IdeaConnection finds the inventions, innovations and products that we think will most stimulate and interest you, and posts them here every day. If you have spotted any new inventions or innovations you think we should add to the list, make sure it has a website we can link to, and a nice photo of the invention. If we like your suggestion, we'll include it in our list. [SUGGEST AN INVENTION]
Apr-16-21
Sonnet155 is entirely made from biodegradable materials to ensure that each bag can break down into water or soil. Hehemeyer-Cürten and Beckfeld constructed the tote bags from the composite of two raw materials: cellulosic production waste from the textile industry and pectin, which partially mimics the gelling effects of gelatin. Cellulosic production waste comes from cellulose, the structural cell wall found in plants, while pectin is a plant-based polysaccharide derived from the skin of fruits. When used together to build Sonnet155, the locally sourced materials form a sustainable, gelatin-like tissue that can be fully integrated back into their natural, biological life cycle following the tote bag’s use. The tough material almost appears elastic, but looks and feels like leather.
Apr-14-21
Called the Piestro (a portmanteau of Pie and Maestro), this machine allows you to order artisanal pizzas with a few button-taps. Choose your toppings and the entire apparatus puts your pizza together from scratch, dispensing sauce evenly on the base, generously scattering the toppings, loading it with cheese, and then baking the pie before dispensing it out to you neatly tucked in a pizza-box.
Apr-13-21
“The Prescription Paper Pill Bottle, a first of its kind, is 100% compostable and biodegradable. Its open-source design adheres to FDA regulations for durability, light, water, and child resistance. It’s available to any pharmacy for filling prescription tablets and capsules. Once used then emptied, the paper bottle can be tossed into any compostable bin with its Rx label to decompose and be reused as fertilizer to safely replenish the soil in fields, gardens, and landscapes,” says the team. Tikkun Olam Makers made it an open-source design which means anyone anywhere in the world can use their method and make their own paper pill bottles by downloading the .stl file that contains the attendant images and assembly instructions.
Apr-12-21
NIX is a miniature washing machine specifically built to clean, dry, and sanitize our undergarments, like underwear, undershirts, and socks, using less water in the process. The miniature washing machine features an inclined drum that promises to save water while also making it easier for users to load, unload, and keep an eye on their laundry. Additionally, NIX comes with an integrated water tank, allowing users to place their miniature washing machine anywhere they’d like without the hassle of having to attach hoses or electrical appliances to a wall outlet. Featuring a vertical-lifting door, the designers behind NIX boast its futuristic and clean design scheme. Along the top of NIX’s main door, a digital display screen allows users to denote which cycle they’d like NIX to perform all through the use of haptic sensors.
Apr-09-21
We have all killed a plant or two let’s just admit it. Gardening isn’t for everyone but it is sure nice to have fresh herbs to add to your meals. Imagine making a bomb pizza and realizing you don’t have basil (gasps!). To avoid such catastrophes even those of us without green thumbs do our best to keep herbs in our kitchen. The only drawback is that having five small pots takes up a lot of counter space and also can attract bugs. Leaving herbs out on the window is not an option because they won’t survive extreme weather and maybe birds will get to it before you do. The design lets you have access to fresh greenery 365 days a year without sacrificing any counter space or causing a mess.
Apr-08-21
When electrolyzed or ionized, water breaks down into a solution of hypochlorous acid and sodium hydroxide, which acts as a remarkable detergent and disinfectant, instantly killing bacteria, cleansing off harmful chemicals from food, purifying the air, as well as busting odors. The technology, which has existed for over 4 decades, creates an all-purpose cleaning solution that replaces the need for carpet-cleaners, floor-cleaners, room-fresheners, car-fresheners, fruit and vegetable purifiers, and general disinfectants. Needless to say, the electrolyzed water is food-safe, child-safe, and eliminates the need to clean your house with chemicals that aren’t healthy… and the IOON, a small, portable spraying device, can electrolyze and spray the water directly from within its hand-held, wireless form factor.
Apr-07-21
Carnerie is a ‘grow your own meat’ device for around twenty years in the future. It is controlled by an app, whereby the user is able to order cell capsules from local farms in order to grow a variety of different types of meat. This conceptual, speculative project is designed to help us visualize what this future scenario could be like and whether it’s a future that we would buy into. By exciting, shocking, or even repulsing the viewer it enables us to question our existing meat consumption habits and whether they need to change. In the spirit of democratizing this discussion, how do you feel about growing your own cultured meat?
