2016 may not have been the best year for the world in many ways, but nevertheless, over the past 12 months, there have been many relevant innovations that will allow you to more effectively address global and social problems.
1. Edible drone
An inexpensive unmanned prototype named Pouncer was designed to help deliver humanitarian aid to remote areas with impassable roads. The Pouncer not only delivers essentials for those in need, but it can also be used for survival: its plywood frame can be used to light a fire, food is tied to its wings, and its protective cover can be used as an awning for an impromptu shelter.
Windhorse Aerospace, the company that developed Pouncer, said the drone was made specifically to revolutionize disaster relief assistance. The development team hopes that the prototype will become a reality in 2017.
2. A wheelchair for the "third world"
Despite all the troubles of the past year, inventors have tirelessly come up with ingenious gadgets and ideas that will solve the problems of inequality and improve the world for millions of people. In particular, an incredibly cheap wheelchair was created, which for a penny can be made for poor people in the "third world".
3. Shoreline cleaning device
Dutch entrepreneur Boyan Slat first proposed an ocean cleaning machine when he was only 17 years old. But the prototype of this device, which was named Boomy mcboomface, was finally commissioned in June 2016, after $ 10 million in funding was raised. Slat's device floats along the coast and collects debris from the ocean surface. This waste is then delivered to a central “tower” where it is sorted for subsequent disposal.
4. High-tech toy Lrka
Lrka- much more than just a smart toy. The interactive and multi-touch device is more like a "friend" specially designed for children with autism and encourages them to develop through independent play. The round toy reproduces sounds and music, can "talk", blinks and vibrates to attract children. Lrka is also fully customizable, which means the toy can be tailored to suit the needs of the child. The toy makers were able to successfully complete the Indiegogo campaign during the summer of 2016, raising over 152% of the planned funds.
5. Tent for homeless people WeatherHYDE
WeatherHYDE- an unusual tent that protects the homeless and poor families in developing countries from any bad weather. One side of the tent is equipped with reflective panels that cool the interior from the intense heat. The other side protects against extreme cold thanks to insulating panels. A Kickstarter campaign was held to fund the production and distribution of 500 tents to needy families, during which more than $ 145,000 was raised.
6. Furenexo Deaf Assist Device
Furenexo is a Kickstarter startup that was launched to build SoundSense, a small, easy-to-carry device that was designed to help deaf people detect loud noises and notifications. The device is able to detect warning signals such as sirens and car horns, turning them into vibrations. Such a device costs $ 30 - much lower than similar devices.
7. Edible cutlery
Indian company Bakeys created edible spoons made from rice, wheat and sorghum to help curb the problem of huge amounts of plastic waste. The cutlery, which has a two-year shelf life, comes with flavors of condiments like ginger, garlic, and cumin. However, these spoons do not dissolve even in hot soup. The company launched a Kickstarter campaign in early 2016 to raise money to distribute the cookware to communities across India and raised nearly $ 150,000.
8. Sidewalk traffic lights for smartphone lovers
Recently, people have become so accustomed to using smartphones that they do not take their eyes off the screens even on the street. And this is very unsafe, for example, when crossing a road. This is why the German public transport department in Augsburg has begun installing traffic light devices at some city pedestrian crossings across the country. The company hopes that such devices can help keep pedestrians safe by sending signals to their smartphones.
9. Futuristic Transit Elevated Bus
In May, China's top engineers unveiled a prototype of a huge bus that hovers over cars on the road. The innovation, which was created to maximize road space, will help reduce traffic congestion and reduce pollution. Electric Transit Elevated Bus rides on rails, towering over normal roads and not interfering with the movement of cars. Each such vehicle can carry an incredible 1,200 passengers and is also cheaper than existing public transportation options.
10. Strong condom LELO HEX
Condoms LELO HEX will increase the safety of bed pleasures, since they simply cannot be torn. This “rubber product # 2” has been in development for seven years and went on sale in the summer of 2016. Due to the hexagonal structure of the material they are made of, LELO HEX can withstand much higher stress and friction than traditional condoms.
And in continuation of the theme. Perhaps their arrival is just around the corner.
Popular Science selects the best science and technology innovations each year. These discoveries will predetermine our future, and some of them may even be a wonderful New Year's gift. We've picked the 20 most notable innovations of 2016 from the Popular Science list.
