proper working order before moving to the mass manufacturing and production phase.
You can think of the PCB as the backbone and veins in the body that connect all of the vital organs and components together. This ensures that everything is communicating properly and that information is being sent from one channel to the next without any delay.
The PCBs that we have now have been improved in size and are more compact in order to fit the overall hardware design of Lumen.
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SO MUCH FOOD, SO LITTLE TIME.
In case you didn’t already know, Lumen will provide you with plenty of delicious food recommendations to help you reach your goal. With Lumen’s daily meal plan, you’ll have plenty of variety and options that fit your personal food preferences and dietary restrictions.
Last week our Director of Product Design went to Copenhagen, Denmark to work with some of the industry’s leading chefs and photographers to photograph hundreds of dishes for Lumen’s daily meal plan.
The objective of the trip was to make sure that we captured a wide array of meal options to accommodate our user’s many taste preferences. In the process, we captured images of many breakfasts, lunch, dinner and snack options that you can easily prepare at home. Mmm, tasty.
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As always, we want to keep you tuned in to the conversation. Is there something you want us to answer in our next campaign update? Shoot us an email with any and all questions– we’d love to hear from you.
Have a healthy day,
The Lumen Team
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Did you know that our tongues have 5 taste receptors? The first four are sweetness, sourness, saltiness, and bitterness– and the 5th taste receptor is called umami.
Umami is actually a loanword from Japanese (うま味), which can be translated to a ‘pleasant savory taste.’ This term was coined by a Japanese chemist in 1908 by the name of Kikunae Ikeda. Some scientists agree that umami can be described as the savory taste or taste for protein. Who knew?
Tue Oct 2 '18 Announcement
over 5 years ago
– Tue, Oct 02, 2018 at 11:52:18 AM
This week we chatted with Mariano Cucchi, the Associate Creative Director at frog Design about the entire product design process for Lumen. Frog design is the global leader in the product design and advancing the human experience through design.
Q. Please share your background & experience at frog?
A. Since joining frog in 2005, I’ve had the pleasure to work on a lot of different design programs across industries. I’ve always loved designing unique objects with a personality that enhance people’s lives. I’ve also enjoyed being one of the founding members of frog’s Milan studio; and over the last 13 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with companies from Italy, across Europe & around the world.
Q. Walk us through the product design process from prototype to final product.
A. When we began the component layouts and requirements weren’t clear & the user experience was undefined. We started the journey with Lumen from the start, collaborating with the team to define the foundation for the brand and aspirations for the new product design.
I'll distinguish 3 macro phases within the product design development process;
Project 1 - defining the vision
First, we defined the strategic proposition for the product and brand. We collaborated to create the design pillars that expressed their vision, discussed user personas, their customer journey and how this new smart device could provide value. This framework allowed us to identify the design qualities we should adhere to while creating the product. We imagined an object that can be both intimate & friendly, that's able to “listen” to your body and that feels personal & sophisticated in its form & material finishes. Based upon these premises, we developed a product design concept that defined the design vision, physical attributes and hero moments within the user experience. This first reference design was quite aspirational, particularly in regard to its size, but it represented the “north star” to aim for.
Project 2 - the beta device
After a period of working on the electronics, the Lumen team decided to develop a batch of functional prototypes to test the product concept proposition. The beta testing helped us gather insights about the integration of Lumen into daily life. The prototypes were supposed to use a sensor that was much larger than specified in the original design, requiring a substantial redesign in the initial concept. To develop the prototype we kept the initial UX principles and design attributes but revisited the form of Lumen, informed by usage ergonomics, component integration, and product construction. We iterated the design using 3D printed models and product renderings. We also defined the material finishes as well as Lumen’s light effect. Finally, we developed a detailed mechanical design to guide the realization of the prototypes.
