Also known as: Whirlscape
Developers of Minuum, a compact touchscreen keyboard using machine learning for mobile and wearable devices, and Dango keyboard.
Traditional keyboards are inefficient on small touchscreens and wearables, hindering text input for users with large fingers or limited space.
Traditional keyboards are inefficient on small touchscreens and wearables, hindering text input for users with large fingers or limited space.
Minuum and Dango keyboards use machine learning for gesture-based, compact typing that predicts and corrects inputs across mobile and wearable devices.
Minuum and Dango keyboards use machine learning for gesture-based, compact typing that predicts and corrects inputs across mobile and wearable devices.
Whirlscape Inc. is a Canadian technology startup focused on innovative input solutions for mobile and wearable devices. Based in Toronto, the company specialized in human-computer interaction, machine learning, and computational linguistics to create advanced keyboard technologies. Their flagship products addressed challenges in text entry on small screens and emerging wearables.
Whirlscape developed Minuum, a minimalistic keyboard designed for touchscreen devices. Minuum features a single-row layout that expands gesture-based inputs into full words using predictive algorithms. This approach suits large fingers on small displays, such as smartphones and smartwatches. The keyboard launched for Android devices and demonstrated functionality on devices like Samsung Galaxy Gear.
The company also created Dango, a mobile keyboard incorporating emoji and deep learning capabilities. Dango represents an evolution in personalized text input, blending traditional typing with advanced natural language processing.
Whirlscape's solutions leverage deep learning and machine learning to interpret ambiguous inputs. Their keyboards unify typing methods across devices, enabling text entry in constrained environments. This includes support for wearable computing, where traditional QWERTY layouts prove impractical. The firm's roots in academic research from the University of Toronto informed their focus on hyper-personalized input devices.
Products like Minuum gained traction through crowdfunding, highlighting public interest in compact input methods. Whirlscape aimed to remove barriers to communication by making keyboards adaptable and omnipresent.
Participation in accelerators shaped Whirlscape's trajectory. The company joined Y Combinator's Winter 2014 batch and the University of Toronto's UTEST program. These programs provided seed funding and mentorship, accelerating product development. Whirlscape also engaged with the Creative Destruction Lab, supporting their pivot toward wearable technologies.
Minuum's Indiegogo campaign showcased early market validation. The effort drew widespread media coverage and demonstrated viability for OEM integrations.
Whirlscape targeted the growing wearable and ubiquitous computing sectors. Their keyboards addressed input limitations on devices like smartwatches and Google Glass prototypes. By simplifying keyboard concepts, the company enabled typing in unconventional contexts, fostering seamless communication across hardware ecosystems.
The startup positioned itself at the intersection of HCI and natural language processing. This expertise allowed them to innovate beyond standard apps, exploring OEM partnerships for embedded solutions.
Whirlscape operated in a competitive landscape of mobile input technologies. Their emphasis on gesture-based, learning-enabled keyboards differentiated them from conventional apps. The firm's work anticipated broader adoption of wearables, where efficient text entry remains critical.
While specific outcomes post-2014 are limited in available records, Whirlscape's contributions influenced subsequent developments in adaptive keyboards. Their legacy persists in ongoing efforts to optimize input for diverse form factors.
Available information underscores Whirlscape's role in pioneering compact, intelligent keyboards. Products like Minuum and Dango tackled real-world usability issues, leveraging AI to enhance accessibility. Based on records from accelerators and early announcements, the company exemplified early-stage innovation in mobile HCI.
Whirlscape Inc. is a Canadian technology startup focused on innovative input solutions for mobile and wearable devices. Based in Toronto, the company specialized in human-computer interaction, machine learning, and computational linguistics to create advanced keyboard technologies. Their flagship products addressed challenges in text entry on small screens and emerging wearables.
Whirlscape developed Minuum, a minimalistic keyboard designed for touchscreen devices. Minuum features a single-row layout that expands gesture-based inputs into full words using predictive algorithms. This approach suits large fingers on small displays, such as smartphones and smartwatches. The keyboard launched for Android devices and demonstrated functionality on devices like Samsung Galaxy Gear.
The company also created Dango, a mobile keyboard incorporating emoji and deep learning capabilities. Dango represents an evolution in personalized text input, blending traditional typing with advanced natural language processing.
Whirlscape's solutions leverage deep learning and machine learning to interpret ambiguous inputs. Their keyboards unify typing methods across devices, enabling text entry in constrained environments. This includes support for wearable computing, where traditional QWERTY layouts prove impractical. The firm's roots in academic research from the University of Toronto informed their focus on hyper-personalized input devices.
Products like Minuum gained traction through crowdfunding, highlighting public interest in compact input methods. Whirlscape aimed to remove barriers to communication by making keyboards adaptable and omnipresent.
Participation in accelerators shaped Whirlscape's trajectory. The company joined Y Combinator's Winter 2014 batch and the University of Toronto's UTEST program. These programs provided seed funding and mentorship, accelerating product development. Whirlscape also engaged with the Creative Destruction Lab, supporting their pivot toward wearable technologies.
Minuum's Indiegogo campaign showcased early market validation. The effort drew widespread media coverage and demonstrated viability for OEM integrations.
Whirlscape targeted the growing wearable and ubiquitous computing sectors. Their keyboards addressed input limitations on devices like smartwatches and Google Glass prototypes. By simplifying keyboard concepts, the company enabled typing in unconventional contexts, fostering seamless communication across hardware ecosystems.
The startup positioned itself at the intersection of HCI and natural language processing. This expertise allowed them to innovate beyond standard apps, exploring OEM partnerships for embedded solutions.
Whirlscape operated in a competitive landscape of mobile input technologies. Their emphasis on gesture-based, learning-enabled keyboards differentiated them from conventional apps. The firm's work anticipated broader adoption of wearables, where efficient text entry remains critical.
While specific outcomes post-2014 are limited in available records, Whirlscape's contributions influenced subsequent developments in adaptive keyboards. Their legacy persists in ongoing efforts to optimize input for diverse form factors.
Available information underscores Whirlscape's role in pioneering compact, intelligent keyboards. Products like Minuum and Dango tackled real-world usability issues, leveraging AI to enhance accessibility. Based on records from accelerators and early announcements, the company exemplified early-stage innovation in mobile HCI.
Total Raised: $500,000+ seed
Last Round: Seed 2014
Total Raised: $500,000+ seed
Last Round: Seed 2014
B2C app sales and crowdfunding; B2B OEM integrations for devices.
B2C app sales and crowdfunding; B2B OEM integrations for devices.
Mobile users, wearable device owners, OEM manufacturers.
Mobile users, wearable device owners, OEM manufacturers.
unknown
Hiring: unknown
unknown
Hiring: unknown