Apr-06-21
Casamera claims that there are 7 key features to making a great towel. Its absorbency, weight, texture, size, odor-resistance, ability to dry out, and finally its price. These aren’t details I made up… they’re features listed in Casamera’s ‘Bath Towel Reimagined’, a towel that’s seen over 3 years of research and development. What immediately sets Casamera’s Bath Towel apart is its unique waffle texture – a feature also found in their bathrobe from last year. The texture makes the Bath Towel feel thick, but still remain lightweight, while also increasing the towel’s surface area to aid absorption. The towel isn’t soft too (most soft towels use heavy chemicals and softeners), but it isn’t too hard either. In fact, made from OEKO-TEX certified high-grade Egyptian cotton, the towel feels gentle to the touch, but also has the ability to lightly exfoliate your skin when you massage yourself with it. The Egyptian cotton, combined with the Bath Towel’s waffle texture helps it rapidly absorb water as well as release it, so not only does it help you dry off quickly after your bath, but it self-dries fast too, so you’re never greeted with a musty towel.
Apr-05-21
The ARENA creates a workout system that can be used across over 300 movement types and in tandem with multiple styles from strength training to cardio, HIIT, athletic training, conditioning, weight-loss, and even recovery. ARENA provides a physical platform for you to work out on, while a motor controlled high performance cable passes from within it, giving you the ability to simulate a variety of exercises. The cable is controlled by algorithms within the ARENA that can simulate any force curve as well as dynamically adapt to users speed of movement to help you achieve your desired training result (muscle gain, weight-loss…). Through the ARENA app on your phone, you can choose the resistance you want instantaneously, from 0-200lbs. Apart from controlling resistance, the machine tracks your performance in real-time too, calculating your progress, calories, velocity, reps, and using that to quantify your workout into what the ARENA app calls an Impact Score™. The app takes you through workouts of your choice, tracking your progress and matching it to your goals, and even telling you when to rest.
Apr-02-21
The patented Electronic Sports Band is an ergonomically designed and easy to use sports training aid designed to help users develop the muscle memory needed to maintain proper form when playing sports. What sets this product apart is the Chip On Board technology that allows this product to talk to you in 7 different languages. Yes, it talks! Finally a coach that speaks your language.
Mar-31-21
Stay tray is a reusable drinks tray. It is a reusable version of the single use cardboard drink trays you get at every coffee shop / cafe across the world. Stay tray is made from 100% recycled plastic so its giving the world's plastic waste a second, sustainable, practical home. Stay tray is made in Australia using ethical methods.
Mar-30-21
The Chloroplast 2.0 is a custom-made, hand-grown terrarium designed by Malaysia-based TerraLiving. It comes with ZERO Moss, a preserved moss that requires virtually no care and automatically feeds off sunlight and CO2 to release fresh oxygen. The terrarium comes completely encased within a bell-jar which can be lifted to reveal the complex, self-sustaining natural biome within. Designed and developed by a group of passionate scientists and designers, the Chloroplast 2.0 is one of many unique offerings from TerraLiving, a company that’s dedicated to preserving and showcasing the complex world of mosses – one of the greatest survivors of evolution in the earth’s lifetime. The specially preserved ZERO Moss within the Chloroplast 2.0 doesn’t need watering at all, and can theoretically live for decades in its own self-sustaining microbiome. Place it on your desk, mantelpiece, or on your coffee table (preferably a place that gets enough light) and the ChloroPlast adds a unique touch of living, breathing artwork to your space while purifying the air around you too!
Mar-29-21
To keep users from overfilling their kettles, The Blue Project’s electric kettle features a water controller that forces its user to settle on a predetermined measure of water before filling the kettle up with water. In addition to the water controller, Andersson’s and Fransson’s tea kettle comes equipped with a temperature regulator that increases in resistance as the kettle’s user increases its temperature, providing a tangible source of feedback to show the increase in resources needed for higher temperatures.
