The best inventions of 2017 in the field of technology and design
The My Modern Met portal, which writes about new technologies and innovative design, has compiled its list of new products in these areas that were presented to the public in 2017 and, in the opinion of the editors, revolutionized their field.
Google Pixel Buds
Smart wireless headphones Pixel Buds from Google can work as an in-ear simultaneous translator. With the help of the Google Assistant built into the phone, they are able to translate in real time into 40 languages.
Solar roof panels from Tesla
In 2017, Elon Musk introduced 4 types of solar panels installed as a covering on the roof of a house and generating solar energy. The price for solar roofs announced by the company turned out to be very competitive, and Musk predicts that in 2018 the world will experience a real boom in solar roofs.
At the 2017 Adobe MAX conference, Adobe showcased a number of new software developments, the most prominent of which was the Adobe Cloak software tool. This program allows you to remove unnecessary elements from a video image without leaving any traces. The program should be available for public sale soon.
Black paint Black 2.0
In 2017, artist Stuart Semple launched Black 2.0, "the deepest, smoothest, matte black acrylic paint in the world." Fans of deep black color can order it on the artist’s website.
Braille Smartwatch
The world's first braille smartwatch has been developed and is being tested in South Korea. Dot watches allow blind people to not only tell the time, but also read messages.
Edible water bubbles
Edible water bubbles Ooho! - an unusual type of packaging designed to become a replacement for plastic bottles, which are dangerous for environment. The bubbles, made from algae extract, can be filled with water, juice or other liquids. They are edible, but if they are not appetizing, they will decompose in 4-6 weeks when thrown away. The developer, Skipping Rocks Lab, has already received a prestigious environmental prize for its invention.
Knops earplugs with noise reduction adjustment
Knops earplugs are similar to internal headphones, but in fact they do not transmit sounds, but rather protect against them. With these earplugs, you can manually select the desired level of ambient noise suppression at the moment - from a hollow sound palette to an equally complete silence. The Knops startup, having announced its development, instantly raised the necessary funds on the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform, and the lucky ones who invested in the development have long received their stylish and useful earplugs.
Plan Bee Drone
Design student Anna Heidelvang has developed a unique device - a miniature drone the size of a butterfly, which, flying from flower to flower, pollinates the plant. Anna has already patented this device, which is very useful for agriculture, and hopes to set up production within two years.
Living chandelier by Julian Melchiorri
Industrial designer and biotechnologist Julian Melchiorre presented the unique living chandelier "Sigh" this year. It consists of 70 glass petals filled with microalgae that purify the air. The chandelier was presented at the London Design Festival and won the author the Young Talent of the Year award.
"Tree for the city"
The City Tree, developed by Green City Solutions, is a green rectangular wall measuring 3x4 meters. Created from varieties of moss, it has the air purifying power of 275 ordinary trees, destroying 250 grams of dust, nitrogen dioxide and exhaust gases every day. And complete with solar panels that collect rainwater and generate electricity, it is capable of monitoring soil conditions. Trees for the City has already been installed in 25 major cities around the world, mainly in India.
Jibo
Unlike smart speakers with voice assistants, such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, Jibo seems to be a living thing. Its design is reminiscent of Pixar characters, with emotions conveyed through animated icons on the large round face. Jibo can laugh, dance and turn to the user when called. The assistant still has a lot to learn: It provides the user with a news feed and takes photos, but it can't play music or work with third-party apps like Uber. However, this cute robot could be the first sign of new, more humane machines.
2. eSight 3
eSight
Millions of people who have almost lost their sight are forced to use canes and guide dogs for guidance. New smart glasses can help them. eSight records high-definition video, enlarges it and increases contrast, so even people with very poor vision can see the world. This allows them, for example, to play sports. The price of the device is too high for it to become available to the general public, but about 1,000 patients are already using it.
3. Halo Top
Halo Top
Halo Top's promise sounds too good to be true: low-sugar, flavored ice cream with only 360 calories per 500ml. The company's products are fortified with protein and use stevia, as well as cane sugar and sugar alcohol. Halo Top's goal is to give dieters the opportunity to eat ice cream again.
4. Fenty Beauty
Fenty Beauty
Ember
Temperature significantly affects the taste of coffee: no one wants to drink a drink that is either too cold or too hot. It is believed that the ideal coffee temperature only lasts for about 37 seconds. To solve this problem, Ember Technologies has released a special cup. Constructed from stainless steel and coated with white ceramic, it maintains the exact temperature the user sets. Ember Mug is already sold in 4,600 Starbucks in the United States.
6. Thyssenkrupp MULTI
Thyssenkrupp
Thyssenkrupp MULTI is an elevator system that uses magnetic levitation technology, similar to high-speed trains. Elevator cabins can move vertically and horizontally, and also pass each other. This will not only reduce wait times for elevators, but in the future will change the way we think about building construction. After a successful test this year, the first MULTI will be installed in Berlin by 2021.
7. Apple iPhone X
Apple
The iPhone X is probably the world's most sophisticated smartphone, with a screen that occupies the entire surface of the phone, a powerful processor and a camera that can recognize the user by his face. The $999 price tag makes it the most expensive iPhone yet. The high cost is explained by the fact that many complex technologies are concentrated in a small volume of the device. According to the company, they already know what innovations will appear in the new generations of iPhone.
