University of Queensland alumnus adapts to a new no-contact society with the world’s first commercially available contactless doorbell.
Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate Owen Evans experienced a common problem during the early days of isolation due to COVID-19: couriers unable to touch doorbells leaving deliveries unattended on doorsteps. Due to Mr Evans frequently ordering valuable electronics for his many tech designs and startup ideas, he needed his equipment kept safe or handed to him.
“I checked online, and there were no commercially available options for contactless doorbells, so I decided to create the first one!”
WaveBell is a two-part wireless device with a ‘wave to ring’ feature that automatically detects hand-waves to signal a doorbell chime. The unit functions either automatically (detecting people on approach) or manually (requiring a closer hand wave) according to user preference.
Starting with advertisements through his local newsagent, Mr Evans quickly secured another valuable marketing stand in Australia Post. Right now, WaveBell is at the manufacturing stage, with pre-orders available online and the first 1000-unit batch ready for market.
Mr Evans is no stranger to the world of startups. He said that his exposure to Ventures programs, such as the 2018 Shanghai Startup Adventure, developed his passion for startups in electronics development over many years.
“The scary part of beginning a startup is not knowing how much information you’re missing,” he said.
“The Ventures programs show you where to look. They’re so valuable in taking that first step.
"I didn’t like the idea of a conventional job, so I decided early on that I wanted independence and to decide for myself what projects to take on.”
His Startup Adventure internship with partnerX robotics in Shanghai gave Mr Evans a deep insight into electronics startups and allowed him to assist directly with improving drone technology, an experience which led to the beginnings of his own technology startup ideas.
Mr Evans’s previous startup, ParkQ, a vehicle scanning and parking monitor system, launched in October 2019 and continues to attract clients from around the world. He also recently won three hackathon competitions: the Arc Startup Weekend in 2018, the Lendlease TechFe(a)st and EthDenver in Colorado, where he was sponsored by SecureDataLinks.
The suite of entrepreneurship programs at Ventures gave Mr Evans the kickstart he needed for his own startups.
WaveBell is available now for pre-order via the website.
Ventures programs are open to everyone – from new students to PhD students and alumni. To learn more and to see what’s on, visit Ventures Events.
