Wishbone temperature sensor KS query

Cavallino · 4 Oct 2015 at 12:09

So I backed this KS project some time ago, and after many many delays, eventually received it.

Tried measuring my daughter's temperature (who was suffering from a 39C fever at the time), and it was easily more than 1.5C out compared to other thermometers.
After several messages to the Joywing team, they just kept on repeating a series of instructions to try and get it working, over and over again.

Anyway I just gave up and didn't give it another thought and just continued using the Braun ear thermometer.

A few months later and for kicks (no pun), I thought Id look up the Wishbone KS page to see if there has been any resolutions on this issue since I recalled I wasn't the only one at the time suffering from the same problem.
I was greeted with quite a few messages from other users who seem to be suffering similar problems with their units. Not to mention that some users were still waiting for deliveries!
I am fully aware that KS projects can be complete failures and never come to fruition but in this case a product has made it to my hands albeit one that doesn't work, same with others.

So OCUK, is this just a matter of having back a failed project and cannot take any further, or is there something that can be done?
I can see other users are disgruntled but seems like they cannot do anything to take this further with Joywing, I guess this is due to the nature of KS.
The ironic thing is they posted a message on their webpage claiming to have won an award of somekind. Funny.

Cheers folks.

doofer · 4 Oct 2015 at 12:23

I had to Google this thing to see what it was. You honestly expected an accurate reading from something you plugged in to a phone? Really?

Amazing.

andy_mk3 · 4 Oct 2015 at 12:27

Just having looked at the comments on ths KS page, I wouldn't hold out much hope for anything OP.

Cavallino · 4 Oct 2015 at 12:29

doofer said:
I had to Google this thing to see what it was. You honestly expected an accurate reading from something you plugged in to a phone? Really?

Amazing.

Heres the link for others just incase:

http://wishbonebaby.co.uk/

And KS page:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/531680546/wishbone-the-worlds-smallest-smart-thermometer

And to answer your question, I wasn't sure what to expect but certainly not a deviation of 1.5C or more.

Cavallino · 4 Oct 2015 at 12:34

andy_mk3 said:
Just having looked at the comments on ths KS page, I wouldn't hold out much hope for anything OP.

Yep I would agree with you.

Just wondering if a stink can be kicked up to put these ******* right.

Tunney · 4 Oct 2015 at 12:48

The Kickstarter T&Cs are pretty clear - the company must act in good faith to bring the product to market but there's no guarantee that it will actually happen.

Electronic hardware products definitely fail to deliver the most often on Kickstarter. A lot of Kickstarter creators just have no idea what they're getting into when they start campaigns.

MrMoonX · 4 Oct 2015 at 14:06

This is why Kickstarter can be a massive scam, look at star citizen, that's a basic cash cow now

Demon · 4 Oct 2015 at 14:41

Yeah, I can't believe anyone would entrust their babies health monitoring to a KS project that plugs into an analogue audio port..

Honestly, I think they've delivered a working product, albeit with the variation of performance I'd honestly expect for such a device...

We bought a Braun thermometer that just gets placed in the ear, the same model loads of surgeries/midwives used, so we knew it was 'trusted'. It didn't even cost the earth (£60) and still seems absolutely perfect 9 years on.

Cavallino · 4 Oct 2015 at 14:58

Demon said:
Yeah, I can't believe anyone would entrust their babies health monitoring to a KS project that plugs into an analogue audio port..

Honestly, I think they've delivered a working product, albeit with the variation of performance I'd honestly expect for such a device...

We bought a Braun thermometer that just gets placed in the ear, the same model loads of surgeries/midwives used, so we knew it was 'trusted'. It didn't even cost the earth (£60) and still seems absolutely perfect 9 years on.

Yep this is the one we have as well, we got it for £25 or so.

The wishbone was only going to be used whilst we were out and about, but tbh, its a waste of money. Lesson learnt.

adolf hamster · 4 Oct 2015 at 15:48

£34.99 for that!? I think i'll stick with my ir temp sensor that cos me like £12 years ago and can measure accurately.

But then mine isnt ios compatible so i guess it's not modern enough.

Caged · 4 Oct 2015 at 15:54

You bought a medical device from a company with no proven track record in the field. Surprise!

GeX · 4 Oct 2015 at 16:15

doofer said:
I had to Google this thing to see what it was. You honestly expected an accurate reading from something you plugged in to a phone? Really?

Amazing.

Why does the fact that it's plugged into a phone mean it won't be accurate?

asim18 · 4 Oct 2015 at 16:29

GeX said:
Why does the fact that it's plugged into a phone mean it won't be accurate?

Because it identifies itself as a gimmick?

If you want to check the temperature of something you buy a suitable thermometer. Not some gimmicky load of crap that uses your iphone just because you have an iphone.

Cavallino · 4 Oct 2015 at 16:44

adolf hamster said:
£34.99 for that!? I think i'll stick with my ir temp sensor that cos me like £12 years ago and can measure accurately.

But then mine isnt ios compatible so i guess it's not modern enough.

No it was less than $30 as kickstarter.
Still not an excuse though.

Caged said:
You bought a medical device from a company with no proven track record in the field. Surprise!

I backed a KS project which seemed to have genuine traction behind it.
But the reality is otherwise.

Other reason I purchased it was to be able to measure ambient temperature and temperature of other objects (e.g. milk etc).

Not necessarily a fully medical product, but its still a flawed product nonetheless.

asim18 said:
Because it identifies itself as a gimmick?

If you want to check the temperature of something you buy a suitable thermometer. Not some gimmicky load of crap that uses your iphone just because you have an iphone.

As I said above, the reason I bought it is because its smaller than a thermometer and can be used with an iPhone (which will be always on me whenever were out and about with my daughter). Not solely because it works with iPhone.

Caged · 4 Oct 2015 at 17:32

Are you sure your issues with accuracy aren't because it's an IR jobby? I don't see great accuracy figures quoted for IR thermometers. This project seems to be quoting accuracy figures far more impressive than IR units in the same price range can achieve.

Tefal · 4 Oct 2015 at 17:36

what was the specified accuracy range?

also its never going to be as good as a simple in ear jobby.

Rroff · 4 Oct 2015 at 17:41

doofer said:
I had to Google this thing to see what it was. You honestly expected an accurate reading from something you plugged in to a phone? Really?

Amazing.

asim18 said:
Because it identifies itself as a gimmick?

If you want to check the temperature of something you buy a suitable thermometer. Not some gimmicky load of crap that uses your iphone just because you have an iphone.

No reason why you can't have an accurate temperature monitor plugged into a phone - if it used USB.

As it appears to be using the audio connector though its not really surprising - just waaay too many things that can affect the accuracy both hardware and software wise and working with quite a few limitations I'm surprised if its generally accurate to within 1.5C.

Tefal · 4 Oct 2015 at 17:41

test it against ice water and boiling water?