8.Nike Pro Hijab
Nike
Playing sports in a hijab is difficult: if the material is too heavy, it causes the athlete to sweat, and if it is too light, it may fall off during competition. Nike's Pro Hijab should solve this problem. Unlike the traditional hijab, this one is made of lightweight, breathable fabric that wicks moisture. Now, for Muslim women, there is no longer a dilemma between following traditional values and playing sports.
9.Forward
Forward
Patients in the United States and around the world tend to visit doctors only after the first symptoms of the disease. The startup Forward intends to make the idea of preventative medicine more popular. It is a clinic reminiscent of a high-end gym. For $149 per month, its users get unlimited access to genetic screening, blood tests, weight loss, specialist consultations, and more. The clinic doesn't accept health insurance and may be too expensive for most Americans, but it's working as a niche experiment: The company has raised $100 million in funding, opened a clinic in Los Angeles, and is looking to expand into other U.S. cities.
10. Adidas Futurecraft 4D
Adidas
Imagine a shoe that allows you to run faster, jump higher, and maneuver better. This idea is embodied in the Futurecraft 4D, a new sneaker from Adidas. Their soles are precisely tailored to the wearer's needs, not only in size and shape, but also in flexibility, impact force, shock absorption, and so on. To achieve high precision, Futurecraft uses 3D printing.
11. Tesla Model 3
Tesla
Electric cars are often too expensive and have limited range. Tesla's Model 3 should solve both problems: the car is priced at $35,000 and has a range of 200 miles on a single charge. Consumers are interested and ready to buy Model 3 en masse, but, unfortunately, the manufacturer has not been able to bring production to the promised level. Elon Musk calls the situation with the new model “production hell,” but is optimistic.
12. Willow Pump
Willow
Breastfeeding is good for children, but for modern women it is often inconvenient. Breast pumps, designed to make life easier for new mothers, are not very practical. Perhaps Willow Pump, a battery-powered and silent breast pump that can be worn under clothing anywhere, anytime, can help them. The freshness of the pumped milk will be preserved in a small freezer. Sales of the device will begin next year.
13. Nest Secure
Nest
The Nest security system, which protects the home from intruders, focuses on making access easier for owners. For example, you can program key fobs to be able to unlock doors. If intruders penetrate, the system will report this.
14. NASA Mars Insight
NASA Mars Insight
In 2018, Mars and Earth will be at their closest distance to each other. NASA intends to make the most of this opportunity. The Mars InSight lander will head to the Red Planet next May, giving scientists a more detailed look at its nature. Unlike Curiosity and other Mars rovers, it will remain at its landing site and focus on studying the geology of Mars. The probe will have a service life of 728 Earth days, meaning it will operate until approximately 2020.
15. Oculus Go
Oculus
Virtual reality is a futuristic technology, but it still looks clunky, primarily due to the abundance of wires and additional gadgets such as smartphones and laptops. The Oculus Go headset, developed by Facebook, does not require any additional devices to operate. Its capabilities are not as advanced as those of its more expensive counterparts, but the gadget benefits from its accessibility.
16. Tasty One Top
Tasty
BuzzFeed's Tasty channel turns complex recipes into accessible video tutorials. It already has over 100 million users on Instagram and Facebook. The next evolution of this idea is the Tasty One Top, an induction cooktop that syncs with the Tasty smartphone app. Using temperature sensors, the app guides cooks, telling them, for example, when it's time to turn a steak. The advantage of Tasty over its analogues is its extensive library of recipes.
17. DJI Spark
DJI Spark
Over the past few years, unmanned aerial vehicles have revolutionized many areas of life, from mapping to search and rescue operations. The goal of the DJI Spark drone is simpler: take better photos and videos. The advantages of this device are ease of control (using gestures), stability in the air and relative cheapness. Spark could become the basis for a price range of unmanned aerial vehicles.
18. Molekule
Molekule
Most purifiers trap harmful contaminants inside the filter. In contrast, Molekule completely destroys pollutant molecules through a special nanofilter that reacts with light in a way that prevents the growth of toxins, including mold and bacteria. The price of the filter is high, but the improvement in air quality is worth it. Investors believed in the idea: Molekule raised almost $15 million.
19. Michelin Vision Concept
Michelin
In the future, cars will become smart, and tires should become smarter too. Michelin has unveiled the concept of Vision airless tires made from recycled materials. Their most impressive feature will be special retractable blocks that will change the tire configuration depending on road conditions.
20. Norton Core
Norton by Symantec
Connected devices can be very convenient and useful, but each of them can potentially become a conduit for attackers. The Norton Core router neutralizes this threat. Unlike most Wi-Fi routers, which simply provide connectivity, Core is designed to detect anomalies: if one device shows signs of a virus, Core cuts it off from the rest home network. It also updates regularly software to be prepared for new threats.
21. Bempu
Bempu
Babies born ahead of schedule, often suffer from heat loss, which can lead to health problems. The Bempu bracelet is attached to the child's wrist and monitors his temperature. If the temperature drops critically, they emit an alarm and turn on an orange light. The device has already helped approximately 10,000 newborns, mostly in India, but also in 25 other countries.
Most of the patents on the list belong to residents from Skolkovo and Kaspersky Lab. In addition, the rating claims as many as three patents for extracting water from the air.
