Prev Next 1 of Previous Next As it had done in the past, this year the US magazine TIME compiled a list of what it believes to be the best products and inventions of 2019. The list includes 100 things of all kinds, from systems to produce drinking water using the humidity in the air in helmets for virtual reality to improve the training of surgeons, passing through a trabiccolo that writes and draws on the walls. The list is sometimes dispersive, but among the numerous reports some products stand out for their originality and usefulness. We have put together the 20 best proposals of TIME's 100 best products, in our highly questionable judgment.
1. OrCam MyEye 2
It is a device designed for blind or visually impaired people. It is applied to one of the temples of the glasses and is equipped with a small video camera, connected to a system for recognizing faces, writings, barcodes and other objects. After issuing a command, OrCam MyEye 2 “sees” on behalf of the person wearing it, giving information about what is around. The device can also be used by those with dyslexia to read with less difficulty. It is currently available in 48 countries and was most recently used in Israel during elections to help blind people vote for themselves.
2. Bone VR
It is a virtual reality system designed for surgeons and to help them practice as realistically as possible. Osso VR offers a virtual operating room, where the surgeon can review procedures and practice applying them. According to the designers, the virtual helmet and other instruments designed to make the experience realistic are especially useful for novice surgeons, who gradually learn to be more autonomous by reducing learning times. Osso VR has also been experimented with in developing countries, where surgeons can learn from their most famous and skilled colleagues around the world, through lessons in virtual environments.
3. Dyson Airwrap
It is a hair curler and hairdryer brush from the British company best known for its cyclonic vacuum cleaners. Unlike other products in this category, the Dyson Airwrap does not curl your hair by twisting it on a rolling roller, but it produces a small whirlwind of hot air that causes your hair to roll over itself subjecting it to less mechanical stress. It also does not subject them to too high temperatures: also for this reason it should damage them less during styling. The product has received several awards for its design, and some criticism for costing around 500 euros.
4. Apple AirPods Pro
These are the new wireless earphones from Apple, presented this fall and immediately become successful, thanks to the extremely positive reviews they have received. The AirPods Pro are an evolution of the AirPods already on the market for some years: they are equipped with a system to better isolate the ear from external noise, they have a noise cancellation system and an option to temporarily reduce it, for example when there it's on the street and you don't want to be completely isolated. They work best with iPhones, but can also be used with Android smartphones, albeit with some limitations.
5. Eight Sleep Pod
It is a mattress equipped with numerous sensors to track sleep phases and adjust the temperature accordingly. To do this, it uses a series of pipes inside which there is water, which is heated or cooled as appropriate. The mattress connects to an app to provide a report on the night spent and the quality of your sleep. The double version costs over 2 thousand dollars and has achieved great success in the United States, so much so that the manufacturer runs out of stock a few days after its official launch on the market.
6. ECOncrete
Ports and beaches in seaside towns often have large concrete blocks placed along their coasts, to mitigate the effects of tides and offer greater protection along the coasts. ECOncrete proposes to offer the same solution, but by building concrete structures that are less intrusive than traditional blocks, and which can blend better with the surrounding environment, while maintaining the function for which they were designed. Concrete products are made by imitating some of the systems that in nature lead to the formation of particular shapes and structures.
7. Herman Miller Cosm Chair
Millions of people suffer from back pain and various other joint problems due to the incorrect positions they assume at work in the office, sitting for many hours on chairs not very ergonomic and in front of inadequately equipped desks. The Cosm chair has been designed to alleviate some of these problems, to help correct posture and offer support to the back so that it maintains its natural position. The seat has a kind of shock absorber, to further unload the weight from the column and lighten the legs.
8. ROLI LUMI
ROLI has become quite known for its highly technological musical instruments, and the new LUMI is no exception: it's a small keyboard that connects to an app to learn to play, but also to have fun composing on the spot improvising melodies. The keys light up indicating what to press to play a melody, while learning the basics of playing the piano. ROLI is confident to bring LUMI to schools, after the success achieved on Kickstarter with over $ 2 million in donations to carry out the project for his new product, which will cost around $ 250.
9. LightSail 2
It was organized by the Planetary Society, a US non-profit association that promotes space exploration and the dissemination of scientific space research. The second demonstration mission of solar sail technology, LightSail 2 is a 32 square meter sail that uses the “push” of sunlight to move a small satellite. The experiment serves to demonstrate an idea that has been circulating for some time among astrophysicists: using the Sun to move objects in Space instead of the classic propellants used for spacecraft engines.