1. Virtual reality for ordinary people: Sony Playstation VR
The stringent requirements for high definition pictures in VR games require the use of a powerful computer. For over 40 million Sony PS4 owners, PlayStation VR is a plug and play experience. Unlike cheap smartphone-based systems (think Google Cardboard), the headset offers Full HD resolution for each eye and a 100-degree wide field of view. For example, in Star Wars Battlefront Rogue One, you can feel like an X-Wing pilot.
2. Anki Cozmo: the smartest robot pet
Not all AI bots have to be virtual assistants - some of them might just entertain us. Anki Cozmo is the next step in robotic entertainment. The robot on wheels, the size of a baseball, has a face recognition camera behind its welcoming LED eyes, allowing it to recognize people it knows and who are close to it. The sophisticated learning mechanism helps to develop Cozmo's personality, while the developer's capabilities will allow him to teach him a lot of new things.
3. Microsoft Skype Translator. The end of the language barrier
The Internet unites us all, but what's the point if we can't understand each other? The AI-powered Skype Translator is our digital Tower of Babel. It allows you to talk to anyone, anywhere, regardless of your native language. Translator, which appeared on Windows in late 2015, uses multiple layers of machine learning algorithms. While the user is speaking, the AI, based on millions of examples of speech, analyzes the words and translates them into text. Then defects and repetitions of words are extracted from the text and run through the translator. AI learns on its own - the more local accent or slang it hears, the smarter it gets and the better it functions. In a conversation, you can get an answer in eight languages in audio form and in more than 50 - in text.
4. Encryption in WhatsApp. Safety for a billion people
In April 2016, over a billion phone owners were able to fool the NSA when Open Whisper Systems released its end-to-end encryption protocols for WhatsApp. The system works for voice communication and chat (including the transfer of photos, videos and files) and allows you to check the security of the connection by scanning a QR code or comparing a 60-digit code received from your interlocutor obsessed with safety.
5. That Dragon, Cancer by Numinous Games: The Game That Will Break Your Heart
When the developer Ryan Green's one-year-old son Joel was diagnosed with brain cancer, he completely went into his favorite business to cope with the disaster. The result is a heartbreaking game that allows players to experience the ups and downs that Green went through during Joel's four-year struggle to help his son cope with pain, the joy of time together, and the grief of a tragic death. “My favorite moments are when I can be with Joel,” says Greene. "Playing with him, hearing him breathe or his laughter are the moments I love the most."
6. Snapchat Masks: A Tipping Point for Augmented Reality
That's right: it wasn't Pokemon Go, but Snapchat masks - a real-time object recognition system and special effects that allow you to change eye color on the screen, overlay other faces, animal masks, and create scenes from images.
7. DNA storage - the largest data storage
Perhaps, instead of a huge number of servers, one day the entire Internet will be able to fit in a shoebox. This is exactly what scientists from Microsoft and the University of Washington proved in July when they encoded 200 MB of digital data into a structural link of DNA, breaking the previous record of 20 MB. They did this using an enzyme called polymerase, which allows them to create programmable copies of DNA and read data from any part of the DNA tree.
8. Google Daydream Labs. Creation of virtual reality in virtual reality
Daydream Labs, for the first time, allows developers to create and render virtual reality not on a flat computer screen, but in virtual reality itself. They can interact, communicate, provide feedback and use hand controllers while creating their virtual creations.
9. Sea Hunter, the first military drone ship
The warship Sea Hunter may be large enough for a human crew, but it doesn't need one. This is the first vessel designed by the military to autonomously patrol the sea and search for submarines, a task too important and difficult even for a ship with a team of skilled sailors. Thanks to special navigation algorithms, the 40-meter ship moves in accordance with all the rules of maritime navigation and is able to avoid collisions with other ships. If the two-year test is successful, the US Navy may consider developing drone ships for other purposes, such as deactivating unexploded mines.
10. Qualcomm Snapdragon Sense ID - Impossible to Hack Fingerprint Scanner
Hackers have already proven they can trick standard biometric scanners with fake fingerprints. The SenseID sensor makes this nearly impossible. Using ultrasound, it scans the depth of the fingerprint, reading the detailed pattern of depressions, slits and pores.