To bookmarks
Every year, the federal service for intellectual property - Rospatent - compiles a rating of the best Russian inventions. The goals of this selection are to promote invention, attract the attention of investors to the latest developments and develop the intellectual property market. In fact, the rating is a necessary thing, which represents a summary of all registered technologies in Russia.
This year, it is clearly noticeable that due to the economic crisis, there is a reduction in R&D funding in companies, and there is also a decrease in the patent activity of Russian research institutes and higher education institutions. educational institutions. In 2017, the number of applications for patents of inventions in Russia reached the 2006 level. last year 36,454 applications for patent registration were filed, which is 12.3% less than in 2016.
To compile TIME's annual unofficial list, we review hundreds of inventions from around the world. We've featured many different inventions in the past, from the floating light bulb to the DNA computer lab. Here are the inventions we included in our list this year.
A robot you can talk to Lisa Eadicicco (Jibo, $899)
#Jibo #jiborobot #touched #robot
A post shared by Jibo (@jiborobot) on Nov 6, 2014 at 8:29pm PST Personal robots such as Amazon's Echo and Google's Home have advanced significantly in recent years. But at their core, they are still stationary speakers whose main expression is the light that turns on when you start talking.
Jibo is not like that. And the point here is not at all that he (I say “he” because that’s what Jibo calls himself) looks like a hero from a Pixar film - with a big round head and a face that conveys emotions with the help of animated icons. And it’s not that this robot’s body sways and bends while speaking, as if it were talking to its non-existent hands. And it's not that Jibo can giggle, dance and turn to you wherever you are as soon as you call him: "Hey, Jibo." The fact is that thanks to all this, Jibo is very similar to a person, unlike all his predecessors.
A robot may seem like just a fun toy (or obnoxious, depending on your point of view), but it could significantly change the way we communicate and interact with machines.
Jibo still has a lot to learn. Although this robot can help users in many ways, creating brief summaries of news and taking photos, it is not yet able to play music on demand and work with third-party applications like Domino's and Uber. And since this new product costs $ 899, it will be quite a sell-out difficult. However, the company's vice president of sales management, Matt Revis, is confident that Jibo will develop and improve. “There was a certain threshold that we had to reach in order to launch mass production,” he says. “Now.” We have embarked on this path."
Glasses that give sight to the blind Alexandra Sifferlin (eSight 3, $9,995)
Yvonne Felix wearing eSight 3 glasses to help blind people see in San Francisco
There are millions of blind people in the world who find it very difficult to move. They are assisted by canes and guide dogs, but cannot imitate real vision. But eSight 3 can. This device is sort of the most powerful glasses in the world. When a person puts it on, eSight 3 records video in high resolution, and then, using magnification, contrast, and various algorithms, transforms these images into something that a blind person can see. Thus, he can engage in a variety of activities, including sports, while this is not available to all other blind people. This device went into production in February and costs $9,995. Therefore, eSight 3 is not available to everyone (although the manufacturing company helps potential buyers find sources of funding, including grants). But eSight 3 is cheaper than previous versions, and is also faster, lighter, and has more advanced distance focusing capabilities. The company estimates that more than a thousand patients use the eSight 3 device today.
Ice Cream That Won't Gain You Weight By Mahita Gajanan (Halo Top, $5.99)
Apparently we misunderstood when we signed up to bring the “pints” to our Monday Night Football tailgate 🤔 cheers anyways!
A post shared by Halo Top Creamery (@halotopcreamery) on Nov 6, 2017 at 2:03pm PST This is somehow too good to be true: ice cream with different flavors, with low content sugar, which contains only 360 calories (per half liter of volume). But that's exactly what Halo Top promises, inviting customers to "go ahead and eat the whole portion" in one sitting. The head of this company, Justin Woolverton, invariably calls his product “healthy.” True, one can argue a little on this score. Halo Top Ice Cream is protein-rich, but low in calories thanks to the zero-calorie Stevia sweetener. It also contains cane sugar and sugar alcohols. These ingredients may be enjoyable to consume, but they are hardly exemplary healthy eating. Again, the goal of Halo Top isn't to replace fruits and vegetables, but to give diet-conscious consumers "an opportunity to try ice cream again," Wolverton says. For this reason, Halo Top's success (it retails for five dollars a pint) has been astounding. Last year, annual sales of the product jumped about 2,500%, and Halo Top recently became America's top-selling product per pint, surpassing Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's.
Foundation for all skin tones by Cady Lang (Fenty Beauty, $34)
Shimmer what you got! #MATCHSTIX
A mug that heats your coffee to just the right temperature by Melissa Chan (Ember Mug, $79.95)
The perfect sweater weather companion. #WhatsYourNumber
A post shared by Ember (@ember) on Nov 13, 2017 at 11:14am PST Anyone who has ever drank coffee knows how temperature can affect the taste. If the coffee is too hot, it can burn your mouth. If it's cold, then you shouldn't drink it. According to one estimate, you only have 37 seconds to enjoy this drink at the ideal temperature. “It seemed illogical to me,” he says CEO and the founder of the Los Angeles firm Ember Technologies, Clay Alexander. So he found a solution to the problem by inventing the Ember stainless steel mug. It has a white ceramic coating, and for an hour it independently maintains the desired temperature of coffee or tea, from 49 to 63 degrees Celsius, which is set through a special application. In addition, the mug can maintain the desired temperature indefinitely if it is placed on a charging saucer. This is the second product in the Ember series of smart drinking devices. Last year, the company created a temperature-controlled wine glass. It is possible that the new mug will become a bestseller and an indispensable attribute of the desktop. It went on sale on November 9, and today it is sold in 4,600 Starbucks locations.
