Time Magazine has introduced the most remarkable technological inventions of 2005, ranging from clean motorcycles and smart ropes to personal water filtration devices.
Superbike: The ENV bike looks robust. Weighing 100 kg and made from aluminum, it can reach speeds of 80 km/h thanks to its hydrogen-powered engine. Project director Andy Eggleston states that this proprietary technology allows the fuel cell to generate more energy than a conventional battery.
The ENV operates very quietly with a hydrogen tank weighing about 150 grams (priced at $4 per tank). Such a tank can enable the bike to travel 160 km. Intelligent Energy has announced that the bike will be available for sale in 2007 at a price of less than $10,000.
Smart Rope: Ropes can save the lives of firefighters or climbers as long as they do not fray or break suddenly. To ensure greater safety, experts from the Squid Labs in the USA have developed a rope that contains conductive metal fibers. This rope can detect the weight it is carrying and alert users via a message if the load is too heavy.
The smart rope can also be used to moor boats, secure valuable items, or in rescue operations.
Laser Labels for Produce: Instead of using paper labels, more and more packing and distribution companies are experimenting with using natural light as labels. This is a new technique that uses lasers to engrave information such as origin and type onto the skin of fruits and vegetables without causing bruising or decay.
Inventor Greg Drouillard from the USA tested this technique with pears. The result is that the laser-engraved area is completely edible. This technique helps suppliers to provide more specific information, such as when the pears reach the perfect ripeness for consumption…
Fat-Free Flavor: Chef David Burke from New York City has created 18 flavors that mimic the taste of high-calorie foods.
Made from natural or synthetic ingredients, these flavors contain no fat or calories.
One standout flavor among these is chocolate. Each bottle is priced at $5.95.
Entertainment Robot: Japanese company ZMP is selling a robot for $7,000. Standing nearly 40 cm tall, the two-legged robot Nuvo can dance, talk, play music, announce the time, and even shake hands.
Nuvo, meaning ‘Let’s Dance’, can respond to 40 simple commands in Japanese and take pictures with a camera mounted on its head, sending them to your mobile phone. Fifteen motorized joints in its body allow Nuvo to perform amusing tricks such as doing a banana split, turning its head, and moving around freely in the house.
Personal Water Filter: In early 2006, Swiss company Vestergaard Frandsen will launch a water filter tube priced at about $3. Known as LifeStraw, the tube contains seven types of filters, including mesh, activated carbon, and iodine.
The tube can prevent waterborne infectious diseases such as typhoid and diarrhea, which kill at least 2 million people each year in developing countries. LifeStraw can also provide safe drinking water for travelers, victims of storms, earthquakes, and more.
Nemo Tent: Priced at $395, the Nemo tent can be inflated using a foot pump, without the need for aluminum stakes like traditional tents.
This product is from Cam Brensinger, who consulted for NASA on the design of spacesuits.
The Nemo tent demonstrates how space technology has been applied to everyday life. The company claims the tent can be set up in less than one minute.
Automated Shape-Matching Door: Designed in Japan, this door only opens in a shape that matches the form of the person or object passing through. This feature helps conserve energy, maintain a stable room temperature, and can prevent dust or other materials from entering.
Besides humans, the door can also accommodate smaller objects, such as packages or cars entering a garage.
Minh Sơn (According to Time Magazine)
