Inventions of the Year [Archive]

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Santa

11-26-2005, 11:47 PM

Time Magazines Inventions of the Year 2005
all items - http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1129516,00.html

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_tire.jpg
Airing It Out
Inventor: Michelin
Availability: Now for the IBOT; about 2020 for cars
To Learn More: michelinman.com (http://michelinman.com/)
A wheel without an inflated tire may seem old-fashioned—think wooden buggy wheels—but the Tweel from Michelin is anything but retro. A shock-absorbing rubber tread band distributes pressure to dozens of flexible polyurethane spokes. The spokes in turn are supported by an aluminum center. Because the Tweel is airless, it is more rugged than a pneumatic tire and never goes flat. The Tweel has been tested on the IBOT robotic wheelchair and military vehicles. But you won’t see it on your Honda anytime soon. Michelin says it is still too noisy for automotive applications.

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http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_iunit.jpg
Handles Like a Dream
Inventor: Yoshiaki Kato of Toyota
Availability: Prototype only
To Learn More: www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/04/1203_1e.html (http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/04/1203_1e.html)
The i-unit is a four-wheel personal-transportation system that looks like a space-age sports car. "This is designed to be an extension of the human body," says Yoshiaki Kato, chief engineer of the fully electronic, drive-by-wire concept vehicle, which is powered by lithium-ion batteries and has an exterior made of biodegradable, plant-based materials. The 3-ft.-wide, leaf-shaped i-unit is nearly 6 ft. tall when positioned upright but drops its center of gravity and reclines into a sports-car position for traveling at speeds of up to 25 m.p.h. Sensors allow the vehicle to detect obstacles. Place the steering unit to the left or right—or even at the feet of those with special needs.

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http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_sleeptracker.jpg

Rise and Shine
Inventor: Lee Loree
Availability: Now, $149
To Learn More: sleeptracker.com (http://sleeptracker.com/)
Ever wonder why you feel groggier some mornings than others? It may be because your alarm went off when you were in the middle of a deep sleep. The Sleeptracker watch solves this problem by waking you only when you are in a light sleep. Equipped with a built-in motion sensor, the watch can tell whether you are in a deep or a light slumber. (The more restless you are, the lighter your sleep.) To ensure an optimal waking time, allow a window of 20 minutes or so when it would be O.K. to get up. Then Sleeptracker's alarm will go off when it senses that you are best ready to face the day.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_beertap.jpg
Perfect Brew
Inventor: Matthew Younkle, Laminar Technologies
Availability: Businesses can lease it for $99 a year per tap; keg-cooler version costs $209, kegerator, $179
To Learn More: turbotap.com (http://turbotap.com/)
Nothing kills happy hour like a big head. Now bartenders and concessionaires pulling pints can rely on TurboTap to keep things neat. The device, a stainless-steel spout that attaches to an existing tap, changes the flow of the beer so that it hits the bottom just so, eliminating the need to tilt the glass or slow down the pour. (The tail end, shaped like a Hershey's Kiss, feathers the liquid out to the sides; it takes only eight to 10 seconds to fill a pitcher.) Got a kegerator in the garage? You're in luck: home kits are now available.