Mar-26-21
Literally, the size of a quarter, Adam Miklosi’s Dab is an unobtrusive Holter ECG/EKG that rests comfortably on your chest, constantly reading your heart’s movements. Designed to be minimal, non-invasive, and simple, the Dab tries to bridge the gap between medical appliances and wearables. Its tiny yet classy design sits on your chest via a gel patch, while the electrodes capture your heart activity. The Dab’s dry-electrodes allow it to be used and reused, while constantly measure one’s heart activity (requiring periodic charging via their wireless charging hub), and keep logs of accurate readings, quietly sitting on your chest while you absolutely forget that they’re even there in the first place!
Mar-25-21
Inspired by the local architecture of Malmö, Andersson constructed each system by stacking steel beams together to create shelves and then reinforced those with wooden beams, providing plenty of stability. Deciding against the use of screws, Nivå’s deep, heat-treated pine planters latch onto the steel beams using a hook and latch method. Ultimately, Nivå’s final form is a type of urban farming workstation, even including a center workbench ideal for activities like chopping produce or pruning crops.
Mar-24-21
So, Amazon is now crowdfunding products. Who knows why but the first Day One Editions product is the Smart Sticky Note Printer, a compact printer that works with Alexa & lets you dictate notes to be printed out. As a thermal printer, it doesn’t require an ink or toner cartridge but it does require connection to a compatible Echo device
Mar-23-21
The Eva hydroponic fixture offers neglectful plant owners a no-effort solution in which the plant cares for itself – by merging an indoor garden with an aquarium! The Eva planter creates an environment in which the plants can survive without human help. How? By creating a symbiotic relationship between the fish and fauna that live inside it. The fishes produce ammonia as a waste product, which can become toxic in large amounts. As it happens, ammonia contains nitrogen, which is necessary for photosynthesis and helps with plant growth. In the garden above, the roots break down the ammonia, and the resulting waste product, nitrites, then become food for the fish. Simply put, it’s the circle of life — with only two organisms. Additionally, Eva includes light fixtures that mimic natural sunlight. This is not a new feature — we’ve seen it on similar planters — but it contributes to Eva’s mission: to sustain life in any indoor environment. It allows everyone to flex their green thumbs, even if their living spaces seem less than ideal for plant life.
Mar-22-21
Me.Ring is essentially a connected switch that you wear on your finger and flipping it controls how you want to share your data. When you are okay with your data being collected (from your face, your location, or just about anything else), you switch it on. When you want to stay private, you switch it off. This conceptual ring lets you be a digital ninja by giving you control of your data so you can opt out of your actions being recorded/analyzed forever. “The ring almost acts as the keys to engage (or not) with society, to whatever degree you’re comfortable,” says Jenny Clark, associate creative director at Argodesign, who created the hardware mockup. A design like Me.Ring will require a robust software infrastructure and buy-in from the government + private companies to be able to fulfill its purpose. There is a lot of potential for making it an inclusive design that can serve sections of our demographic that require more monitoring.
Mar-19-21
Dubbed “Grow”, this is a hydroponic system for nurturing plants, herbs, and more utilizing water from dishwashers, washing machines, and toilets. The designer’s motive behind such a design is to offer indoor gardeners a more conscious way to water their greens. While using graywater for watering indoor plants sounds like a perfect idea, the initial information about the Grow proves a different scenario.
Mar-18-21
Element 0 is altering how shoes are designed and manufactured by making sustainability just as important as comfort. This means re-engineering the shoe’s materials in a way that benefits your feet as well as the environment. Element 0’s sneakers sport a unisex design built from both naturally-sourced as well as recycled materials (the company is even transparent about where and how they source their materials). The shoes rest on an outsole that’s made from rubber as well as recycled cork, quite literally putting a spring in your step; while an insole crafted from a combination of wool, corn-fiber, wood, and natural latex gives your foot a comfortable surface to rest on that’s also water-absorbent and anti-odor. To cap things off, Element 0’s outer body balances aesthetics with breathability as well as sustainability.
Mar-17-21
A dog’s gotta drink. We each have our own reusable water bottle that we can take with us on the go– your dog needs one too. For those long hikes that end up being way hotter than expected or the car rides spent stuck in traffic, dogs need their own means of quenching their thirst. With a foldable design, the Redminut dog water bottle, designed by Marco Chen & Archer Guan, is a portable travel accessory for dogs and their owners that ensures your doggo won’t ever go thirsty.
