Regular Springwise readers may remember LocoMatrix, the location-based game we covered last year that kids play outside using GPS-enabled cell phones. Along similar lines, a new iPhone-specific counterpart aims to take kids on an eco-minded adventure through the park.

Released early this month by Australian developer Bulpadok, The Hidden Park is a computer game for young families that makes the most of the iPhone's features as it leads children into a fantasy world of trolls, fairies and genies. Families begin by downloading the app from Apple’s App Store for USD 6.99 and then heading to a nearby park—currently, the game supports a select group of parks in nine major cities around the world, including New York, London, Tokyo and Sydney. From there, children navigate their way through the real park by following a magical map that reveals where mystical creatures live. As kids move past landmarks in the park, the map tells them where to go next, with puzzles and riddles to solve in order to save the park from greedy developers. Children also take photos of various landmarks—and of the magical creatures who are said to live nearby—and can store those photos in a gallery for an album of their adventure that day.

Taking full advantage of Apple's technology, the Hidden Park uses the iPhone’s A-GPS feature to accurately pinpoint each player’s movements within the park and plot them against the interactive map that forms the heart of the game, for example. Through Location Based Services (LBS) technology, the game triggers particular animations and tasks as the user reaches key points along their journey. The phone's accelerometer, meanwhile, allows users to shake the device to scatter mystical characters over any photographed image. The Hidden Park was created in collaboration with WSP Environmental. And while the game is currently focused on a set of key major parks, it can be adapted to others—in fact, the company is now working on a park builder that will allow parents to set up the game in their local park and share it with other parents. In the meantime, Bulpadok is also accepting nominations for additional parks to support in the game.

As developed nations around the globe fight childhood obesity, there's no doubt games like this will be welcomed with open arms; improving mobile technologies, meanwhile, are making more and more possible. How could *you* put the iPhone to work to slim down and entertain the world's kids...? (Related: Gyms for kids use gaming to keep them hooked.)

Website: www.thehiddenpark.com
Contact: info@bulpadok.com

Spotted by: Judy McRae

Hot on the heels of vending machines selling after-party shoes, comes an interactive kiosk that speeds up the process of buying custom footbeds. The eSoles Foot Imaging Kiosk System is a self-service kiosk that takes a complex 3D scan of the customer's foot, helping create an eFit footbed within minutes. Customers can also use the scan to order a bespoke ePro footbed, which is shipped within days.

The process is easy enough for customers to carry out without sales assistance, using a touchscreen to lead them through standing, walking and jogging on a pressure mat in order to take a measurement. The mat maps out the customer's pressure points using 160 sensors, displaying the resulting personalised 3D image on the kiosk's screen. The kiosk then prints a ticket, providing the retailer with information to construct a USD 75 template-based footpad that's customized to the user's requirements. Alternately, customers can wait a little longer for a fully customised footbeds from the eSoles plant for USD 249. Their data can be stored permanently in the eSoles database, letting them order additional footbeds without repeated analysis.

After launching at The Cycle Loft in Boston, the eSoles Kiosk will be available to other footwear retailers this summer. By combining interactive customisation with self-service, eSoles offer an engaging, practical and scalable add-on for stores looking to offer their customers the benefits of custom insoles.

The innovation doesn’t stop there: eSoles has also developed insoles that relay pressure information to a nearby cellphone. An application on the phone can tell the wearer how much pressure he or she is applying in 11 different zones. The system has been trialled by the US Olympic BMX team, helping them figure out how to apply maximum power to bicycle pedals, and it can also help analyze a golf swing or skiing posture. The insoles will be available in a limited trial version in July, and the sensors will initially be priced around USD 300.

Website: www.esoles.com
Contact: www.esoles.com/contact

Spotted by: Judy McRae and Roberta Steinberg

Similar to eco-minded Comet Skateboards, which we wrote about back in 2007, Arniko Skateboards offers a line of slalomboards that combine sustainable craftsmanship with local production.

Whereas Comet uses a solar-powered factory in downtown San Francisco to produce its boards, however, Swiss Arniko taps small, local enterprises in Nepal, where artisans practice the traditional Nepalese art of woodcarving. Aiming to give such artists a global market, Arniko offers a line of 9 hand-carved skateboards crafted from varying timbers with unique hues. Available both online and in Arniko stores in St. Gallen and Kathmandu, the company's skateboards are priced beginning at CHF 169. Based on the classical slalomboard form, the compact boards are designed for urban transportation and can be used without much practice. A range of accompanying fashion articles and accessories—also produced exclusively in Nepal—are available as well. The Arniko website explains: "Our vision is to bring the Himalayan spirit to you, so that when you hold an Arniko Skateboard in your hands, you know that there are proud carving-artists in Nepal who believe their own capabilities can bring about change."