An elevator that doesn't just go up and down Julia Zorthian (Thyssenkrupp MULTI)
A rope-less #elevator that can also go sideways? Learn more from @thyssenkrupp Elevators at #CONVERGE2017 in #Germany! @solidThinking pic.twitter.com/K6QEzxTZa2
Altair (@Altair_US) October 2, 2017
What if the elevator moves not only up and down, but also sideways? It will be something out of wonder - straight out of the movie "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." However, the German company Thyssenkrupp has already given a very real answer to this question by designing and creating the MULTI elevator system. Designers abandoned old-fashioned cables and pulleys in favor of magnetic levitation, which powers high-speed trains. The cabins of such elevators can move in different directions and even pass each other inside the elevator shaft. This will not only reduce waiting times, but will also radically change the design of buildings, says Andreas Schierenbeck, CEO of Thyssenkrupp Elevator. (Imagine horizontal branches from vertical elevator shafts in high-rise buildings.) MULTI was tested very successfully this year, and the first elevators of the new design should debut in Berlin by 2021.
Apple Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio believes that the iPhone X is nothing less than a dream come true. “I look at the design and it's something we wanted to do literally from day one,” he says. The reason is clear: iPhone X is probably the most complex and advanced smartphone in the world with an edge-to-edge screen. Its processor is optimized for augmented reality, and its camera is smart enough to unlock the phone when it sees the owner's face. (However, some of these characteristics first appeared on smartphones from Samsung and LG.)
But to make all this possible, Apple had to abandon the Home button, which is a very popular navigation tool. Like the company's decision to ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7, eliminating the button is "a look into the future," says Apple design director Jonathan Ive. “In fact, I think that trying to preserve at all costs those elements that have proven to be effective is a recipe for failure.” iPhone X costs $999 and is the most expensive iPhone available today. “As you might expect,” Ive notes, “there is a financial consequence of packing a huge amount of processing power into such a small device.”
It’s easy to imagine a smartphone of the future with a screen that wraps around the entire device like a candy wrapper, or with a camera that can recognize gestures. But Ive and Riccio are in no hurry to share their plans for the future. "We have a clear vision for the next generation of iPhones," Ive says. - iPhone X is in in a certain sense ending the chapter."
Hijab to Empower Muslim Athletes Sean Gregory (Nike Professional Hijab, $35)
It is difficult to exercise while wearing a hijab. If the material is too heavy, it causes increased sweat production. If it is too light, the headdress may very well fly off your head during competition. And if it's not secured properly, "you feel like you're going to suffocate," says Egyptian runner Manal Rostom, who lives in the UAE and is the creator of the Facebook group Surviving Hijab. This group has almost half a million members. Nike's professional hijab, developed after a meeting between company executives and UAE weightlifter Amna al-Haddad in 2016, is set to change this state of affairs. Unlike the traditional hijab, the professional hijab is made from lightweight, breathable fabric that absorbs liquids. Athletes who have used it say that it helps cope with sweat. But for women like Rostom, who was one of the first to experience professional hijab, it is not just a head covering. It has its own symbolism that gives weight to Nike's investment. “I’m an athlete, I talk about everything openly, and it gives me extra strength big company, she says. “I represent what Muslim women can do.”
A clinic that takes a fresh look at prevention Alexandra Sifferlin (Forward)
Meet @forward, An Ex-Googler's Plan To Reinvent #HealthCare With A Dose Of Apple, Netflix And #AI https://t.co/N5ko7PuooE
Ramgopal Natarajan (@ramsdesk) January 18, 2017
In the USA, patients usually go to the doctor when they get sick. But what if both the patient and the doctor begin to interact in order to prevent health problems? It was with this in mind that a new type of preventive clinic, Forward, was created, which operates like a high-quality gym. For $149 per month, patients get unlimited access to genetic scans, blood tests, weight loss measures, routine doctor visits and more. All this helps the clinic "better assess the patient's future health and look for problems that may arise in the long term," says the clinic's founder and director, Adrian Aoun, a former Google employee. (Forward also provides routine medical treatment, including unlimited drug treatments at no additional cost.) Critics say the clinics are unaffordable for most Americans, especially because they don't accept insurance. But as an experiment, Forward brings results. The San Francisco-based company has raised $100 million in funding and recently opened a new clinic in Los Angeles. In the future, she intends to open her medical institutions in other cities.
Performance-Enhancing Shoes Julia Zorthian Futurecraft 4D, Adidas
This is an amazing new running shoe from adidas. The Futurecraft 4D features a midsole crafted with light and oxygen using Digital Light Synthesis, a technology pioneered by Carbon. The first three hundred pairs will be released to friends and family, followed by more than 5000 pairs for retail in Fall/Winter 2017. #adidas #futurecraft4D #adidasfuturecraft4D #Carbon
A post shared by Sneakers Magazine (@sneakersmag) on Apr 6, 2017 at 9:05pm PDT Imagine a sneaker that allows you to run faster, jump higher and spin better. This is exactly the idea behind the design of the new Futurecraft 4D sports shoes from Adidas. The midsole of such sneakers can be adjusted exactly to the needs of the person who wears them, not only in size and shape, but also in flexibility, impact softening power, the nature of the coating, and so on. The key to success here is 3-D printing, which allows Adidas to "look at every square millimeter of the midsole and tailor it to the athlete's needs to deliver better performance." Futurecraft 4D project manager Al Van Noy says this. It takes several weeks to fit shoes using traditional methods. And with the help of 3-D printing, a midsole can be made in just a couple of hours. Thus, the company will be able to produce them directly in stores. At least this will be possible in the future. In the meantime, Adidas will begin selling a standard version of the shoe starting in December with a midsole created based on 17 years of data collected.
