InfoNIAC Presents: Top 10 Latest Inventions of July 2009

1. Water-Efficient Washing Machine
This invention was developed by Xeros (not to be confused with Xerox). Its washing machine uses nylon beads and thus is able to save up to 90 percent of water compared to traditional washers. Thus the washing machine has two main advantages: it saves you money and is environmentally friendly. Read more…
2. Technology that Scans User's Ear to Avoid Theft
This technology can protect iPods and other mobile devices from theft. The ears of every person have individual "acoustic fingerprint". The technology analyzes the distinctive sounds of the ear chamber and then decides whether the device belongs to the owner or not. It is worth mentioning that such invention could be widely used to improve safety measures of bank accounts and passports. Read more…
3. System that Converts Boot Force into Electricity
This invention could become very popular among soldiers. It uses the energy accumulated from tramping feet to power a wide range of portable devices. With its help soldiers' backpacks would be lighter by up to 10 kilograms, because it would exclude the necessity of wearing heavy batteries. The invention could also be used in everyday life. For example when a person does jogging they can power their MP3 player. Read more…
4. Portable Microscope Attached to Mobile Phone to Identify and Track Diseases
This invention could be widely used by scientists to identify dangerous diseases like malaria and tuberculosis and transmit the data to health centers for research. It could be used in Africa to track the spread of diseases, take pictures of cell samples and covey via Internet the information to European specialists for additional studies. Read more…
5. Cloak that Changes the Direction of Seismic Waves
The invention is not developed yet, but there are premises for its creation. Earthquakes produce body and surface waves. Using concentric rings the cloak will have the ability to control the dangerous surface waves and redirect them to avoid the destruction of buildings. Read more…
6. Device that Helps Dogs' Owners Understand Their Language
The name of the invention is Bowlingual. It analyzes the dog's bark and attempts to identify the pet's emotions. It features a unit with a speech synthesizer that informs the owner about what their pet wants to say. Everything is displayed on the gadget's screen. Read more…
7. Technology that Lets Users Operate Animated Characters Using Own Movements
OpenSTAGE platform is the technology that makes it possible for people to operate with virtual characters by moving own body parts. There is no need to wear any additional devices that in other inventions track the body movement - a person simply stands in front of a monitor and the technology tracks every movement and transfers the information to the computer, thus bringing an animated character to life. Such technology can be used in medicine, sports and entertainment. Read more…
8. Synthetic Tree that Captures CO2
The artificial tree is the latest invention of scientists from Columbia University. The technology allows to capture CO2 a thousands times faster compared to a real tree, which is crucial for tacking global warming. The tree gathers carbon dioxide emitted from cars and airplanes just like a sponge and then filters it. In 24 hours the tree can absorb about a ton of CO2, which is almost the amount of gas emitted by 20 cars. Read more…
9. 3D Sensors that Allow Users to Interact with Various Devices Without Touch
This invention allows users to interact with computers and other devices just like the main character in "Minority Report" did, i.e. without touch. The technology could be widely used in gaming. In addition, the 3D sensors could replace weight detectors in cars, thus be able to signal, for example, whether a child is in a seat. Read more…
10. Robot that Writes Prescriptions and Distributes Drugs to Patients
The number one robotic nation is Japan and one of its latest inventions in the field was developed by Panasonic. The company claims that its robot is able to write prescriptions and distribute drugs to patients. The robot will be able to do the job in just 2 hours in a hospital with 400 beds (twice as fast as a skilled pharmacist). Read more… link....