:sick:http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_pearstattoed.jpg
Fruit Tattoos
Inventor: Greg Drouillard
Availability: Now, on a trial basis
To Learn More: durand-wayland.com/label (http://durand-wayland.com/label)
Goodbye, pesky stickers. A growing number of produce packers and distributors are experimenting with natural-light labeling, a new process that uses a laser to etch identifying information (country of origin, variety, etc.) into the skins of fruits and vegetables without bruising or causing other damage. In our taste tests with pears from Southern Oregon Sales, the labeled areas proved entirely edible, if oddly textured. The process allows suppliers to attach more specific data to individual items—such as when a peach will be ripe enough to eat and other handy tidbits—in a way that won't stick to your hair.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_winesaver.jpg
Uncorked
Inventor: G&eactue;rard Michel, Laurent Villaume
Availability: Now, $59.95
To Learn More: tasting-international.com (http://tasting-international.com/)
Have you ever popped the cork on a fine Bordeaux or Chardonnay only to encounter a bitter taste and noxious aroma? About 5% of all bottled wine is tainted by a molecule in some corks known as trichloroanisole (TCA). Now a French company has devised a way to extract the TCA and restore the wine's bouquet. Pour the wine into the Dream Taste glass pitcher and insert a bunch of white plastic grapes, included in the kit. The faux fruit acts as a filter, absorbing the TCA in about an hour. Then pour a fresh glass, sit back and enjoy.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_dancingrobot.jpg Dancing Machine
Inventor: Tohoku University, Nomura Unison Group, TroisO Co. Ltd.
Availability: Prototype only
To Learn More: www.irs.mech.tohoku.ac.jp/top.html (http://www.irs.mech.tohoku.ac.jp/top.html)
With a face modeled on Marilyn Monroe's and a long, flowing skirt to hide its three wheels, the Partner Ballroom Dance Robot is a 5-ft. 5-in. waltzing humanoid. Available in hot pink or blue, it has upper-body sensors that allow it to "predict" its partner's next steps. Dancing is just one application. "By interpreting users' movements to estimate what they want, care robots will be able to provide better service for the elderly who may be too sick or handicapped to give verbal orders," says bioengineering and robotics professor Kazuhiro Kosuge, one of the creators.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_lenses.jpg Sport Shades
Inventor: Alan Reichow at Pacific University for Nike
Availability: Now, $60 for box of six lenses. Purchase requires fitting by a professional; monthly replacement recommended.
To Learn More: nikevision.com (http://nikevision.com/) & bauschlomb.com (http://bauschlomb.com/)
These amber-tinted MaxSight contact lenses from Nike filter out blue light to reduce glare and improve the visibility of baseballs, tennis balls and other moving targets. A gray-green version gives golfers an edge by enhancing the dips and curves of a distant putting green. Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts credits his MaxSights with boosting his batting average last season; Michelle Wie wore them during her professional debut. The lenses, like those in any decent pair of sunglasses, also filter out ultraviolet rays.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_straw.jpg
Clear Water Revival
Inventor: Vestergaard Frandsen Group
Availability: Early 2006; $3 and up
To Learn More: lifestraw.com (http://lifestraw.com/)
The price of a caffe latte—about $3—really can save a life. The LifeStraw, a beefed-up drinking straw designed by the Swiss-based company Vestergaard Frandsen, uses seven types of filters, including mesh, active carbon and iodine, to make 185 gal. of water clean enough to drink. It can prevent waterborne illnesses, such as typhoid and diarrhea, that kill at least 2 million people every year in the developing world. It can also create safe drinking water for victims of hurricanes, earthquakes or other disasters. And finally, it makes a handy accoutrement for the weekend warrior's back-country hike.

Time Magazines Inventions of the Year 2005
alot more items - http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1129516,00.html

twisterX

11-26-2005, 11:51 PM

the watch thing is so cool.

Santa

11-26-2005, 11:52 PM

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_bioimplant.jpg
Patchwork
Inventor: Ellis Developments Ltd.
Availability: Now, in England only
To Learn More: ellisdev.co.uk (http://ellisdev.co.uk/)
It may look like a delicate doily, but the Bioimplantable Device is a rugged internal bandage that helps patients recover swiftly from shoulder-joint-replacement surgery. Made of standard polyester surgical thread, the device has an embroidered pattern that gives it strength and flexibility while imitating human tendons. Once implanted between muscles and bones, the device is never removed; it becomes part of the body as cells grow over it. This technology is also being used to replace slipped disks in the neck and to aid in clavicle-replacement surgery.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_poweredarmor.jpg
Walk Man
Inventor: Yoshiyuki Sankai, University of Tsukuba
Availability: Near future, $14,000–$19,000
To Learn More: sanlab.kz.tsukuba.ac.jp (http://sanlab.kz.tsukuba.ac.jp/)
Enter ... Mecha-Grandma! Japanese researchers have developed a robotic exoskeleton to help the elderly and disabled walk and even lift heavy objects like the jug of water above. It’s called the Hybrid Assistive Limb, or HAL. (The inventor has obviously never seen 2001: A Space Odyssey.) Its brain is a computer (housed in a backpack) that learns to mimic the wearer’s gait and posture; bioelectric sensors pick up signals transmitted from the brain to the muscles, so it can anticipate movements the moment the wearer thinks of them. A commercial version is in the works. Just don’t let it near the pod-bay doors.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_tent.jpg
Pumped And Ready
Inventor: Cam Brensinger
Availability: Now, $395 for two-person Hypno tent
To Learn More: nemoequipment.com (http://nemoequipment.com/)
Tired of fumbling with tent poles as the sun goes down at some campsite in the woods? Nemo Equipment's inflatable tent has two supporting beams that are virtually pop-proof and are inflated with a foot pump to give the tent a rigid structure without aluminum poles. Designed by Cam Brensinger, a consultant for a NASA project designing spacesuits for Mars, the Nemo tents bring aerospace technology to the great outdoors. The company says the tents can be erected in less than a minute—in our test it took 48 seconds!
(this was ripped from kitesurfers):dry:

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_surfboard.jpg New Wave
Inventor: Mark Itnyre and Peter Mehiel
Availability: Now, $850 to $1,200
To Learn More: hydroepic.com (http://hydroepic.com/)
After decades of riding waves on boards made of foam and fiberglass, surfers have a high-tech alternative. Hydro Epic boards are hollow on the inside but have an extra-sturdy shell made of a carbon fiber–Kevlar composite and a thin aluminum honeycomb. To keep the air in the board from expanding and contracting in extreme heat or at high altitudes, there is a small vent at one end that lets air pass through while keeping water out. The radical design makes Hydro Epics stronger, faster and up to 30% lighter (the short board weighs 51⁄2 lbs.) than other boards. More important, the board has more flex, for better maneuverability.
Next Product: Big Wheel (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1129524-3,00.html)

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_landroller.jpg
Big Wheels Keep On Turnin'
Inventor: LandRoller
Availability: Now, $249
To Learn More: landroller.com (http://landroller.com/)
A pair of skates with wheels that are angled inward may seem terribly wrong. But the oversize wheels on the new LandRollers are aligned in such a way that they help you keep your balance, especially on a cracked pavement or an uneven surface. Because the wheels' tilt is offset by the weight of your foot, the skate actually feels sturdier than most inline skates. Experienced skaters may find the LandRollers a little clunky and heavier than other popular skates, but for beginners longing to roll with the rest of the crowd, these two-wheelers do an admirable job of reducing the fear factor.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_underwaterdigitalcamers.jpg
League Of Its Own
Inventor: Pure Digital Technologies
Availability: Now, at dive and photo shops, $550
To Learn More: sealife-cameras.com (http://sealife-cameras.com/)
The bijou camera eliminates the traditional bulk of underwater cameras, measuring a mere 3.5 in. by 5.5 in. and weighing just under 17 oz. But there's no sacrificing image quality. The SeaLife DC500 captures ultrasharp, high-resolution pictures and overcomes underwater photography challenges including poor light, waterborne particles and quick-moving subjects. And it's good for a deep dive. The camera is waterproof down to 200 ft. and also has six modes for land.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_robotskinn.jpg
The Right Touch
Inventor: Takao Someya
Availability: Prototype only
To Learn More: www.ntech.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp (http://www.ntech.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp/)
The key to making artificially intelligent robots lies in giving them plenty of ways to gather information about their environment. Takao Someya, a researcher at the University of Tokyo, has created an electronic film—made up of bendable, shock-resistant transistors embedded in plastic—that can detect pressure and temperature. The sheet, known as a "large-area sensor array," is flexible enough to cover small objects and could give robots a sense of touch. Another potential use: smart carpet or furniture upholstery that can automatically adjust its temperature.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_waterproofpaper.jpg Keeping Dry
Inventor: Sally Ramsey, Ecology Coatings
Availability: Commercial production in about 18 months
To Learn More: ecologycoatings.com (http://ecologycoatings.com/)
Like many great inventions, Ecology Coatings' new type of waterproof paper was an accident. While experimenting with a new protective coating for plastic in her lab, chief chemist Sally Ramsey put down paper to keep her workspace clean. But before she trashed the coated paper, she got curious. It turned out that she had created a waterproof and mildew-resistant paper that was easy to write on. The technology could be perfect for such low-cost paper products as shipping labels.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_autodoor.jpg Formfitting
Inventor: Rikiya Fukuda
Availability: Prototype only
To Learn More: snipurl.com/jp3h (Japanese only) (http://snipurl.com/jp3h)
A door that fits like a glove? This one does. Fukuda's Automatic Door, designed in Japan, opens just enough to match the shape of the person or object passing through. The nifty motion-detecting portal saves energy by keeping a door from having to repeatedly open all the way. That helps maintain a stable temperature in a room and can prevent dirt and other materials from being swept inside. In addition to people, the new system can be used for small objects, like packages dropped off at a post office, or for larger things, like a car coming through a garage door.

ziggyjuarez

11-26-2005, 11:53 PM

The Clear Water Revival would be grate for 3rd world countrys.

Santa

11-26-2005, 11:54 PM

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_trainingbike.jpg Training Wheels
Inventor: Scott Shim, Matt Grossman and Ryan Lightbody
Availability: In late 2006; $100
To Learn More: designapkin.com (http://designapkin.com/)
Learning to ride a bike can be fraught with anxiety, but it doesn't have to be. Industrial designers from Purdue University have invented the Shift tricycle, whose rear wheels move closer together as the rider picks up speed, then separate for easier balance at slower speeds or at a standstill. A spring-loaded mechanism in the rear hub controls the rear wheels, and there are no spokes or exposed bike chain. The 25-lb. aluminum trike won an international bike-design competition in Taiwan this year. Now its creators want to produce it commercially.