Mar-16-21
Designed to help trick your brain into eating mindfully by controlling portions, the IGGI is a Stoneware bowl that uses food psychology and ‘Calorie Cloaking’ to help you eat 30% less but still feel satiated. It sports a false curved bottom that makes the bowl look full while still having 33% less food, along with a red interior that helps curb your appetite more than a white plate. Moreover, the red color also alters your perception of food, driving you towards eating green vegetables to make your food ‘look balanced’. Paired along with the IGGI app, the two form a system called Meal Mindfulness. The bowl’s design along with the meal recommendations on the app (curated by nutrition experts, dieticians, and chefs) allows you to eat healthy and hearty meals and feel satiated at the end of them.
Mar-15-21
Here, an extremely simple and effective screening method for the identification of cell-compatible drugs against viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, respectively effective inhibitors of their proteases such as 3CL and PL, is presented. The principle can also be transferred to other pathogens.
Mar-12-21
While most of the air purifiers refresh the air inside the room – be it fresh air from a window, air conditioner, or air circulating for hours due to the closed indoor environment; there is actually the need for an air purifier that sucks in fresh air from the outdoors and then freshens it up to be really perceived as an “air purifier.” BEBOP Design realizes the importance of designing an air purifier for homes as well as any decent-sized commercial location that can actually bring refreshing air inside without being too heavy on the fragrance which can be a nightmare for people with allergies or sensitive sinusitis.
Mar-11-21
Imagine if your clothes could respond to certain stimuli? Imagine fabrics that were smart enough to know when it’s cold or hot outside, or interactive enough to be able to respond to your actions? Boston-based designer Irmandy Wicaksono believes that fabric has the unique ability to be more than fashion… it can be an interface too. A PhD Student in the Responsive Environments department at MIT Media Lab, Irmandy is working on interweaving (quite literally) fabrics with tech in unbelievably complex and innovative ways. By relying on computerized knitting machines that are capable of creating customized, complex 3D weaves, the KnitX can integrate functional yarns, such as resistive, conductive, thermochromic, photochromic, and thermoplastic fibers with polyester, nylon, spandex, mink, and other synthetic yarns. This results in being able to create fabrics that respond to physical stimuli such as proximity, pressure, touch, and stretch, or environmental conditions like light and darkness, or cold and heat.
Mar-10-21
Weighing only 7.1oz (approx. 200g), the Jetboil Stash is 40-percent lighter than the previous lightest stove in the company’s repertoire, despite the same use possibilities, better build quality, and cooking performance. With its almost insignificant weight and very compact size – when packed, it measures only 4.4-inch tall and 5.1-inch in diameter – the Stash stove is made specifically to allow backpackers, hikers/trekkers, or any other outdoor enthusiast to boil water or render instant-cook meals to an eatable temperature instantly. Unpack the stove out of the lidded pot, set up the base, screw up the canister and titanium burner, flex out the support arms, place the 800ml capacity FluxRing cook pot on the stand, and wait for 2.5 minutes before your coffee is ready!
Mar-09-21
A lot of us are going camping or spending more time outdoors these days, and when the bugs come out hunting, we need to be prepared. Sang Kun Park designed FOLD with Designer Dot so that when nature calls out our names, no amount of mosquitoes can get in the way of enjoying it. FOLD’s compact size is its primary appeal, fitting into even the most tightly packed knapsacks. Resembling the traditional Korean fan’s shape and folding apparatus, FOLD is a handheld, portable alternative to the heavy mosquito lamp that measures only two times the size of an average-sized smartphone when folded.
Mar-08-21
It is an amenity kit designed to help hotels to transition to a circular economy and avoid the waste generated by tens-of-millions of amenity kits are thrown away by hotel chains – we use them once but they last forever on our planet. Green box is made from compostable plastic which will let hotels industrially compost and organically recycle the items in a controlled environment. The design goes beyond providing functional value and also aims to educate guests about the material and its impact to encourage better choices even after the vacation ends. Each box comes with a disposable bin for the room to familiarize guests with the new kind of waste-stream. The guests will sort materials as compostable and non-compostable by simply following the color grading – green for compostable and white for general waste. Then they will put the green compostable items in the green part of the box and the white parts (contaminated with bacteria to be composted) will be disposed of with the general waste.