Project 3 - the final design
The beta user testing was incredibly useful, providing feedback for product proposition, user experience & data accuracy. In February 2018 the program entered a new phase, designing the final product. The smaller sensor & new components afforded the possibility to achieve a form factor much closer to the original product vision conceived a few years earlier. An extensive number of 3D prints were produced to try test the fine details of the mouthpiece, body and exhaust cavity. We worked to refine every detail of Lumen to achieve a pure and modern look & feel, harmoniously proportioned & unconstrained by the internal components.
Q. What was the biggest challenge you encountered?
A. The most challenging parts of the development process were the form surfacing of the product. We had to keep internal components and their layout in mind while seeking to achieve an elegant form. These aspects need to be aligned to ensure both production and pleasing aesthetics. This challenge required numerous sketch iterations, CAD refinements, 3D prototyping, and testing.
The activity was rather difficult for the beta device because the sensor and the battery stack were quite big and so we had to accept some tradeoffs. But, in the end, we managed to optimize the design.
Q. What was most important to incorporate into the design to account for usability?
A. In order to encourage device usage, we created something that looks good, inspires confidence & avoids the stigma of a medical device. It should be discreet yet refined. We thought carefully about the way you should hold the device when you breathe in the soft touch of the material and the sophisticated effect of the light shining through the matt surface. The technical aspects of the device such as the power button, exhaust channel and recharging pins, are clustered together onto the bottom of the device, keeping the front surfaces clean, elegant and pure.
Q. Lumen's intended to be used throughout the day, how did you design the device to fit this need?
A. Lumens primary usage is in the morning when you wake up, but it can be used before a meal or before a workout to inform you of your available energy. For these reasons, portability was key. We worked to reduce the size of the device to allow it to be easily placed in a bag or your pocket. We also created a bespoke sleeve that dresses up the device & gives it a casual touch.
Q. Can you talk about the charging dock and functionality?
A. The docking station's an important accessory that enhances usability. It allows the user to quickly plug-in the device for recharging without having to look for tiny micro-USB connectors slots. A magnetic force guides the insertion of the device into the dock, making the interaction intuitive & smooth.
The docking station makes Lumen stand upright, showing the beautiful silhouette & exposing the front light, indicating the charging status. We designed the docking station as a practical accessory to help with building a daily routine.
Q. What's your favorite design detail?
A. The metal protective cap that covers the mouthpiece. We wanted to create something that speaks to the product quality and creates an unexpected moment of delight. We designed a protective cap that snaps magnetically to the mouthpiece. With a protective cap, the internal flow channel is securely sealed when not in use.
Q. What most excites you about the Lumen device & seeing it go to market?
A. Having collaborated with Lumen from the start has been for me a great honor and pleasure and now seeing the product become real and come to market is just amazing. Despite my enthusiasm as a designer, I’m particularly excited as a user because I have been testing the beta device for more than 50 days. Recently I lost 4 kgs and really look forward to using the new device!
During my testing, I found the morning metabolism assessment particularly effective so that I could reflect on food selection throughout the day. I see great potential for Lumen and think the team's doing great work in developing this technology to address different objectives from losing weight to gaining muscle.
Cheers,
Lumen
Fri Sep 14 '18 Announcement
over 5 years ago
– Fri, Sep 14, 2018 at 12:39:37 PM
Hello Lumen Backers!
This is our first campaign update since the campaign ended two weeks ago. We’re just popping in to let you know that our team is already hard at work preparing for the next few months and staying on track for the early 2019 delivery timeline as written for your perk. Keep an eye out over the next few weeks for a dedicated update all about the manufacturing and production schedule.
Additionally, we’re planning on hosting a Facebook LIVE event in the coming weeks - you’ll be able to ask any questions you still have about Lumen and get answers directly from our founders and chief scientists. We’ll publish an update with an exact date and time soon.
In the meantime, we wanted to take a few minutes to go over some of the most common metabolism myths and explain in further detail.