http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2005/0511/inv_antfarm.jpg Tunnel Vision
Inventor: Fascinations
Availability: Now, $20, plus $3 for 25 live ants
To Learn More: fascinations.com (http://fascinations.com/)
Want a low-maintenance pet that won't scratch, shed or sleep all day? AntWorks is a new kind of ant farm that replaces dirt or sand with a clear, seaweed-based gel that is packed with all the tasty sugar, water and nutrients that ants need to survive. Just pop in some ants, close the lid, and watch the insects start tunneling through the blue-tinted goop. A magnifying glass, included, lets you see the ants' surprisingly sharp claws and even the hair on their bodies. For special effects, blue LED lights can be attached to the bottom of AntWorks to make it glow day and night.

alot more items - http://www.time.com/time/business/ar...129516,00.html (http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1129516,00.html)

ziggyjuarez

11-26-2005, 11:55 PM

i seen that "Formfitting" in action.Dont work too well.In a few years if they work out the kinks maybe.But as of today it sucks.

maebach

11-27-2005, 03:59 AM

Waterproof paper is cool and as ziggy said, the water purifier would help alot. Actually, all the inventions would help I think.

Yogs

11-27-2005, 09:56 AM

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/shannon28/canbra_lg.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/shannon28/candygvar_lg.jpg

Bon apetit!!!:w00t:

Gripper

11-27-2005, 10:16 AM

Exoskeletons...wicked,sci-fi becomes fact

Yogs

11-27-2005, 12:22 PM

http://www.lolpictures.com/pictures/pic4/invention.jpg

Yogs

11-27-2005, 12:25 PM

http://oorgo.mu.nu/archives/10727.jpg

Aaron_T

11-27-2005, 01:27 PM

I love that personal buggy thing, i want one i would never have to walk again :shifty:

Yogs

11-27-2005, 01:52 PM

I love that personal buggy thing, i want one i would never have to walk again :shifty:

Just chop off your legs and then tell me that again..............:blink:

Aaron_T

11-27-2005, 03:35 PM

I love that personal buggy thing, i want one i would never have to walk again :shifty:

Just chop off your legs and then tell me that again..............:blink:

*chops off legs* I love that personal buggy thing, i want one i would never have to walk again :shifty:

:)

Yogs

11-27-2005, 10:14 PM

Just chop off your legs and then tell me that again..............:blink:

*chops off legs* I love that personal buggy thing, i want one i would never have to walk again :shifty:

:)

Congratulations!!!

You can now tell every girl your dick reaches the floor.............:lol:

clocker

11-28-2005, 01:04 AM

How could they have missed The Toy (http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,69637,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_2)?

I know JP wants one.

Aaron_T

11-28-2005, 01:13 AM

*chops off legs* I love that personal buggy thing, i want one i would never have to walk again :shifty:

:)

Congratulations!!!

You can now tell every girl your dick reaches the floor.............:lol:

:lol: i do anyway... :shifty:

Yogs

11-28-2005, 01:48 PM

http://www.i4u.com/images/lamabox_p2p_stream_bittorrent.jpg

:w00t:

The LamaBox from the Netherlands is the world's first media player that supports P2P downloads. The Home Entertainment Media Player comes preloaded with P2P software like Edonkey, Bittorrent, Kazaa (Fasttrack), Gnutella and overnet.
The Lamabox also supports direct streaming of video and audio from the net.

A standard LamaBox (400) with a 40GB hard drive sells for 279 Euros.
The LamaBox 420 (40GB + DVD burner) is 329 Euros, the LamaBox 820 (200GB + DVD burner) is 379 Euros and the 900 (400GB + DVD burner) is 479 Euros. The Lamabox hits the market still this year

GadgetZone:

Whoa Nelly, here’s a little sumtin’ sumtin’ to get the attention of the MPAA and RIAA litigation gestapo: Dutch company LamaBox is launching today what they are claiming to be the world’s first media player with built-in peer-2-peer functionality. It plugs directly into your TV, provides search and download support for all the major P2P services you’d expect including Bittorrent and Kazaa, ships with a DVD burner and up to 400GB with 2 additional IDE connections for expansion, and is said to play “any format” of image/audio/video files found on the Internet. You may remember that Grokster was taken down due to their file sharing app and for subjectively taking “affirmative steps to foster infringement.” So LamaBox is easy prey, eh? Not so fast, see the Dutch supreme court ruled long ago in favor of the then Netherlands-based Kazaa and only classifies the upload of copyrighted material as illegal. As the LamaBox FAQ responds to the question of the legality of downloading films and music, “downloading from the Internet is always legal.” Those free-livin’ straight-talkin’ Dutch are offering the low end 40GB LamaBox 400 for €279/$329 or a 400GB top-end LamaBox 900 with DVD burner for €479/$565. Expect ‘em to ship with a subpoena if they ever come Stateside — you know how the MPAA and RIAA roll.

:shifty:

Aaron_T

11-28-2005, 03:10 PM