11. Gensler Tower in Shanghai: an extremely green skyscraper
The larger the building, the more difficult it is to effectively manage the climate inside it. Therefore, the architects equipped the world's second tallest skyscraper, which was commissioned this year in Shanghai, with a double-walled façade "acting as a thermos that keeps visitors warm in winter and cool in summer." The unusual shape makes it possible to allocate free space for 21 "heavenly gardens", which imitate natural landscapes and purify the internal air.
12. Genetically modified mushrooms growing on the counter
Up to 40% of food in the United States becomes waste, often due to spoilage. A phytopathologist at Pennsylvania State University used a versatile gene modification tool called CRISPR-Cas9 to create mushrooms that do not darken, can have a longer shelf life, and ultimately equal the cost of common mushrooms. Although the product has yet to go on sale, the technology was cleared by the USDA last spring, paving the way for GM food stores.
13. An elevator that moves in any direction
Often, elevator shafts make up half of the skyscraper's footprint, and the steel cables for lowering and lifting the car limit the maximum height. These constraints can become a major concern for future architects who want to create ever taller and wider buildings. They are helped by MULTI - a system of elevators that can move vertically, horizontally and even diagonally along paths equipped with powerful magnets. MULTI, testing of which will begin in Germany next year, will make it possible to create buildings infinitely high and not hold back the imagination of the authors.
14. Advanced LIGO, the microphone for the universe
LIGO is a laser interferometric observatory launched a decade ago to detect gravitational waves - interference in the space-time continuum, some of which date back to the Big Bang. This year, an improved system called Advanced LIGO, which has a higher sensitivity, at its first launch, confirmed one of Einstein's greatest predictions. Observing these waves will allow scientists to plot the history of the universe and predict events such as supernova births.
15. Chevrolet Bolt EV: an electric car for everyone
The main goal of affordable electric vehicles was to achieve a range of 320 km. And the first automaker to achieve this goal was General Motors, not Tesla. It all comes down to battery: the Bolt is powered by a 288-cell, 60 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. The use of nickel increases its energy consumption and extends the cruising range to 380 km. The hood, doors and suspension are made of aluminum, which reduces the weight of the vehicle.
16. Amgen's IMLYGIC: The Virus That Fights Cancer
Scientists have long known that viruses can trigger the immune system to attack cancer, but it took a while to create a virus that would not affect our own organs. In late 2015, IMLYGIC became the first viral cancer-fighting drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This is a breakthrough in the fight against melanoma: a modified herpes virus is injected into a tumor, where it can trigger an immune response in response to cancer.
17. NASA - "Juno": a journey to the center of the gas giant
On July 4, Juno, an artificial satellite powered by solar panels, began to orbit around Jupiter's poles, flying 4,200 kilometers from the planet's clouds. “No spacecraft has ever been so close to Jupiter, in the center of radiation belts with such a high magnetic field,” says project scientist Steve Levin. Shielded from this radiation by a titanium dome, Juno's scientific instruments, including a radiometer for studying the atmosphere and a particle detector for measuring the magnetic field, will allow scientists to look under the clouds of the gas giant. Over the next year and a half of Juno's observations, scientists will find out how much water is on Jupiter and whether the planet has a solid core. Thanks to this, we can find out how the solar system and the Earth were formed. Also, during this mission, the highest quality images of Jupiter in history were obtained.
18. SpaceX - Falcon 9: landing a rocket on an offshore platform
According to the head of SpaceX Elon Musk, the possibility of reusing the first stage of the rocket - the part that usually falls into the ocean, could reduce the cost of launching it by a factor of 100. In April, after four unsuccessful attempts, a Falcon 9 rocket successfully boarded an unmanned spacecraft. The key to success: more liquid oxygen-based rocket fuel for increased thrust and a thrust vectoring landing instead of the previous, less successful parachute version.
19. Facebook - Aquila: a drone that shares the Internet
Facebook took another step towards its goal of ubiquitous internet access by completing a 96-minute test of the Aquila full-size drone in July. To keep the plane in the air for a long time, it has a wingspan of more than 40 meters and a long, elongated fuselage weighing almost 450 kg. Aquila in its final version will be equipped with solar panels and will be able to spend three months in the air, providing access to broadband Internet within a radius of 100 km.
