Thursday, January 7, 2016

10 BEST INVENTIONS OF 2015

EM'S list, based on TIME MAGAZINE'S "25 BEST INVENTIONS OF 2015"


UNDERGROUND PARK Lowline Lab guys, Barash & Ramsey, use “remote skylight” system to capture sunlight from surrounding rooftops; built prototype park; raising $70 million, to build more parks.


EARBUGS /$249 Designed to amplify or decrease all noises at once. Syncs with smart
phone app; users pick frequencies to filter. In Subway you'll have normal conversation as trains screech; on plane you can tune out crying babies. “It’s augmented audio reality,” says Doppler Labs CEO, Noah Kraft.

MICROSOFT HALOGENS; developer edition available.
Oculus Rift creates escapes, HALOGENS augments reality, overlaying holograms & data onto existing surroundings; is  currently used by NASA to mimic Mars’ terrain in labs; medical students use it to dissect virtual bodies.



JUNO $120,000
In three hours (not full day as it now takes) manufacturer Fluidigm’s microchip amplifies samples 1,000 times smaller than a drop of water. It's already being use at academic and research labs.

STAR APARTMENTS
Designed by Michael Maltzan for non-profit Skid Row Housing; single building--102 prefabricated studios, staggered into four terraced stories--ground floor medical clinic, garden, classrooms--rooftop outdoor running track. County health services will handpick homeless residents, create a mini village in Los Angeles.




SAFETY TRUCK, built by Argentine Samsung and Leo Burnett, has a system that relays video footage from the front of a truck to four screens on its back, giving drivers a clear view of what’s ahead.

BABY MONITOR $299 Fitbit-like device tracks infant’s heart rate, body temperature, position; notifies parents, via mobile app.

APPLE PENCIL+IPAD PRO/ $799+$99
Pencil writes at any angle; can get darker or be erased, can draw, paint or write on a screen; create art, animations, blueprints, iPad Pro's faster than 80% of laptops.

OCEAN CLEANUP  $15 billion,  start in 2020
Developed by Boyan Slat, to clean up plastic trash in the Pacific Ocean (pile is bigger than Texas); Cleanup Project will build 62-mile-long floating boom that uses natural currents to trap trash that could reduce the trash by 42%.

TZOA Environment Tracker / $139
Stationary device, developed by Kevin Hart; sensors evaluate atmosphere in any area, measures  temperature, particulate matter (dust, pollen, mold, car exhaust) and UV exposure; uploads that data to Cloud, so others can conduct air-quality research; wearable versions available in May.

Other Best Inventions from Time Magazine's list
"Hoverboard" Scooter / $350 to $1700.
Eko Smart Stethoscope $199 shares with doctor.
Banza Chickpea Pasta/ $4 box.
Nima / $199, sensor sniffs out allergens in foods like Gluten.
Drone Port for drones used by companies like Amazon.
Thinx panties/ $24, for menstruating women.
Casper Mattress /$500,  in a box, returnable.
Nike Flyease Sneaker, $230, ties with one hand.
Pantelligent / $199, teaches user to cook.
Drinkable Book,each page can filter water.
Hackaball / $85, teaches user to program.
Google Cardboard, virtual helmet you can make.
Artiphon Instrument/ $399, play many instruments.
Tesla Model X /  $130,000, 250 miles per charge, 7 passengers.
CogniToys Dino/ $120 talks back to kids.

4 comments:

Carola said...

I like the earbugs and the safety truck--and of course the ocean cleanup.

Unknown said...

Its the Jetsons ...

Dfish_edit said...

Thank you, Emily...always appreciate your blogs. Keep up your inspired moments....Happy New Year! Your friend, Diane Fish

Cara said...

I'm curious to see how the Star Apartments work. It sounds like a great idea, but I wonder if there might be unintended consequences. What might happen in the meeting place between well-intentioned plans and real people with serious mental health issues?

I saw a kid using one of those Hoverboard scooters and thought it looked super cool, but did you hear? Sometimes they spontaneously combust and explode!