The outgoing year was rich in a variety of claims. Some of them badly, "a noise" in the press, some - go unnoticed. Here is a list of the most significant inventions of the year by the magazine Time.
1. This flying skateboard
Skateboard, hovering like a fabulous carpet plane remained a pipe dream after his show in the second part of the movie "Back to the Future." But this year the company Hendo from California to build a real prototype "floating board."
Of course, it has some limitations. Skateboard from Hendo can soar in only three inches above the surface, with the surface to be conductive - for example, it can be made of copper or aluminum. Until now, only 10 made of skateboards. A battery in this board lacks only 15 minutes.
However, the technology behind this invention may be revolutionary. The founders of the company Hendo, Jill and Greg Henderson plans to further develop the technology of magnetic "floating" and use it to stabilize the building during an earthquake to protect the priceless works of art and much more.
2. Smart spaceship
No one got to reach Mars on the first try. It failed to make either the US or Russia, nor in Europe.However, on September 24 it happened in India. When the interplanetary space station "Mangalyan" entered the orbit of the red planet, it became a kind of technological feat that has not yet been able to replicate any other Asian country. Construction of the ship cost India $ 74 million, is less than the budget of the film "Gravity". "Mangalyan" is equipped with only five on-board devices that allow him to perform simple tasks, such as measuring the level of methane in the atmosphere's composition and analysis of the planet's surface. Much more important is that this ship has allowed India to demonstrate its "interplanetary muscles" that holds great promise for the space program in the country.
3. ITER
Fusion - energy recovery due to the nuclear fusion of hydrogen - has always been the Holy Grail of energy. It is incredibly productive and clean technology, which to this day has remained unrealized. But in October of this year, the company Lockheed Martin announced that reached a technological breakthrough, which will create a compact fusion reactor, with its size is so small that it can easily fit in the back of a truck. The design uses "containment magnetic mirrors", which allows you to control the reaction. Given the fact that more information about this invention yet, some scientists are skeptical.But if Lockheed Martin is really able to create a workable fusion reactor, global energy consumption will change once and for all.
4. Wireless transmission of electricity
We already have wireless Internet access and wireless telephones. So why do our appliances are still chained to an outlet? Yes, now there are wireless chargers for small gadgets such as mobile phones.However, the company WiTricity, located in Massachusetts, are accustomed to think broadly. These techniques use a special coil generating a magnetic field which, in turn, allows charging apparatus at a distance of 2.4 meters. This technology is already tested by Intel, Toyota, and many others. According to the director Alex Georgia, after 10 years of our rooms may vary, and all appliances such as lights, televisions, stereos can be powered from a single wireless energy source.
5. Three-dimensional printing
Avi Reychental
Machine that can build any object. It sounds like science fiction, but thanks to the development of three-dimensional printing devices that can create objects on digital drawings, using plastic and other materials, this fiction is fast becoming a reality.
3D-printing technology - good for both corporations and consumers. Last year, students have already appeared printed on the printer model cars for physics lessons, and the scientists were printed out human tissue. Manufacturers of aircraft using 3D-press to increase the efficiency of jet engines. "This is one of those technologies that address virtually all that we do," - said Avi Reychental, CEO of 3D Systems, whose 3D-printer can, among other things, to print candy (as shown above), and musical instruments.
6. The clock, which gave a new definition of the concept of "smart"
Most "smart" watches are very good, but they are all trying to combine the experience of using mobile phones. And the results of this "association" is not encouraging. And watch Apple - is a complete computer on the wrist, with the new interface, which combines physical buttons with touch screen.With the help of these hours, you can not only tell time, but also send messages to monitor the health status, make payments, and much more. They are also attractive in terms of fashion, as the most expensive model of this watch is decorated with gold. "Apple has put heart and soul into this project," - said Robert Brunner, founder of the design studio in San Francisco and former director of the department of industrial design Apple.
7. The smartphone that puts privacy in the first place
Experts estimate that nearly half of the users do not feel safe sharing of confidential information via smartphones. So can the owner of the smartphone securely hide confidential information? This can help Blackphone, smartphone, in which the confidentiality of user information put at the forefront. This device was developed by the same name, and it happened shortly after exposing publications Snowden.
The device uses a modified system Android, which eliminates unauthorized access to confidential information. In addition, the smartphone comes with special software that allows you to encrypt calls, text messages and Internet surfing history (because of this Blackphone already attracted the attention of law enforcement, because there believe that it may be used by criminals seeking to cover their tracks) .
But even with such a smartphone user should think carefully before you download something or write something. "It is dangerous to think that you now have something like the invisibility cloak," - said General Director Blackphone Toby Wayne Jones.
