Every year, Time Magazine publishes a list of new inventions of that year. These inventions are not the crazy, opaque and thoroughly confusing latest forays into the world of nuclear physics. The reader can always understand their practical applications.
These wildly exciting new developments in consumer technology are things that really make us feel that we are poised on the brink of the future. This year there was a fabulous selection for the technophile.
In the sporting arena, a new type of tennis racquet has been developed that uses scientifically tensed strings to ensure the adept return of a ball. A special tinted contact lens has been developed, not for darkening the colour of the wearer`s eyes, but for providing UV protection and glare reduction.
There is also a new device that allows people in areas where there is no clean water to filter the water that they drink as they suck it up. This straw has special significance this year, with so many stories of people being left without access to clean water after Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami and numerous earthquakes.
Of course, it also addresses the ongoing problem of water unfit for drinking throughout vast stretches of the Earth. All this, says Time Magazine, for less than the cost of a cup of coffee.
These wildly exciting new developments in consumer technology are things that really make us feel that we are poised on the brink of the future.
Georgina Guedes, editor, ITWeb Brainstorm
A robot has been made that understands dance moves, and can be the ideal partner for lonely ballroom wannabes. She`s a vision in neon light with a face like Marilyn Monroe. I`m still not sure if dancing with a robot will make a person feel less, or more, lonely.
In keeping with the dance theme, a Japanese toy company has developed a dancing turtle that can remember a series of dance steps that you teach it, so it can perform its turtle dance across your desk. If your friends have one, you can even race them against each other.
Far more exciting than insular tamagochis.
The new creation that took front-page glory was a cloned Afghan Hound. This sweet puppy has been created from a cell from the ear of an adult dog, and seems to be healthy and happy.
Although plenty sheep and some cats have been cloned in the past, up until now the dog has remained an elusive candidate, so this puppy has been welcomed by the scientific community.
There is something thrilling about seeing the new ways in which science is integrating technology with daily life. It makes us aware that however mundane or boring Earth-bound existence can sometimes feel, there are little evolutions happening every day to hurtle us into the future.
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