Machines that will make electricity the main fuel Alex Fitzpatrick (Alex Fitzpatrick) Tesla of the third model
A post shared by Tesla Model 3 (@tesla_model_3) on Oct 20, 2017 at 10:41pm PDT An electric car usually has one of two problems. It's either too expensive or has too little range between charges. In the third Tesla electric car, both of these problems are planned to be eliminated. This is the most interesting car in the price category of 35 thousand dollars and above with a driving range of more than 320 kilometers on a single charge (the same characteristics of Chevrolet's Bolt electric car). Buyers are clearly intrigued. The demand for the third model cars is very high, as 1,800 applications are received every day. The manufacturer is unable to meet the growing demand. “We have absolute hell on the assembly line,” co-founder and CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter in October. However, Tesla is confident that it will increase production and meet demand. This is good for both shareholders and the environment. Cars like Tesla Model 3, which run on electricity rather than gasoline, could play a critical role in the fight against climate change.
Emily Barone Portable Wearable Breast Pump (Willow Breast Pump)
Wireless technology allows us to talk on the phone, listen to music, and print spreadsheets without using a cord. But women who pump breast milk find themselves isolated in a room and tethered by tubes to a machine, with sets of bottles dangling from their chests. Willow, a pair of lightweight, battery-powered pumps, offers a solution. Each bra-cup-shaped device slips into a nursing bra-no undressing required-and holds a 4-ounce, BPA-free storage bag. With one two-hour charge, the pump can last up to five sessions, and through an app, mothers can track milk expression, compare data across pumping sessions, order additional bags, and set timers and alerts. Willow CEO Naomi Kelman plans to release the pump this fall. Working with @Ideo, Willow conducted dozens of interviews with mothers and realized that they think of pumps as personal-care items rather than milk-delivery systems. So the exterior of each cup features a sleek control pad and a texture “like fine linen,” Kelman says. Her ultimate objective is to allow women to provide for babies without having to pause their everyday lives-or choose between breastfeeding and work, since only 10% of nursing mothers employed full time continue breastfeeding for six months. “We really want to support moms in establishing whatever goals they set for themselves,” Kelman says, “and not step out of life to pump.” -Story by Belinda Lanks #fcdesignawards #willowpump
A post shared by Fast Company (@fastcompany) on Sep 29, 2017 at 6:05am PDT Breastfeeding is not easy, especially for mothers who have a lot on their plate. Most electric breast pumps use horn-shaped milk collection containers connected to loud humming machines. Willow, a California-based company headquartered in Mountain View, is trying to change this design. Its battery-powered breast pumps are quiet and small enough that women can insert them into their bras and pump out milk as needed. (Each breast pump has a collection container.) "Instead of planning her day around a breast pump, women can play with older children or make video calls," says Willow President and CEO Naomi Kelman. But for such convenience you have to pay, and a lot of money: $480 plus 50 cents for a 120-gram bag. It is much more expensive than traditional models. According to Kelman, the company is making changes to the breast pump design based on feedback from moms who are currently testing a pilot batch. If Willow delivers on its promises when production begins next year, it could be a revolution in breastfeeding, which is in dire need of change.
A Simple Home Security System by Lisa Eadicicco (Secure, Nest, $499)
Big things coming in 2018. Don"t say we didn"t tell ya.
A post shared by Spark Automation (@sparkautomation) on Sep 20, 2017 at 6:21pm PDT Most home security systems are designed to deter intruders. A subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet, Nest, built its Secure system "in a completely different way," says chief operating officer Matt Rogers. She focused on making it as easy as possible for the owners to get home. What are we talking about? The Secure system can be deactivated by waving the key fob instead of typing a code. The key fob can be programmed to go off at a specific time. Thus, the nanny sitting with your child will be able to enter your house only in work time. A smartphone app allows users to control their system remotely. (Similar technologies are offered by Abode, SimpliSafe and other companies). Naturally, Secure can effectively guard your home. If an intruder attempts to break in or somehow disable the system, an 85-decibel alarm will sound. And motion sensors will warn the owner about open door or window.
The next mission to Mars from NASA will be the Mars Insight Lander, just approved to launch in 2018. The new launch period for the mission begins May 5, 2018, with a Mars landing scheduled for Nov. 26, 2018. The next launch opportunity is driven by orbital dynamics, so 2018 is the soonest the lander can be on its way. InSight’s primary goal is to help us understand how rocky planets formed and evolved. About the Photo: The solar arrays on NASA's InSight lander are deployed in this test inside a clean room at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver. This configuration is how the spacecraft will look on the surface of Mars. Image Credit: NASA/JPL -Caltech/Lockheed Martin We are already planning a special Mars themed #AstroBox in 2018!