8. The cooler, which will charge your party
Ryan Grepper
For 60 years, coolers cool makes life easier, offering guests at parties chilled drinks and snacks. But Ryan Greppera this was not enough, and he created the world's first "smart cooler" called Coolest Cooler.Of course, there are stored drinks and food. But still it does have a built-in blender for mixing cocktails, there are LED lights cover, which you can find the drink even in the dark, there are USB-port for charging phones, which often sit at parties. And yet it has a large wheels that make it very easy to move.
9. Chip, relieves stoop
Monica Perkash
You probably know why many people hunched over time, there is a pain in the back. "We just forget about what we need to stop slouching," - says Monica Perkash of company Lumo BodyTech, which created a special "reminding" chip. Once the user pristegnёt to his shirt this gadget the size of a thumb, he begins to track and analyze the position of the back and neck, and vibrates when the wrong posture.The system has not yet been perfected. The gadget can vibrate when the user tilts as required, for example to answer a phone call. Despite this, the demand for the device is already oversubscribed, with half of the users - women.
10. The machine, which makes electric cars are much more tempting
Until recently, electric vehicles have been relatively slow, it is "asexual" and cost incredibly expensive. It was not until as long as the BMW has not released an electric I3. The machine is able to go 113 miles on a single charge. And thanks to the new design, the driver can use one pedal for acceleration and deceleration for (he pushes it up to speed, and releases to brake). This leads to more energy-efficient driving style. The main reason for not buying electric cars - it concerns the buyers that the battery runs out in the middle of the road. BMW task boils down to, to allay these fears. Therefore, I3 can be built a small gasoline engine that allows you in case of emergency recharge the batteries.
11. The tablet, which replaces laptops
Last "hybrid" from Microsoft combines the power of a laptop and a slim tablet. With it, you can run many popular applications, the kit contains a thin cover, also performs the functions of the keyboard, and built-in stand allowing the device to put on the table. Because of these features of "hybrid" has massively buy large companies, such as Coca-Cola, and others.
12. Ring, reminiscent of important messages
Christina Merkando
Like many other business-woman, Christina Merkando smartphone keeps in her purse. This means it periodically pulls it in order to check important messages. But what if she could get all the important information from some sort of device that has already put on her? It is these thoughts became the cause of the line rings Ringly. These rings can be programmed so that they will flash every time the owner receives an email from your boss when he gets a text message from his driver, and so on. D. Merkando, former design manager at the auction site eBay, was able to earn more than 1 million dollars on their rings. The first batch of 1000 rings Ringly, released in July this year, was sold for 24 hours.
13. Box for tablets, turning to the person
"I grew up in a family, owns and manages a pharmacy" - says TJ Parker, who knows firsthand how difficult it is to keep track of people, what drugs to take, especially if the doctor prescribed them to several recipes. That's why e-pharmacy, which he now manages, PillPack, does not trade bubbles with medications. Instead, every two weeks, patients are sent pharmacist, which has all of their recipes are printed on a special ribbon with the date and time. The tape is placed in a special box. At the moment, pharmacy serves only patients with a very large number of medical prescriptions. But the ultimate goal of Parker - make supplementation has become easier for everyone, even for patients with short courses of antibiotics.
14. Bananas prevent blindness
In Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, about 30% of children under the age of 5 years the risk of going blind for one simple reason: they do not get enough of vitamin A, which is essential for normal functioning of the eye. But what if we take the bananas, the majority of the diet of these children, and to improve them so that they made up for the lack of vitamin A? This idea occurred to genetics from Australia James Daly, when he at the beginning of 2000, visited Uganda. It was then that Dale and his team set about creating "superbananov" fortified with vitamin A. Tests of new banana on humans will begin in the near future.
15. The wheel pushes the cyclist
Everyone knows that cycling is useful for both humans and the environment. But riding a bike can be a daunting task, especially if you have to ride in the hills. To help cyclists to handle the load, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been developed special, "The Copenhagen Wheel". It is standard size, so that it can be put on most bikes. In the wheel has an engine, powered by a rechargeable battery. The engine can be operated in different modes depending on the location and preference of the cyclist. And their preferences cyclist can tell the engine through a special application on your smartphone. Moreover, the wheel has sensors, which monitor the state of the road potholes mark and record temperature even air. Thus cyclists in real time can be shared with each other optimal routes.
