IdeaConnection :: Inventions & Innovations

A Jacket for the Cool and the Cold

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Here's a coat that lets you adjust its warming power to the temperature. The 23-ounce, North Face jacket, worn one way, lets small pockets on the edges of quilted squares stretch open, so that air can flow in and out. Turn the jacket inside-out and the pockets snuggle together, trapping air inside for greater warmth.

Recycle Bicycle

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Industrial Designer Matt Clark proposes a bicycle that not only saves money by avoiding the gas pump and helps the planet by not producing harmful emissions--it's recyclable. Made of molded plastic components instead of aluminum tubes, the lightweight, affordable alternative could end up as a pile of plastic drink bottles.

Nissan Nuvu

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Nissan's concept electric car can travel 77 miles on a single charge, and can reach 72 mph. It has a solar panel built into its glass roof, and a 2 + 1 seating arrangement.

Artificial Electric Eel produces Energy

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

US engineers have developed a computer model which suggests that artificial eel cells could generate as much as 40% more energy than acrual eel cells.

Scented Discs

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Rub and Smell discs will tempt you to purchase... pizza, coffee, fruit... "You can actually create a CD or DVD for a florist that actually smells like flowers!"

Underwater Robot Hovers

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Unlike traditional underwater robots, the two-meter-long Odyssey IV moves like a helicopter and can hover in place and descend as deep as 6,000 meters. This makes it ideal for inspecting off-shore oil platforms and all kinds of scientific marine work. More photos

A Prettier Way to Make Tea

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

This whispy-looking tea infuser, call the teastick, promises better and more convenient tea preparation. Place your favorite tea container inside the teastick and stir. No more dipping the bag and stirring with a spoon. It's all one, elegant operation now.

Turn Humid Air Into Potable Water

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

The Watermill converts outside air into about 12 liters of water per day of clean, fresh drinking and cooking water. It's basically a dehumidifier with filtration and ultraviolet sterilization.

Mobile Phone Used to View Blood Cells

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Scientists have devised a portable medical diagnostic application, called the LUCAS technique, that can count specific kinds of blood cells in a homogenous cell solution using the technology available in a typical mobile phone.

System Exercises Muscles as Bones Heal

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

While a cast protects broken bones as they heal, the muscles surrounding them being to loose strength. The StimuHeal system, now available in Europe and Israel, stimulates muscles underneath a cast in order to reduce muscle atrophy.

Auto-focus for Cellphone Cameras

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

A new technology could bring autofocus to small cameras and cellular phones. The liquid-lens consists of water droplets cupped between plastic caps. A miniature speaker plays a high-frequency sound, which shapes the water, enabling adjustable focus.

Mother's Kiss Makes It All Better

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

A Japanese inventor offers a pain-free, needle-free injection method he calls Mother's Kiss. His alternative, which eliminates the dangers of infection from needles, uses tiny plastic ampules to deliver medication.

Earth-Friendly Refrigerator Returns

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Scientists at Oxford University have rebuilt an early invention of Albert Einstein and colleague Leo Szilard that runs without electricity. The environmentally friendly alternative with a 1930 patents uses ammonia, butane, and water instead of freons.

Water Filtration Improved with Nanoparticles

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

A new filter could make clean water more available where limited fresh-water supply is a serious problem. Adding porous nanoparticles to membranes can double water filtration efficiency and decrease the energy required to filter water by 20%, researchers have found.

Artificial Hand with a Softer Touch

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

A prosthetic hand with gel-filled fingertips is designed to give wearers greater sensitivity, control, and grip. The rubber surface and gel contents communicate with the acrylic bones inside the hand to provide a much greater degree of feedback, enabling the user to sense subtle touch signals and react accordingly.

Swallowable Camera

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Swallow this pill-sized camera and doctors can snap pictures and perform diagnosis without surgery.

Jetpack flies FusionMan across English Channel

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

Yves Rossy flew from England to France in thirteen minutes, propelled by four kerosene-burning jet turbines attached to a wing on his back.

Improved Artificial Eyes on the Horizon

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

A new retinal implant could give better vision to blind or partially sighted people by stimulating healthy nerve cells connected to their retinas. Until now, long use of implants, which diminish in performance over time, tend to cause inflammation. The new implants show promise of overcoming these problems.

The Bike You Can Run On

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

The elliptiGO glide allows runners to exercise, as if they were running but with less impact, while riding a bike. In place of crank pedals, the new bike uses a run-in-place arrangement to drive the wheels. Riders get the exercise and motion benefits of running plus the speed and feel of a bike ride.

Neighborhood Car Just Around the Corner

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800

The GEM "GreenEcoMobility" Peapod, zero-emission, electric car will roll out in September of 2009. Made out of recycled and recyclable materials, it's billed as a low-speed (25 mph tops), neighborhood commuter and can cover up to 30 miles before it requires a recharge.