A post shared by AstroBox (@astroboxrocks) on Sep 13, 2016 at 9:26am PDT The train to Mars leaves only once every two years. It is during these periods that the Earth and Mars line up in such a way that traveling from one planet to another takes a minimum of time. NASA plans to make the most of this window in 2018, aiming to send the InSight lander to Mars in May. As the name suggests, it will give scientists the opportunity to take a closer look at the interior of the Red Planet. (InSight was originally scheduled to launch in 2016, but malfunctions at the seismic station caused a delay.) Unlike Curiosity and other Mars rovers, this device will not move anywhere, remaining in one place. But he will have enough work even if he is stationary. It will drill a hole into the Martian surface to a depth of five meters to study the thermal history of the planet. Essentially, it will measure its geological temperature. Meanwhile, seismographs will study the composition of Mars, and the radio channel of the X-ray meter will analyze its wander (the way Mars rotates on its axis and is attracted to other celestial bodies in the solar system). The cameras will transmit panoramic and three-dimensional images to Earth. This vehicle will operate for 728 Earth days (708 Martian days), or until the flight can be completed in 2020.
A virtual reality headset that is completely autonomous Lisa Eadicicco (Oculus Go)
A post shared by Oculus (@oculus) on Oct 11, 2017 at 10:18am PDT Despite all the futuristic hype, virtual reality is a rather cumbersome technology, as even the best headsets require additional devices such as smartphones or computers to operate. But with Facebook's Oculus Go, things are much simpler. This head-mounted computer operates completely autonomously. (HTC and Lenovo run similar devices.) It's less maintainable than more expensive devices, but that's inevitable because increasing computer performance means decreasing physical space. When it comes to making something lightweight that can be mounted on your head, there are always compromises, says Max Cohen, who is leading the development of this mobile product at Oculus. Next year, Facebook will launch the Oculus Go virtual reality headset, and the main goal of this headset will not be to bring the virtual and the real as close as possible, but to make the experience of virtual reality as accessible as possible. "We want people to be able to say, 'No, I don't have to sacrifice anything to get into virtual reality,'" Cohen says.
Your digital kitchen assistant Lisa Eadicicco (Tasty One Top, $149)
@buzzfeedtasty I"m so excited! I have a really good feeling about this! #takemymoney #please #millenialsbelike #millennials #tastyonetop
A post shared by Clayton Cooley (@alfa_cooley) on Jul 29, 2017 at 11:02pm PDT Tasty, a cooking channel launched by media company BuzzFeed, can be called the most popular kitchen channel on the Internet, as it is watched by more than 100 million people. He describes in detail the most complex recipes, giving step-by-step video instructions. But there's a "big difference between seeing a recipe on Facebook and actually making the dish," says Ben Kaufman, who heads BuzzFeed's production lab. Therefore, he and his colleagues decided to eliminate this difference. The result is the Tasty One Top, which uses the Tasty app to guide new chefs on how to prepare a variety of dishes. A built-in sensor with a thermometer monitors the temperature, and therefore the application will prompt the user at the right moment when, say, you need to turn a steak so that it is medium-rare. Other companies such as FirstBuild, Hestan and Pantelligent have been offering similar products to customers in recent years. The advantage of Tasty is that it already has a rich arsenal of recipes, from onion rings for cheeseburgers to ice cream tubs. Such recipes require deep-frying, which causes confusion for many people, Kaufman says. But having received a device that makes the cooking process simple and predictable, people will probably want to cook more often.
Drones that put selfie sticks to shame Alex Fitzpatrick (Spark, $499)
picture from:@goprohero_official ➖➖➖➖ #dji #djispark #djispscorporation #djimavic #djiphantom3professional #djiosmo #osmo #spark #control #radiocontrol #fpv #fpvracingdrones #fpvisnotacrime #fpvracing #uav #drone #drones #dronestagram #instagram #djifpv # djiradiocontrol #photo #photography #photographer #photos #photog #insta #phantom #phantom4 #dronepic
A post shared by Dji Spark (@djispark_official) on Oct 17, 2017 at 2:19pm PDT Unmanned aerial vehicles have gained wild popularity in recent years, facilitating a variety of human activities, from cartography to rescue operations. The Spark drone has a more down-to-earth goal: to help people take photos and videos. These drones are easy to control (gesture recognition lets you control your flying photographer with a wave of your hand), harder to break (a suite of sensors helps avoid mid-air collisions), and fairly cheap ($499). True, their maximum flight time is 16 minutes, and this is less than that of higher quality and more expensive models. “We think Spark is the starting point for a whole new series of drones,” says Paul Pan, who works as senior product manager for new products. So far this strategy has yielded good results. Thanks in part to the Spark, which went on sale in June, DJI's Chinese arm sells half of all drones purchased in the United States.
An air filter that destroys pollutants by Lisa Eadicicco (Molekule, $799)
#molekule #air #purification #technology #hardware
A post shared by Molekule (@molekuleair) on May 24, 2016 at 2:06pm PDT Most air filters improve air quality by trapping harmful pollutants. The Molekule filter goes much further - it eliminates them completely. Its key element is a specially coated nanofilter that reacts with light in a way that inhibits the growth of toxins such as mold and bacteria. “It's like light hitting a solar cell and creating electricity,” says Jaya Rao, who started the new company with her brother Dilip Goswami, who became its director, and her father, Yogi Goswami, Ph.D., who directs the Clean Energy Research Center at the University of South Florida. The filter's price tag of nearly $800, plus $99 a year for new filters, is a little perplexing, but enthusiasts say it's worth it for the improved air quality. Investors agree with them, having allocated almost $15 million to the Molekule project.