There is a solar sail in orbit
10. BrainRobotics AI Prosthetic Hand
It is a robotic hand, which can be used as a prosthesis by people with disabilities, due to malformations or traumatic events. Unlike other similar prostheses, the BrainRobotics hand uses some artificial intelligence systems to better interpret the commands it receives from the wearer. The system also has eight sensors that detect the movements of the wrist muscles, managing the movements of the fingers and palm. The product is still in the testing phase, but has so far given encouraging results and in its final version it should sell for 10-15 thousand dollars, an acceptable price considering the cost of similar products, but with fewer features, already in circulation.
11. AeroFarms
It is an alternative system to traditional crops: its creators claim that by growing fruits and vegetables indoors, on huge shelves, it reduces water consumption by up to 95 percent , compared to traditional crops. The small “fields” are protected by covers made from recycled materials, and sprayed with water spray. AeroFarms is already in the production phase and supplies several supermarkets and restaurants in the United States, but it is not yet clear how economically sustainable the model the company proposes is.
12. Impossible Burger 2.0
This year the all-vegetarian burger, but which tries to mimic the flavor and texture of meat as closely as possible, received a major update for be even more realistic and pleasant. The company that makes it has struck a deal with Burger King to sell it in its restaurants, and is continuing its expansion plans with new manufacturing facilities. Meanwhile, its research and development team is working on making fake chicken and fish, in order to offer additional vegetarian alternatives.
13. Postmates Serve
Is a home delivery robot. It can carry weights up to approximately 20 kilograms and has a range of over 45 kilometers on a single charge. It has already been used in some large-scale tests, for home delivery of meals: customers can open the container of the robot by entering a code via a touchscreen. The system is just one of the many developed or planned in recent years to simplify home deliveries and automate them.
14. QuantX
Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence systems for analyzing image content, in recent times new tools have emerged that help radiologists to interpret radiographs, CT scans and magnetic resonances, improving image diagnosis systems. QuantX uses algorithms to reduce the cases of false negatives and positives in the analysis of mammograms, a very important test for the prevention of breast cancer. The system was approved by the health authorities a couple of years ago, after the first very promising results obtained in clinical trials, and is now being tested in several medical centers across the United States. In the coming months it will be adopted by new hospitals, with the ambition of improving diagnostic systems for millions of patients.
15. PathSpot
It is a scanner that optically identifies the presence of particular germs and bacteria on the hands, signaling the need to wash them more accurately or to disinfect them. The system has been designed especially for canteen and restaurant kitchens, where unwashed hands can favor food contamination, with consequent food poisoning. Some restaurant chains in the United States have been using PathSpot since last spring and with encouraging results.
16. Scribit
It is a robot that writes and draws anything on the walls. To do this, he uses washable markers and the subjects can be chosen from an application and further customized. The robot moves by winding and unwinding a wire, stretched along the wall and secured by some nails. Like many other quite creative ideas, the project was initially funded on Kickstarter where it raised over $ 2.4 million, making it one of the most successful fundraising campaigns of recent times.
17. Elvie
It is a portable breast pump, small in size and with a very quiet motor. Unlike other similar products, it does not have tubes and other mechanisms that wear out easily. Elvie can be used under clothing without any problems.
18. Solar cow
It is a tubular metal structure resembling the shape of a cow, with solar panels on its back which are used to recharge portable batteries. It is used outside of schools in developing countries, where students are encouraged to take batteries and take them home to their parents for a small source of electricity. The system has so far been tested in Kenya and Tanzania, with good results among the poorest families.
19. GENNY
It looks like an office water dispenser, but it is a system that gets water from the humidity of the air, a bit like dehumidifiers do. GENNY has various types of filters that make the water drinkable, even if it is generated in very polluted environments; it can work connected to the electric current or through solar panels placed on its top. It was designed by Watergen, an Israeli company, and derived from other systems to produce water in places where supply is difficult, for economic reasons or related to environmental emergencies.
20. Loop
It's not purely an invention or something never thought of before, but it has the potential to reduce the amount of waste that is produced due to the casings. Loop is a project carried out by the TerraCycle company to allow multinational companies to experiment with reuse systems for packaging, such as containers for food on sale in supermarkets or for detergents. The initiative has attracted the interest of some large manufacturers such as Unilever and is being tested in the United States and France through some pilot projects.
Large multinationals will try to sell us products in reusable packaging