The majority of products today may still be mass-produced in nameless factories around the globe, but there's no doubt honey, sweaters, wind power and skateboards—to name just a few—can benefit from some (still) made here appeal. Add to that a solid product and a focus on social change, and you may just have a winner! ;-)

Website: www.arnikoskateboards.com
Contact: info@arnikoskateboards.com — nepal@arnikoskateboards.com

Spotted by: Gitte Meeussen

Combining try-before-you-buy with the luxury rental concept established by companies like Bag Borrow Steal and écurie25 is Guitar Affair, a service that rents out high-end and boutique guitars by the day or week.

Guitar Affair refers to its rentals as ‘affairs’ to reflect the emotional experience that customers have with instruments. Customers pay a one-off USD 50 fee to join and then select and reserve a guitar to be shipped anywhere within the United States. After they’ve had their affair for the agreed time span, they return the guitar in its shipping container with an included UPS label. For those fond enough to commit to a lasting relationship, guitars can be purchased with some (or all) of the affair fee refunded.

All of the guitars are memorable, with a cutaway XOX Handle carbon fibre guitar available for USD 75 a day or USD 300 a week, and a Sandoval Dot V costing USD 125 per day or 400 per week. In addition to guitars, customers can also rent a variety of headphones, amps, cables, straps, instructional items, backing tracks and road cases. The concept is perfect for a studio getaway, travelling musicians with fickle tastes or players who simply wish to experiment. And because the guitars are shipped back to the company, they're always maintained and set-up to professional standards—which can cost a pretty penny on its own.

Our sister-site trendwatching.com published a briefing about transumers back in 2006, focusing on consumers who are more interested in experiences than in ownership. It’s an enduring trend, and one that has extra power in today’s economy. Time to experiment with transient offerings of your own?

Website: www.guitaraffair.com
Contact: www.guitaraffair.com/contactus.php

Spotted by: Raymond Kollau

What to do after being laid off? For 26-year-old Alex Light, there was only one option: head down to the beach and get fit. After losing his job in Dubai real estate, he set up Bad Times Bootcamp to help unemployed people get fit and get to know each other. A qualified personal trainer, Light set up his free fitness classes to help others stay active and stay positive. The group had its first session in March 2009, bringing together people in new but similar situations to share experiences and find the support they need.

Light now hopes to spread the concept across the globe, welcoming the possibility of sponsorship in order to keep the classes free whilst supporting himself and his new social enterprise. And when the downturn ends, he hopes that his classes will offer the employed a more valuable way to network. (Related: Camp for laid-off professionals.)

Website: www.badtimesbootcamp.com
Contact: aja_light@yahoo.co.uk

Spotted by: Bebhinn Kelly

Much like the characters played by Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman in The Bucket List, most people have a set of experiences they hope to have during their lifetime. We've already seen two websites aimed at helping consumers track and realize those dreams—Eons and 43things—and recently one of our spotters alerted us to Diddit, a similar but expanded version.

Diddit, which was recently launched into alpha by California-based Ludic Labs, allows users to discover new ideas for life experiences as well as track the ones they've already had. More than 300,000 experiences in 20 different interest areas are currently listed on the site—including movies to see, foods to eat, travel destinations and more—available for browsing and inspiration. To participate in the community, users sign up for free and list the experiences they've already had. They can then look through the site's list of other ideas and add the ones they like to their list of goals. As each one gets accomplished they check it off on their list, with the opportunity to network and share stories and photos along the way through Diddit, Facebook and Twitter. A video on Vimeo provides a short introduction to the site.

It's not yet clear what Diddit's business model will be, but we'd bet ad support will be involved. After all, whether it's baby boomers or twenty-somethings using them, sites like Diddit promise a highly directed way for advertisers to target specific groups of consumers with particular goals and interests in common. One to try out, partner with or localize for your neck of the activity-seeking woods...? (Related: A public incentive to stick to one's goals.)

Website: www.diddit.com
Contact: info@diddit.com

Spotted by: Todd E. Bryant

For people who think online dating questionnaires are just too much work, Montreal-based Radaroo offers something much, much simpler. Created by web entrepreneur Roberto Martínez, Radaroo is a free service that lets users send a tweet to create a dating profile in 140 characters or less.