Easily adaptable airless wheels Lisa Eadicicco (Michelin concept)
Get a closer look at VISION, our visionary concept tire based on our circular economy approach #MichelinIAA2017 #innovation pic.twitter.com/fl9vgfCl3h
Michelin (@Michelin) September 13, 2017
In the future, our cars will be smart, and their wheels will be even smarter. At least that's what Michelin thinks. This year it unveiled its new concept in an attempt to demonstrate the potential of tire technology. The concept seems very compelling. For starters, the tire will become airless, so you won't have to worry about whether it's inflated enough. In addition, the wheels will be made from recycled materials to reduce production waste. But the biggest impression is made by the 3D printed wheel tread, which can be changed depending on the nature of the road. The wheel itself does not need to be changed. The hard part will be figuring out how to do it quickly, says project leader Terry Gettys. “The whole point is that the consumer wants the new tread to be ready to ride in minutes.” Michelin estimates that it will take twenty years to develop and begin production of such a cutting-edge wheel. However, some of their elements, such as airless design and sensors that warn the driver of tread wear, may find widespread use within a few years.
Wi-Fi router that protects your smart home Alex Fitzpatrick (Core, Norton, $279.99)
DON"T MISS OUT on $80 off! Discounted pre-orders end March 31. The Norton Core secure router comes with powerful Norton protection for your smart home, plus a handy app that gives you a Security Score. Learn more at us.norton. com/core. #Norton #NortonSecurity #NortonCore #wifi #router #security #power #IoT #smarthome #home #tech #discount
A post shared by Norton (@nortonsecurity) on Mar 30, 2017 at 8:52am PDT There are many benefits to online gadgets, one of which is that you can make your own coffee without getting out of bed. But in this new reality, any of our devices, from a toaster to a washing machine, can be hacked. Norton's Core Wi-Fi router can neutralize this threat. Unlike most wireless routers, which simply provide connectivity and communication, Core is designed to also detect disruptions to normal operation. If one of your devices shows signs of a virus, Core will disconnect it from the rest of your home network. It's like quarantine for a sick person. It also regularly updates its software to stay ahead of new threats and "provide security and peace of mind for homeowners," says Ameer Karim, vice president of consumer physical network security at Symantec. Does it look like a ship from Star Wars? This is a bonus for you.
Bracelet that saves children Belinda Luscombe (Bempu)
Thank you for the feature @avpn_asia! https://t.co/zR9eK4Hu4R Our partnership with @TR_Foundation @ATAIndialegal brought Bempu to the market pic.twitter.com/hSw4m67gE8
BempuHealth (@BempuHealth) December 2, 2016
Children really need fat. Without it, their body temperature quickly drops, hypothermia begins, breathing problems arise, and so on. But where resources are scarce, where babies are often born premature or low birth weight, hospitals and clinics often cannot afford incubators to keep babies warm, and most parents find out too late that their babies are in danger. This is where the $28 Bempu bracelet, which is placed on a child's arm to monitor temperature, can come to the rescue. If the baby gets too cold, an alarm sounds and an orange light flashes. In this case, the mother can take the baby, warm him with the warmth of her own body, or swaddle him. Today, this device helps about 10 thousand newborns, mainly in India, but also in 25 other countries. This year, the manufacturing company received a $2 million grant from Saving Lives at Birth, which will help expand sales even further. “Our goal,” says Bempu CEO Ratul Narain, “is to significantly reduce early childhood mortality.”
The Game Console That Lets You Play Anywhere Lisa Eadicicco (Nintendo Switch, $299.99)
Remember: the Nintendo Switch Presentation 2017 begins at 4am (UK time) tomorrow! Tune in to learn all about our next home gaming system. The links in our bio! #NintendoSwitch #FreedomToPlay #Tokyo #Nintendo #Switch #gaming #gamer #videogames
A post shared by Nintendo Switch UK (@nintendoswitchuk) on Jan 12, 2017 at 4:58am PST “When you have a good and interesting game, there comes a point of disappointment when you have to stop playing,” says Nintendo of America President Reggie Fiss. Aimé (Reggie Fils-Aimé). But if you have a Nintendo Switch, you don't have to stop playing. If it is installed on a special tablet, the user can continue it as long as he likes. There is also an option with two joysticks that are attached to the sides, which allows multiple users to play. Returning home, the user can place the tablet on the stand and continue playing as usual. Video game fans love this portability. Since sales began in March, Nintendo has sold 7.63 million of these Nintendo Switch consoles. According to forecasts, the new console will surpass its predecessor Wii U in terms of sales by the end of the current financial year.