20. Jibo: AI Bot on Your Desk
Today's virtual assistants who can answer your questions are nothing new. (Siri and Alexa won't let you lie). But what about AI, which can recognize the interlocutor, turn to the person who addressed and respond to him with gestures familiar to people? Add to all this the ability to receive messages, hold video conferencing, take family photos and set calendar reminders and you have Jibo. The developer kit allows third parties to create new features for a 30cm device. Welcome to the era of social robotics.
The rapidly changing world constantly poses new challenges for humanity, for the solution of which we will need no less rapidly developing technologies that seem to be the embodiment of science fiction. You may have already heard about some of these technologies, because many of them have been on the scientific horizon for some time, but 2016 promises to be the year of a real breakthrough. We present to you a list of the most significant developments, according to the Council on Emerging Technologies of the World Economic Forum.
Nanosensors and the Internet of nanodevices
One of the most attention-grabbing areas today is nanosensors that can circulate within the human body or be embedded in structural materials. The ability to connect all of these sensors to the Internet will have a huge impact on the future of medicine, architecture, agronomy, drug manufacturing and other fields of science. New generation batteries
The main obstacle to the development of renewable energy sources is the mismatch between demand and production capacity. Another problem is the impossibility of storing the excess energy produced in ideal conditions for subsequent transmission to the network. New high-capacity batteries based on sodium, aluminum and zinc solve this problem and make it possible to build mini-power systems that can provide a clean, reliable, 24/7 energy source for an entire community. Decentralized Blockchain Trust System
Blockchain, or blockchain of transactions, is the term known from the digital currency bitcoin: a decentralized public network of transactions that is not owned or operated by any person or organization. With investments that surpassed $ 1 billion in 2015 alone, the economic and social impact of blockchain has the potential to change the way global markets and governments interact. 2D materials
Perhaps graphene is the most famous material consisting of a single atomic layer, but it is far from the only one. With the dramatic drop in manufacturing costs, such materials will soon find applications in a wide range of applications, from water and air filters to the next generation of clothing and batteries. Self-driving cars
Although self-driving cars are not yet fully legalized in many countries, their enormous potential in various fields of application is driving the rapid development of a key technology towards full autonomy. Organs on a Chip
Miniature - the size of a memory stick - human organ models could revolutionize medical research and drug development by giving researchers the opportunity to observe biological mechanisms at work. Photocells based on perovskite materials
The new materials have three advantages over traditional silicon solar cells: they are more efficient, easier to manufacture, and can be used just about anywhere. Open ecosystems of artificial intelligence
The combined advances in natural language processing and social awareness algorithms, coupled with the unprecedented availability of data, will soon enable virtual assistants to assist a person in a wide range of tasks, from managing personal finances to advising on wardrobe choices. Optogenetics
The possibility of using light and color to record the activity of neurons in the brain has been discussed for a long time, but thanks to recent developments, light rays can now penetrate deeper into tissues, which can help treat people with brain disorders. Metabolic systems design
Thanks to advances in synthetic biology, systems biology, and evolutionary engineering, many chemicals can now be produced more easily and cheaper using plants, and the list will grow every year. Top 10 innovative technologies of 2016The rapidly changing world constantly poses new challenges for humanity, for the solution of which we will need no less rapidly developing technologies that seem to be the embodiment of science fiction.
You may have already heard about some of these technologies, because many of them have been on the scientific horizon for some time, but 2016 promises to be the year of a real breakthrough.
We present to you a list of the most significant developments, according to the Council on Emerging Technologies of the World Economic Forum.
Nanosensors and the Internet of nanodevices
One of the most attention-grabbing areas today is nanosensors that can circulate within the human body or be embedded in structural materials. The ability to connect all of these sensors to the Internet will have a huge impact on the future of medicine, architecture, agronomy, drug manufacturing and other fields of science.
New generation batteries
The main obstacle to the development of renewable energy sources is the mismatch between demand and production capacity. Another problem is the impossibility of storing the excess energy produced in ideal conditions for subsequent transmission to the network. New high-capacity batteries based on sodium, aluminum and zinc solve this problem and make it possible to build mini-power systems that can provide a clean, reliable, 24/7 energy source for an entire community.
Decentralized Blockchain Trust System
Blockchain, or blockchain of transactions, is the term known from the digital currency bitcoin: a decentralized public network of transactions that is not owned or operated by any person or organization. With investments that surpassed $ 1 billion in 2015 alone, the economic and social impact of blockchain has the potential to change the way global markets and governments interact.