Users sign up by sending a tweet to @radaroo, specifying their gender, the gender(s) they’re interested in, and which activities they’d like to participate in on a first date. People can find out if a fellow Twitterer is single by searching that person’s username, and can also search for all single members in their area by entering their zip code, or country code if outside the United States. Users have the option to keep their dating status private or announce that they’re currently on their first date, second date, third date, or getting married.

Simplicity is definitely the charm here, and it’s a fun example of how to use Twitter to forge new connections. The possibilities are endless: how about a similar service for finding a tennis partner, or fellow entrepreneurs interested in meeting up to brainstorm about new business ideas? ;-)

Website: www.radaroo.com

Spotted by: Susanna Haynie

Fantasy sports league fans already have myriad websites to choose from, but nearly all of them focus on professional players. UK-based Fantastar, on the other hand, offers a grassroots alternative that lets sports clubs create sport leagues based on their own teams, players and results.

Fantastar enables sports clubs and schools to generate funds by setting up their own fantasy sport leagues and then charging friends, family and club members to register teams. Participants simply sign up with the site and then create their fantasy team by choosing from among players in their club or school. Scoring is designed to motivate and encourage players of all levels, helping them to develop their skills. Points are scored for performance and sportsmanship, for example, with rewards for those who play fair and penalties for those who don't. Fantastar currently supports hockey, football/soccer, cricket, rugby, basketball, ice hockey and handball, and is used by hundreds of clubs across 13 countries. The London Wayfarers Hockey Club, for example, recently managed to draw 170 fantasy team registrations and GBP 800 through its effort.

Fantastar cofounder Rob Tong explains: “To date fantasy leagues have only been associated with professional sports but our mission is to turn this on its head. By offering a similar service to schools and clubs, we can help them raise money for new kit, equipment and even training facilities. Through ploughing money back into amateur sport we hope to ensure that sport in this country has a bright future at all levels."

Indeed, Fantastar also hopes to help build interest in grassroots sports during the build-up to the 2012 Olympics. One to try out, partner with, or otherwise get involved in?

Website: www.fantastar.com
Contact: www.fantastar.com/General/uageContactUs.aspx

Hoping to unleash everyone's inner artist, Vancouver-based Raw Canvas is a creative hybrid: bustling café and full-service art studio.

Besides offering the usual café fare—organic coffee and tea, snacks, comfy couches and wifi, as well as wine, beer and tapas at night—Raw Canvas encourages customers to pick up painting. They can drop in at any time, buy a canvas and just get started in the open studio space that's connected to the café. Raw Canvas provides paints, brushes and all other supplies, and staff members and resident artists are on hand to offer encouragement and tips.

Inspired by popular art jams in Hong Kong, Raw Canvas aims to provide a low-threshold venue where people can come in for a few hours and explore their artistic impulses without committing time or money to a series of classes. With, of course, the added pleasure of a latte or glass of wine. Canvas pricing varies by size, ranging from CDN 40 to CDN 80. If you're a café owner looking to add a new source of revenue to your business, be inspired and get creative! (Related: A being space for learning English.)

Website: www.raw-canvas.com
Contact: paige@raw-canvas.com

Spotted by: Erin K.

London karaoke bar Lucky Voice has already appeared on our pages once before, but we're compelled to mention it again for an initiative it recently announced on one of our favourite themes.

Specifically, through its new "Worthy Worker Mondays" program, Lucky Voice is offering two hours of free karaoke singing to registered charity workers, nurses, doctors and others "who dedicate their lives to the greater good." Teachers, firefighters, police officers, prison officers and social workers are also included, though the list of qualifying occupations isn't strictly limited, the company says, and not everyone in a party need qualify—just the person making the reservation. The offer is available for all room sizes between 5pm and 1am every Monday at Lucky Voice Soho and Lucky Voice Islington. A special cocktail will also be created each month and priced at just GBP 5. The Worthy Worker Mondays program is an ongoing one, with no planned end date, the company says.

On a side note, Lucky Voice has apparently been busy cooking up ideas lately, and is actually also in the midst of an effort that taps right into another longtime Springwise theme with a pop-up karaoke offering in a shop in London's Newburgh Quarter by Carnaby Street. Free singing will be available there every day from 12pm to 7pm through April 5.

Both programs are nice examples of free love, of course, but the Worthy Worker Mondays initiative adds a dash of sympathy and is a shining illustration of the corporate generosity that's increasingly valued—nay, demanded—by members of today's Generation G. How can *your* company give something back to the unsung heroes of the world?

Website: www.luckyvoice.com — bars.luckyvoice.com/files/specialoffer.pdf
Contact: louise@luckyvoice.com

Spotted by: Naomi