Stronger, Safer American Football Helmets by Jenny Vrentas (Zero1, a VICIS Company)
Vicis Zero1 will be seen on the field this coming season! Which player would you like to see wear it? #vicis #viciszero1 #nfl #nflsunday #nflplayers #ncaa #ncaafootball #ncaachampionship #football #footballfan #footballnewz #footballlife #footballseason #instagram #instafamous #instagood #college #collegelife #collegegameday #collegefootball
A post shared by Footballgooroo (@footballgooroo) on Jun 22, 2017 at 6:39am PDT For decades, American football players have worn the same type of head protection: hard helmets made of plastic. About four years ago, neurosurgeon Sam Browd began to think about what new things could be done in this direction. What if the outer part of the helmet was made from an elastic polymer? Thus, the helmet will act like a car bumper, softening the force of impact at the moment of collision. He drew a prototype on a napkin and took his sketch to his friends at the University of Washington. Together they created the startup VICIS to put their vision into practice. “We wanted to make the most reliable and safest helmet possible,” says VICIS CEO Dave Marver. The $40 million investment resulted in the Zero1 helmet, which received the highest ratings in the National Football League's annual testing of helmets' ability to reduce impact forces and prevent brain injuries. Today, Zero1 helmets are used by players on 18 NFL teams, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, and on 20 college football teams.
Super Sustainable Catch Julia Zorthian (GreenWave Ocean Farm)
What an amazing shot of Thimble Island sugar kelp! 📸 by @joe_carrotta 🙌 #ocean #kelp #kelpisthenewkale #plantsofinstagram #ocean #photography #seaweed
A post shared by GreenWaveORG (@greenwaveorg) on Jun 9, 2017 at 12:00pm PDT In the future, farmers will switch to growing oysters, mussels, edible shellfish and seaweed on ropes anchored to the seabed. So says professional angler Bren Smith, who became director non-profit organization Connecticut-based GreenWave does just that. The idea is not as crazy as it might seem. Everything comes from agriculture more problems, because it accounts for a significant share of greenhouse gas emissions. And there are fewer and fewer fish in the oceans due to overfishing. Therefore, a person needs alternative sources nutrition. GreenWave aquaculture offers compelling benefits: seafood is rich in protein, doesn't require fertilizer, and even helps combat climate change (by consuming carbon as it grows). Of course, converting Westerners to a new diet of shellfish and seaweed won't be easy. However, GreenWave sees great potential in its work. The organization has helped fishermen establish 14 farms along the New England coast since 2013, and now plans to expand its operations to California, the Northwest Coast and Europe.
Incredible Fun Toy by Sean Gregory (Spinner, $5.87)
P/ aliviar o estresse…😌 #spinner #bomdia
Experts are not optimistic: they believe that the tech industry has exhausted all ideas in the past year. Instead of inventing something new, the old one is being renamed.
The Gizmodo portal published the Top 10 most unoriginal and useless “new products” of the year.
In tenth place is a helicopter from Uber. The company said that by 2020 they intend to launch the UberAir service with flying taxis in Los Angeles. Moreover, at rates comparable to traveling by car.
To make such trips cheaper, the company wants to develop its own unmanned helicopters. It is difficult to say how comfortable a passenger will feel in such a device. By the way, Uber already has a helicopter service called UberChopper. It offers passenger transportation between New York and Hamton.
Ninth place is in mailboxes from Amazon. The new service, called Hub, is a modular locker the company wants to install in apartment buildings so people can pick up packages themselves by dialing a code. These are essentially the same as Amazon Lockers - boxes that are already installed in stores and public places around the world.
Eighth place - at the "horizontal skyscraper" from Google. This is the new headquarters the company is building in London. In appearance, the building really looks like a skyscraper laid on its side with a height (and in this version, length) of approximately 330 meters, designed for 7,000 people, with an elevator moving sideways.
Be that as it may, it is just a building, and not the most convenient for large cities, where space is very expensive.
Seventh place went to the bus, “invented” in Silicon Valley. The service, called Lyft Shuttle, is a ride in a multi-passenger vehicle that follows a predetermined route to a specific stop. The cost of the trip in this case is lower, but, as the developers say, “you know exactly how long the trip will take, because the route is known.”
The whole world calls it a "city bus".
Sixth place goes to the communal apartment, which was invented by the startup WeWork. This is an expensive project, costing $18 billion (more than Elon Musk's SpaceX).
The gist is this: there's a section on Wall Street called WeLive. In the common areas, residents can cook dinner, do laundry, play ping-pong, drink cocktails, swim in the pool, and so on. In general, this is a luxurious communal apartment.
Fifth place goes to a teapot from Teforia for $300. In appearance, it looks more like a Wi-Fi enabled coffee maker.
The authors of the project promised that the device would prepare “perfect tea” using advanced algorithms and encyclopedic knowledge. Specially packaged tea for this device cost from 1 to 6 dollars (this amount can buy a huge number of packs of excellent tea). It is not surprising that the project has now closed.
Fourth place in . The company raised $57 million to provide a service for collecting, storing and delivering items without the owner visiting the storage facility.
In third place is a tent from the Odd Company, a stress-relieving “invention” called the Pause Pod. In essence, this is an ordinary tent in which you can sleep with your legs stretched out.
Second place goes to the vending machine from Bodega. These are ordinary automatic kiosks with all sorts of little things, which can be accessed through an application and linking a bank card. They are pointless: it’s easier to walk to the nearest store.
Finally, hands come first. This is the "creativity" of the Juicero company. A $400 Wi-Fi device called the Evans squeezes juice out of... a juice bag that comes with it.
After the release of this new product, users discovered that they could squeeze the juice with their hands in the same way. Which will be much cheaper.
