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
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.
-------------------------------------------------
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.
---------------------------------------------------
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