Time magazine's 25 best inventions of 2015

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Every year, Time magazine compiles a list of inventions that make life better and more comfortable, and sometimes just more fun. Let's see what hit the top this year.

Hoverboard

Half Segway, Half Skateboard is a hoverboard gyro. Hover translates from English as "hover", and although in this case the "hoverboard" does not hover above the ground, it nevertheless won the title of the most popular product of this year. Hoverboard fans include Jimmy Fallon and Kendall Jenner.

When a person jumps onto the hoverboard, the device uses a pair of electric gyroscopes, one under each foot, to balance itself automatically. The board is controlled by the transfer of body weight. Thanks to this, you can do various tricks and even dance. Maxx Yellin, co-founder of PhunkeeDuck, one of 20 hoverboard companies, sees great promise for the device.

The Hoverboard could become a new form of transportation for moving around the city or at universities.

Although the British authorities recently distinguished themselves by outlawing the use of "hoverboards" on public sidewalks. Depending on the brand and features, the cost of "hoverboards" ranges from 350 to 1,700 dollars. Well, convenience comes at a price.

Underground park

You have never seen such a park. Dan Barasch and architect James Ramsey are trying to transform an abandoned underground tram depot in New York City into a Lowline Park full of greenery, flowering plants and sun lounging areas. This is made possible by the "remote sunlight" system. It collects sunlight that bounces off the surrounding rooftops and directs it underground using fiber optic cables. Under the dome of the park, there are reflective elements that scatter the light necessary for plant growth.

To prove the consistency of the invented technology, Barash and Ramsey created a prototype of the park - Lowline Lab. To create the park itself, several more permits and $ 70 million are required. But Dan, who has already garnered over 3,300 Kickstarter supporters, is not intimidated. He is confident that abandoned places can be used for public benefit.

A sensor that detects the presence of gluten

Millions of people with celiac disease or gluten intolerance worry that restaurant meals may contain higher amounts of protein. The Nima sensor, which will go on sale next year, will make life easier for them, allowing them to check any food and drink in two minutes.

The sample is placed in the device, and the antibodies, which are in the disposable cartridge, begin looking for traces of gluten. If they are found, a frown appears on the screen of Nima, if not, a smile. Shireen Yates, co-founder of 6SensorLabs, a gluten intolerant company, dreams that people can dine out without fear of their health. The company hopes to use the same technology to detect the presence of other allergens in food, such as peanuts or dairy products.

Bionic ears

If you find yourself in an unbearably noisy place, you have two options: plug your ears or accept. What if you can remove just one annoying sound without drowning out the rest? Or just turn down the volume like on a TV? This effect is promised by headphones with the Here Active Listening system from Doppler Labs from New York.

Unlike other hearing aids, which muffle or amplify all sounds at the same time, these headphones sync with a smartphone app where the user can manually select the sounds they want to get rid of. That is, you can stand on a platform in the subway and have a normal conversation, drowning out the interfering sounds of trains. Or, let's say, drown out the crying of a child on the plane and at the same time hear everything else.

Noah Kraft, head of Doppler Labs, calls the Here headphones augmented audio reality. They were originally designed for musicians and concerts, but are now available to everyone. Shipping will begin in December.

Digital stethoscope

Listening to a patient's heart rhythms through a stethoscope and detecting irregularities, relying only on your hearing and experience, is a task on the borderline between medicine and art. But not with Eko Core. By connecting this adapter to a regular stethoscope, you can download the heart rate sound to your smartphone. The app will then analyze the sound and compare it with previous recordings, which will help doctors detect murmurs, heart valve abnormalities, and other abnormalities that cannot be heard with the naked ear.

Eko Core is currently being tested at the University of California, San Francisco. They are led by Dr. John Chorba, a cardiologist and consultant to inventors. If the device works as it should, it will reduce errors in diagnosis and eliminate expensive tests like echocardiography.

Augmented reality headset

Virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Rift take you to the ocean with dolphins or the battle of Waterloo. And Microsoft's HoloLens complements your reality. Wearing a headset, you can defend your home from an attack by robots, "perform an operation" on a real person, and control 3D models. HoloLens are already being used by NASA to simulate Mars terrain in laboratories and by medical students to analyze virtual internal organs.

Energizing pasta

“You ate too much pasta and you feel like shit,” says Brian Rudolph, the creator of Banza, of regular pasta. Banza is a pasta made from chickpeas, not wheat. This simple change, achieved through trial and error, now allows you to enjoy a healthy dinner.

Banza (short for garbanzo - one of the names of chickpeas) contains twice the protein and four times more fiber than regular pasta, but much less carbohydrates and gluten. If you doubt that it tastes good, then pay attention to the sales statistics. Banza pasta began selling last year in two US stores and can now be found in 1,700 stores, including Fairway supermarkets, where it recently became the top-selling pasta, even surpassing traditional pasta.