If you’re not up-to-date with your high school science classes, in the most simple sense, metabolism is life. Metabolism occurs in each and every cell of your body. It's the process by which your body converts the food you eat into energy for immediate or later use. Below are some of the common myths that you might have heard about metabolism and we're going to debunk some of them for you today.
Myth 1: Your metabolism inevitably slows down as you get older.
Nope! While most older people tend to have slower metabolisms, your metabolism is not a stagnant measurement. As humans age, muscle tissues decreases. However, strength training will help you keep your muscle tissue and maintain a high metabolism.
Myth 2: Thin people have faster metabolisms.
Not exactly. Weight does not determine your metabolism. However, the amount of muscle you have does. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be.
Myth 3: Our metabolic rates cannot be changed.
Not even close. While genetics help determine your metabolic rate, you can boost your metabolism, for example by increasing muscle tissue. Muscle tissue is more “active” than fat tissue and burns more calories throughout the day. This means that someone with more muscle tissue is able to eat more calories than a similar person with less muscle - even if they weigh the same amount.
Myth 4: A diet of green tea, caffeine, and spicy food will boost my metabolism.
Not quite. Some studies have shown that consumption of spicy food, caffeine or herbal drinks leads to greater thermogenesis causing a higher metabolic rate. However, this effect is temporary and does not provide a great enough offset to eat additional calories.
Myth 5: Weight loss is accompanied by a decrease in resting metabolic rate.
No sir. It’s true that weight loss can cause a decrease in your metabolic rate that makes it difficult to lose and maintain weight loss. However, there are changes you can make to your diet that can dramatically minimize this effect, including eating carbohydrates at specific times.
As always, we want to keep you tuned into the conversation. Is there something you want us to answer in our next campaign update? Write us an email with your question (or just to say hi!): [email protected]. We would love to hear from you!
Have a healthy day,
The Lumen Team
Thu Aug 30 '18 Announcement
over 5 years ago
– Thu, Aug 30, 2018 at 08:44:52 AM
Hi there, friends!
THANK YOU
We can't even begin to describe how grateful we are to you, our dear backers - you've truly made us believe in the crowdfunding model and in the community that can be built when there is a great product to bring to the world.
We met and surpassed our goal MUCH faster than expected and ended up raising over $1.75 million with your help! We are so lucky to be able to have the opportunity to show you just how much easier taking control of your health can be.
Now our team is going to kick our production and manufacturing processes into high gear. As we mentioned in an earlier update, we’re still right on track for all of the perk delivery dates. You can check which perk you selected in order to find out when your perk is set to ship out (shipping will begin in February 2019 and continue through April).
The Fun Isn’t Over Yet
Even though the standard Indiegogo pre-order campaign has ended, we’ve decided to set up shop for further pre-orders here on Indiegogo using their “InDemand” model of pre-order sales. It even uses the same link so it’s super easy to share with folks who may not have been able to get their pre-orders in before the campaign officially ended last night.
As an original backer, you received the best discounted prices we would ever offer. New pre-orders made during this InDemand period will still be discounted, though they’ll have less of a discount (16% off retail pricing: $249 instead of $299) than was offered to you.
Keep An Eye Out for Updates
You can expect to receive an email and survey to confirm your shipping address in the fall. We will be using a platform called BackerKit - it’s a trusted resource for a TON of crowdfunding campaigns and will help us make sure that your Lumen is shipped out to you on time. We don’t need anything from you yet, except for you to keep an eye on your inbox: we will post another update about this before starting the process.
We’ll also continue to push out product info, exclusive company news, and insider details to you and all of our other backers through updates like this one. You can expect to hear from us about twice a month. We have some exciting updates planned, and will also be hosting a Facebook live event, so stay tuned for those details!
Don’t Hesitate to Reach Out
You can always reach out to our team directly at [email protected] or via Facebook and Instagram - we would love to hear from you, answer any questions you have, and hear about your ideas about the future of Lumen.
Have a happy and healthy day,
The Lumen Team