16. The sign language interpreter
Khair Ryan Campbell
Millions of people with hearing impairment for normal communication usually requires people, sign language interpreters, whose services are often very cheap. But what if you create a device consisting of a tablet, connected to multiple cameras detect motion and voice device, capable to translate American Sign Language into spoken words, as well as the ability to translate spoken words into text in real time?
"The need for this is very high," - writes Ryan Haight-Campbell, CEO MotionSavvy, who himself is deaf.Agree with him a lot of people, because the team has now managed to collect more than $ 20,000 to complete the research.
17. The filter against Ebola virus
The worst thing in the Ebola virus - is its speed. Within a few days it can create in the body is the number of copies of itself, that the immune system of the person behind them simply do not have time.However Hemopurifier, a special cartridge that is attached to the dialysis machine, able to tip the scales in favor of the body: the filter cartridge can remove viruses from blood Ebola until it passes through it. It has been tested only once, on a patient in Germany, but it helped - the patient was able to recover from the infection. In the future, doctors hope that similar technology will be used in the fight against hepatitis B virus.
18. Stick to the self (and comb)
If the 2013th was the year in which the self has become fashionable, the 2014 th was the year in which the self has become a cultural phenomenon. In one of the reports, researchers say that at least a quarter of Americans at least once laid SELF social networks. Sensing a profit, some companies have started to manufacture a device, simplifying the process of creating self. Many of these devices, for example, comb, holding a smartphone, not in great demand. But stick to the self (which today is produced by several companies), allows you to have a smartphone at an optimum distance to get the best photos, found their buyers.
19. Air Conditioning, reducing energy costs
Air Conditioning Aros was released in 2014, and has now sold more than 50,000 units of this device. This is not like the air conditioning unit, built-in window. He is elegant, smooth and white. And yet he is a smart, sometimes even too much. With special applications installed in smartphones, the air conditioner can track the position holders through GPS, and activated (or vice versa - off) depending on how far the owners are away from home. And he can tell the owner how much money he spends on home cooling.According to the owners, the use of Aros reduces energy costs by an average of 10%.
20. The prison cell, helps to relax
Every day, for 23 hours 200 prisoners in solitary confinement largest prison Oregon do not see anything except the walls of their tiny cameras. Some studies show that it can cause mental illness, and make prisoners prone to violence or suicide. Last year, officials have allowed them to spend their free time only in the so-called "blue room". This is the room in which the projector shows a desert, waterfalls and the like. These images, according to the researchers, helping prisoners relax.
21. The virtual toy that has become a real
Like most children, a daughter Pramod Sharma loves iPad. "But when her face all day is 15 cm from the screen, it is not too pleased with me," - he says (studies have shown that this behavior may eventually lead to problems of perception and obesity). As a result, Sharma and his colleague, former engineer of Google, found a way to move the virtual game into the real world. Special application with Osmo "reflexive AI», allows the camera to your tablet to interpret physical objects allows children to collect these objects on the screen with colored tiles, and earn rewards if everything was done correctly. To date the application is on sale in the Apple Store.
22. Chips for basketball players
In sports training, as well as in business, there is no more valuable asset than information. That's why professional basketball players today use high-tech equipment to monitor everything: from the most interesting moments of the game to their own fatigue. In doing so, they help to nine "smart" sensors and a special chip that via Bluetooth sends the collected data to a mobile application where they can be analyzed.
23. Packaging, which can be eaten
The phrase "edible packaging" sounds like an oxymoron, unless you are the founder WikiFoods David Edwards. This man has invented a way to pack yogurt, cheese, ice cream and other products in a particular shell that is strong enough to retain its shape as long as you do not eat everything. Each package is made of particles of dried fruit or other natural substances whose size is small enough so that between them there was an electrical interface, and they began to be attracted to each other. To further strengthen the forms of these particles is added sugar and calcium.
24. screens to show digital art
"So many artists create their paintings on computers and computers", - says the artist Jake Levine, referring to the growing community of Tumblr. But the place is art on the walls of the usual almost impossible. "Electric objects" Levin, who was able to get it for my project almost 3 million dollars trying to change this state of affairs. This special screens started to show works of digital art. The brightness of the screen dims when they fall sunlight, and their matt finish prevents glare occur, so that they are very similar to the most common pattern. A special application for smartphones allows users to switch between what they see on the screen.
25. Dolls superheroine
Studies say that education in the girl career ambitions due to the fact in what toys she plays a child.Helpless pretty Barbie, in most cases unable to even bend the limbs and intended only for infinite disguises should go into the past, decided two young American inventor. Girls dolls developed superheroes rather superheroines endowed with various superhuman and have a really strong character."The idea that girls can save the world - it's very cool!" - Said the inventor.
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