Now Rudolph and his brother Scott are planning to redo products such as pizza and porridge.

People want to eat healthy food. We see Banza as a worthy and complete replacement for our favorite products.

Benchtop DNA laboratory

Examining a DNA strand can take an entire day. Juno shortens this process to three hours, making it easier for scientists to find bone marrow donors and drugs for autoimmune diseases. The key to success is the Fluidigm microchip, which can examine a sample 1,000 times smaller than a drop of water. It also has a superb streamlined design. Marc Unger, senior vice president of Fluidigm, sees many applications for the new device in hospitals and laboratories.

A home to help the homeless start life anew

Homeless housing is usually temporary shelters or warehouses. Star Apartments in Los Angeles breaks that notion with a design that looks more like a small community rather than a single building. 102 studio apartments, four terraces, ground floor clinic and garden, jogging track and classroom space. The task of the shelter is to cure people who are abandoned by city clinics, to help solve some issues and, possibly, start life anew.

Safe Truck

Every year thousands of people are injured and killed in road accidents because they do not see the danger from trucks. This happens especially often in Argentina with its narrow and winding roads. Samsung and advertising agency Leo Burnett found a creative solution to the problem and created a system that broadcasts video from cameras in the front of the truck to four screens in the back, giving drivers a clear picture of what is happening. In the first test, the Safety Truck covered 1,000 km in three days without incident. Samsung is now improving the technology and working with Argentinean officials to roll out the technology widely.

Child's well-being tracker

"Is everything okay with my child?" Sproutling is going to answer this question that worries parents with its first product. The device, similar to the usual fitness trackers, records the child's heart rate, body temperature, position and other data and, if there is a reason for alarm, sends a notification to the parents in the smartphone application.

After the device learns the child's habits, it will be able to predict when, for example, he will wake up. Chris Bruce, CEO and father of two, says the project aims to provide parents with more data on the behavior and well-being of their children.

Drone airport

Amazon and Google dream of delivering goods with drones. However, there is one question: where should they be based? For a hint, the giants can turn to Rwanda, where construction of the first drone airport begins. This innovation will allow faster delivery of food, medicine, electronics and other goods to the country.

The project in Rwanda is quite modest, according to a spokesman for Phase 1, an architecture firm Foster + Partners. However, it can be a catalyst for such endeavors in countries that also need to expedite the delivery of vital items. The airport in Rwanda is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

Underwear for "these" days

For decades, women have used pads and tampons during their periods. It is not always convenient and also requires monthly expenses. Couldn't the underwear itself comfortably protect against leaks? This question was asked by twin sisters Miki and Radha Agrawal from Sri Lanka. Together with another partner - Antonia Dunbar - they launched the production of classic panties and thongs that can replace pads.

The panties have four moisture-retaining layers of antimicrobial fabric. They are reusable, you just need to wash after use. Depending on the characteristics of the body, someone will be able to use only panties, while someone will need additional protection.

Bed in a box

Buying a new mattress is a very lengthy and stressful undertaking. An avalanche of options falls on you, from which you have to painfully choose one. Philip Krim, CEO of Casper, decided to make life easier for those who love comfortable sleep. The idea is simple: to offer customers only one mattress style.

It is convenient, thanks to the use of a mixture of foams, inexpensive and sold online. The mattress is delivered to the client in a vacuum package. Within 100 days, you can return it back if you don’t like it. However, Krim argues that this rarely happens. Sales of Casper mattresses are expected to exceed $ 75 million this year.

Virtual brush and canvas

The pencil was invented about 450 years ago. During this time, he became so familiar that we managed to forget how wonderful it is. They can be written from any angle, and the color saturation depends on the pressure. Blots can be easily erased. Reproducing the pencil's features digitally has occupied the minds of engineers for many years, which is why Apple's latest invention is so impressive.

Apple Pencil allows users to draw and write on the screen as if it were a piece of paper. It works in tandem with the iPad Pro, a tablet that is faster than 80% of laptops sold last year. This combination promises the emergence of new ways to create paintings, animations, drawings.

You can touch anywhere on the screen, it only reacts to the pencil. And this is amazing.

Don Shank, Pixar Art Director

One-handed lace-up sneakers

In 2012, Matthew Walzer, who is suffering from cerebral palsy, sent a letter to Nike. In it, the teenager said that he wants to go to college of his choice, and not worry that every day someone will have to help him tie his shoelaces.

Nike liked this idea, because sneakers with a simple lacing method will suit all consumers and make life easier for special people like Matthew. This year Nike teamed up with famous basketball player LeBron James to unveil the Flyease 8, a one-handed running shoe.

It is like opening and closing a door.