2D materials
Perhaps graphene is the most famous material consisting of a single atomic layer, but it is far from the only one. With the dramatic drop in manufacturing costs, such materials will soon find applications in a wide range of applications, from water and air filters to the next generation of clothing and batteries.
Self-driving cars
Although self-driving cars are not yet fully legalized in many countries, their enormous potential in various fields of application is driving the rapid development of a key technology towards full autonomy.
Organs on a Chip
Miniature - the size of a memory stick - human organ models could revolutionize medical research and drug development by giving researchers the opportunity to observe biological mechanisms at work.
Photocells based on perovskite materials
The new materials have three advantages over traditional silicon solar cells: they are more efficient, easier to manufacture, and can be used just about anywhere.
Open ecosystems of artificial intelligence
The combined advances in natural language processing and social awareness algorithms, coupled with the unprecedented availability of data, will soon enable virtual assistants to assist a person in a wide range of tasks, from managing personal finances to advising on wardrobe choices.
Optogenetics
The possibility of using light and color to record the activity of neurons in the brain has been discussed for a long time, but thanks to recent developments, light rays can now penetrate deeper into tissues, which can help treat people with brain disorders.
Metabolic systems design
Thanks to advances in synthetic biology, systems biology, and evolutionary engineering, many chemicals can now be produced more easily and cheaper using plants, and the list will grow every year.
Evgenia Yakovleva (Moscow).
The rapidly changing world constantly poses new challenges for humanity, for the solution of which we will need no less rapidly developing technologies that seem to be the embodiment of science fiction.
You may have already heard about some of these technologies, because many of them have been on the scientific horizon for some time, but 2016 promises to be the year of a real breakthrough.
We present to you a list of the most significant developments, according to the Council on Emerging Technologies of the World Economic Forum.
Nanosensors and the Internet of nanodevices.
One of the most attention-grabbing areas today is nanosensors that can circulate within the human body or be embedded in structural materials. The ability to connect all of these sensors to the Internet will have a huge impact on the future of medicine, architecture, agronomy, drug manufacturing and other fields of science.
New generation batteries.
The main obstacle to the development of renewable energy sources is the mismatch between demand and production capacity. Another problem is the impossibility of storing the excess energy produced in ideal conditions for subsequent transmission to the network. New high-capacity batteries based on sodium, aluminum and zinc solve this problem and make it possible to build mini-power systems that can provide a clean, reliable, 24/7 energy source for an entire community.
Blockchain decentralized trust system.
Blockchain, or blockchain of transactions, is the term known from the digital currency bitcoin: a decentralized public network of transactions that is not owned or operated by any person or organization. With investments that surpassed $ 1 billion in 2015 alone, the economic and social impact of blockchain has the potential to change the way global markets and governments interact.
Two-dimensional materials.
Perhaps graphene is the most famous material consisting of a single atomic layer, but it is far from the only one. With the dramatic drop in manufacturing costs, such materials will soon find applications in a wide range of applications, from water and air filters to the next generation of clothing and batteries.
Cars with autopilot.
Although self-driving cars are not yet fully legalized in many countries, their enormous potential in various fields of application is driving the rapid development of a key technology towards full autonomy.
Organs on a chip.
Miniature - the size of a memory stick - human organ models could revolutionize medical research and drug development by giving researchers the opportunity to observe biological mechanisms at work.
Photocells based on perovskite materials.
The new materials have three advantages over traditional silicon solar cells: they are more efficient, easier to manufacture, and can be used just about anywhere.
Open ecosystems of artificial intelligence.
The combined advances in natural language processing and social awareness algorithms, coupled with the unprecedented availability of data, will soon enable virtual assistants to assist a person in a wide range of tasks, from managing personal finances to advising on wardrobe choices.
Optogenetics.
The possibility of using light and color to record the activity of neurons in the brain has been discussed for a long time, but thanks to recent developments, light rays can now penetrate deeper into tissues, which can help treat people with brain disorders.
Design of metabolic systems.
Thanks to advances in synthetic biology, systems biology, and evolutionary engineering, many chemicals can now be produced more easily and cheaper using plants, and the list will grow every year.
