Losing a friend or friend complicated enough in the pre-COVID-19 era, with the double trauma of death and burial. But these demanding situations are only getting worse because the pandemic prevents others from going to hospitals and participating in services. Today, AFTR, a Brooklyn-based start-up, is introducing hardware and service solutions to make the cemetery less complicated for families. The company offers two types of burial cameras, as well as two grades of cellular service per month that allow virtual photographic or audio and video tours at any time.
The fundamental provision of AFTR is not only solid; it’s really very thoughtful. Customers determine between one of two solar-powered all-weather cameras, GroundCam or MountCam, which are designed to be permanently installed in front of or above the tombstone with a telescopic arm. Powered through a high-capacity battery and a persistent 4G cellular connection, each camera can provide a live view of the tombstone and its immediate surroundings, which AFTR calls “an eternal connection”. You may see it as a new form of public surveillance or as a way to interact with a small target, that is, a sacred land.
Cameras have the ability to stream 1080p video and audio from the site, as well as use a small speaker to send a user’s sentences or other words in the tomb, where they are audible to an intentionally silent level. In addition to the promising 23 days of transmission between sun loads, with an hour of use consistent with the day, any of the cameras comes with a laser pointer to imply that they are being used and has infrared night vision to provide visual to the falls at sunset.
Each camera sells for $499, but a monthly service plan is required to attach the circle of relatives to the grave. The AFTR’s “quiet” plan of $5 automatically takes pictures every day, sends them to the “Diary” of an app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices, and allows other people to “make sure the grave is blank and in good condition.” With this plan, a single user can acquire access to video and audio streaming as needed. By comparison, a “Stay Connected” plan that starts at $thirteen provides video and audio streaming on the day. This plan allows the user to upload up to 4 other audiences for free, with the ability to upload groups of 4 more users for $8 each, with a camera serving thirteen other people. The AFTR app also includes six of your own relaxing audio tracks, as well as the ability to save Spotify’s favorite songs that evoke satisfied memories.
An apparent question is security: how safe are AFTR cameras in front of grave robbers and others who could roam cemeteries? The MountCam fixed to the tombstone uses spring clamps, and two optional screws, to attach it to the stone, while the GroundCam is located well above the floor level, using a flat mounting base or an all-terrain slanted base, adding ankles for added stability. . Either can eventually be raised and eliminated, the AFTR has implemented measures to reduce the price of cameras to thieves.
“If the camera is stolen,” Joe Schechter of AFTR told VentureBeat, the company is “notified and shuts down the camera, turning it into a brick. We also have a built-in alarm that is activated through an inclinometer to stumble upon a tilt of about 90 degrees. When the alarm sounds, an audible alarm sounds and a message is sent to the camera owner. »
There are symptoms that AFTR won’t just be a flash in the pan. After leaving stealth with $2.5 million in funding, the company partnered with the International Association of Cemeteries, Cremation and Funerals, the National Association of Funeral Directors and North American monument developers, adding the ability to create funeral homes and cemeteries as chamber distributors. Their active participation can help ensure the safety of cameras in exchange for uninterrupted revenue: the AFTR grants cemeteries a one-time payment for camera investment, as well as a significant portion of the residual revenue from the service. It also proposes to advertise the “concierge services” provided through the cemetery in the app.
Both AFTR cameras will be available for pre-orders directly to customers, and GroundCam is expected to ship first on August 30. MountCam has an estimated shipping date in October. Users will be able to sign up for in-app service plans after receiving their cameras.