This device, created by Houston, Texas-based startup Knocki, will take you back to your childhood adventures, reminiscing of the immense power secret knocks had, and, apparently, still have. Knocki is a puck-shaped Wi-Fi gizmo with built-in vibration-sensing tech that fastens onto furniture, walls and doors. It has the ability to translate taps and knocks into controls for the Internet of Things devices. Do you remember now the special patterns like two knocks, a pause, three more knocks which gained you entry to a members-only treehouse? Knocki showed early signs of a truly successful device after it blew way past its $35,000 target set for a Kickstarter campaign, to over $1.1 million committed. Where from comes this magnetism? The gizmo uses an adhesive tape to stick to whatever surface the user wants, their patent-pending SurfaceLinkTM is said to ensure a solid connection to a surface for transmission of gesture signals, but if you’re skeptical about the staying power of that adhesive strip, the company also provides mounting hardware for a more permanent installation. As far as configuration goes, it is said to be as simple as downloading the companion app on your iPhone or Android and entering your Wi-Fi credentials. From there, you should be able to assign up to 10 custom “knocks” to a single Knocki. The device isn’t always on, thus it conserves battery life—four AAA batteries will keep Knocki running for more than one year. Moreover, its simple sensor keeps production costs low. The simple system was designed to help kids, the elderly, as well as the physically and visually impaired control the new generation of IoT hardware, without having to waste more time with a smartphone. Furthermore, the team behind the product claims upcoming support with the likes of IFTTT, Nest,...