Tobie Hatfield Chief Design Team

You just need to pull on the strap, which will tighten the lace. There is still work to be done: if you pull on the strap too quickly or too hard, the buckle may break. However, Matthew Walzer, now in his sophomore year at the University of Florida, says the Nike Flyease 8 already gives him a great sense of independence and convenience.

Frying pan with Bluetooth

When we cook an unfamiliar dish, we ask the same questions: is the pan warmed up enough, isn't it time to stir, is the food ready or needs to be held more? The Pantelligent Frying Pan will answer them. Select a recipe in the smartphone application, and the frying pan, using Bluetooth and a heating sensor, sends notifications to the screen. So you know exactly when to flip the steak for a medium browning.

When Pantelligent creators Humberto Evans and Mike Robbins were pondering the concept of a frying pan at MIT, Umberto was a great cook, but Mike could barely fry an egg. Now, according to Evans, his former roommate makes Piccata chicken easily. So the benefits of the “smart frying pan” that went on sale in October are clear.

The book that filters water

663 million people cannot afford clean drinking water because filtration is difficult and expensive. The Drinkable Book, which scientists have been developing for several years, can help out. Its pages are water filters that trap up to 99% of harmful bacteria. These data were obtained from trials of the book in Bangladesh, Ghana and South Africa. Instructions for use are posted on the pages of the book.

And while researchers have yet to determine if the "book" can remove all contaminants, including viruses, the inventors are optimistic and claim they already have partners willing to fund testing and large-scale production.

Vacuum cleaner for the ocean

If you fished out all the plastic trash from the Pacific Ocean, it would occupy an area equal to that of the state of Texas. And every day there is more of it. Garbage collection with nets is an expensive and time-consuming process. The developers of the Ocean Cleanup Project are proposing to place a 100 km long floating boom with a total cost of $ 15 million and capture debris using currents.

The net will be placed at a distance of three meters from the surface of the water so that the fish can swim. If tests are successful next year, a full cleanup will begin in 2020. Researchers estimate that it will help reduce waste by 42% in 10 years.

Personal air pollution detector

The Tzoa detector detects the composition of the air around you so you don't breathe in pollutants or allergens. The stationary device, developed by Kevin R. Hart, measures temperature, particulate matter (dust, pollen, mold, exhaust fumes), solar radiation flux density, and sends cloud data to institutions that can analyze air.

The company plans to launch production of portable detectors in May. Thanks to them, it will be possible to plan hiking trails in such a way as to avoid allergens like pollen, for example.

The ball that teaches children to code

The demand for programmers is growing rapidly, so Made by Many offers to teach children programming from an early age. Hackaball is a toy that syncs with the mobile app and allows users to program when and how it will light up. This feature can be used in the game. During one of the tests, the children set up settings that change the color of the ball at random intervals and played hot potatoes.

William Owen, strategic director of Made by Many, says that the special thing about Hackaball is that it is real-life programming, not abstract coding on a screen. This concept seems to be to the liking of many: on Kickstarter, it was supported by 2,800 users. They raised $ 240,000. The first copies of Hackaball will begin shipping in January.

Virtual reality from a piece of cardboard

The hype around VR devices is rightly centered around premium headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, which cost several hundred dollars. However, Google Cardboard is revolutionary in its own way. Since 2014, everyone can assemble their virtual reality device from a piece of cardboard using free instructions and a smartphone. There are applications with which you can control a car or attend a concert, you can even play an exciting game.

We tell people, "Hey, just put your smartphone in a piece of cardboard and you will see something impressive!" And when they do that, they are shocked.

Clay Bavor Google

A musical instrument that imitates dozens of others

According to statistics, 70% of adults would like to regularly play a musical instrument, but only 5% do. This is partly because it is difficult to choose just one tool. Artiphon simulates dozens of different instruments. And not only in sound, but also in the manner of playing.

You can strum it like a guitar, or bang it like a piano. And you can combine the options and seem to play the banjo, and sometimes drum on it. Artiphon has already raised $ 1.3 million on Kickstarter.

We are trying to open up a new path to musical creativity.

Jacob Gordon co-founder of Artiphon

Electric SUV

The Tesla Model X, unveiled in September, is not just exotic, but a livable vehicle. This electric SUV can travel 402 km on a single charge and has room for seven passengers. The rear doors of the Model X open upward, reminiscent of the cars of the future, and the car accelerates to 100 km in less than four seconds. The low center of gravity provides good handling, which is rare for an SUV. Tesla CEO Elon Musk says consumers need to see that any car can be made electric.

A toy to chat with

Unlike other talking toys, which only repeat phrases after the child, the dinosaur, made using IBM's Watson technology, communicates meaningfully with children aged 5 to 9 years. He can answer preset questions, for example: "What is the distance to the moon?", And also hear the answers of children. So the dinosaur helps kids develop math skills by asking questions like, "What is 2 + 2?" and "Can you count to 10?"