Anchor Bracelets — Beta Family Application

How Anchor works

When your child presses the button, they feel a vibration instantly. Always. It doesn't wait for you to respond. It doesn't depend on whether you're nearby or looking at your phone. The comfort is there the moment they reach for it.

You can drop an anchor from the app at any time. Whether you're thinking of them at drop-off or want them to feel you during a hard moment, you initiate from the app and they feel it instantly when in Bluetooth range.

You can schedule anchors in advance. Set them to fire automatically — at school start time, before a big moment, during a custody transition — with no phone, no Bluetooth, no availability required from you in that moment.

Out-of-range anchors queue and deliver on reconnection. If you're out of Bluetooth range when you drop an anchor, it holds and delivers as a single vibration when the connection is restored.

What I chose not to build into this version is a ping-and-wait loop — where a child presses a button and then sits in anticipation waiting to feel something back. As a therapist, I believe that waiting window can shift a child from self-soothing into anxious anticipation, which is the opposite of what we want. The comfort shouldn't be contingent on whether you saw the notification in time.

If your family's primary need is real-time two-way communication across long distance, that's a valid need — and it's one we're building toward in a future product. But for this beta, we're looking for families whose core use case is emotional support through everyday separation — not a communication tool.

A note about this prototype: The bracelet your family would receive is functional — your child can press the button, feel vibrations, and you can use the app — but it is not the finished product. The casing is 3D printed, the size may adjust, and colorways are still being refined. We're specifically testing functionality and gathering feedback that will shape future iterations. Being part of this stage is genuinely exciting, and we don't want to pretend otherwise — but we also want you to know what you're signing up for.

What we're asking of you

Wear the bracelet as a real part of your family's routine for 4–6 weeks during everyday separations.

Share honest feedback along the way — what worked, what didn't, what surprised you. This isn't a performance. We want the real experience.

Document your experience. Photos, short videos, candid moments — this content is an important part of what beta families contribute. We'll ask for a formal media release before shipment, but we want you to know upfront that this is part of the role, not an afterthought.

Hold off on posting publicly until we give you the green light. We'll let you know the moment our Kickstarter page is live — and when that happens, we'd love for you to share. We're just asking you to time it with us so the excitement lands somewhere that converts.

If and when Anchor launches, the selected families who helped us get there will receive a final production unit on us — as a thank you for being part of building this from the beginning. Full participation means completing the testing period, sharing honest feedback, and contributing content as described above. We also want to be transparent: this offer is contingent on Anchor reaching market. We're working hard to get there, and your participation is a meaningful part of making that happen.

About your family

Help us understand who you are and what your day-to-day looks like.

Your first name

Your last name

Your email address

Your child's age For this stage, we're sending one bracelet per family. You're welcome to test it with multiple children — please include the ages of all who might use it.

What does separation look like in your family right now? Tell us in your own words. School drop-off, daycare, custody schedule, a parent who travels — whatever applies. There's no wrong answer here.

How does your child typically respond to separation? Be as specific as you'd like — we're looking for real texture, not a summary.

What have you already tried to help your child through separation, and how has it worked? No right answers here — we're curious what your family has already explored.

Is Anchor a fit for your family?

We want to make sure the product as it exists today is genuinely useful for you — not just interesting.

After reading about how Anchor works, what resonated most? Be honest — we'd rather know now if something felt like a mismatch.

Is there anything about how Anchor works that gave you pause or felt like it might not fit your family's needs?

What are you most hoping to get out of being a beta family?

A few logistics

Practical details that help us make sure this works technically for your family.

What kind of smartphone do you use?

iPhone (iOS) Android Both — different family members use different phones

How comfortable are you with new apps and technology in general?

Very comfortable — I pick things up quickly Moderate — I can figure it out with a little patience Not very — I'd need clear guidance

Is there anything about your living situation or schedule that might affect how you'd use the bracelet? e.g. split households, very long separations, a child who won't keep jewelry on, etc.

Content & sharing

We want to be clear about both of these before you apply.

Documenting your experience — photos, short videos, candid family moments — is an important part of what beta families contribute. Are you comfortable with that role? A formal media release will be sent before the bracelet ships, giving us the rights to use content you share with us. We're asking here to make sure this is a genuine yes before we get that far.

Yes — I'm comfortable documenting and sharing our experience Mostly yes, but I have questions about what that would involve No — I'd prefer to keep our family's experience private

We'll ask that you hold off on posting about Anchor publicly until our Kickstarter goes live — at which point we'll give you the green light and would love for you to share. Are you comfortable with that timing?

Yes — totally understand, happy to coordinate Yes, but I have a question about what that means in practice

Is there anything else you want us to know about your family, or anything you want to ask us?