There will be lots of interesting technology. Talkers, as they say. Inventions that attract a lot of oohhs and aahhs.
And if you take a stroll through today’s coolTECH exhibits at Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry, you’ll see three local businesses presenting their inventions as part of the showcase of emerging technologies and trends in the Tampa Bay region.
One is the folding electric bike being developed by ROBRADY Design in Sarasota. The company is developing the bike with a partner in Taiwan and now seeking distributors in the U.S. In Taiwan, the bikes sell for the equivalent of $1,800 U.S. dollars.
“It’s been a successful design for us,” said Phoebe Bishop, ROBRADY Design marketing director. The bike has already won several awards and is drawing interest from commuters looking for an easy way to travel and companies and schools that need mobility on a large campus.
ROBRADY hopes to reach out to other technology groups at the forum and create some partnerships. “We like to work with technology that is just developing, to help them (companies) formalize their design,” Bishop said.
Pets Inc. and Pets Rentals, two companies on Cattleman Road in Sarasota, will bring their three-wheel electric scooters named GoPet to the event.
The scooters are geared toward the consumer market of commuters, beach residents and RV owners who need a small, reliable transportation source, said David Pilkey, chief executive officer of both companies.
The scooters, built in China, go 25 miles on a charge with a top speed of 16 mph.
The cost is $1,395. The scooters tend to attract lots of attention, Pilkey said.
“We are a new company with a lot of exciting things going on that we hope to attract attention with” at the tech forum, he said.
The rental company for the scooters creates partnerships with other local companies like Beach Bums on Anna Maria Island and is a marketing tool for the scooters. “We give away the product but split the revenues,” Pilkey said.
Another local company participating is Advanced Energy Management Solutions of Bradenton, a start-up company founded in April to help businesses save money on their electric bills with innovative technology.
Key speaker at the one-day event will be Frank Farro, who leads new technology research and development for Walt Disney Resorts & Parks worldwide. His keynote luncheon address will be “Innovation at Walt Disney.”
If you go, other cool technology and events you’ll see:
n ClicRweight, Inc. — a lightweight, handheld device used to measure the weight and height of any creature using stereo vision and 3D technologies.
n Team Duct Tape – a community-based robotics team made up of high-school students will demonstrate their latest robots including one shaped like a cube that scoops up whiffle balls and launches them at targets.
The Tampa Bay Technology Forum is sponsoring the forum. Registration for the full day is $60 for members and $80 for non-members and includes access to the exhibits, keynote lunch and presentation, and more than 400 exhibits. Half-day registration is $20. For more information, contact Kimberly Wander, events manager, at kwander@tbtf.org or (813) 967-5965.
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