We have a tendency to lionize mankind's
mind-bogglingly complex inventions. It's why we teach our children about
the Alexander Graham Bells and Thomas Edisons of the world, and scour
the Internet for every little iPhone rumor we can find.
But sometimes, it's the simple technologies that truly change the world.
Think of what pasteurization did for public health or what mechanical
clocks did for, well, time. These unheralded inventions maybe don't
appear incredibly complicated at first glance, but they nevertheless
improved the lives of countless people.
So what are the little-known technologies that hold the power right now
to transform the world for the better? We decided to find out and give
them their due.
|
A way to scan food's nutritional content
The problem: Even though packaged foods are labeled with nutritional
information, we often have no idea what's in the food we eat while
dining out.
The solution: SCiO, a pocket-sized spectrometer. The device would
measure the calorie and chemical content of food so that a person could
essentially scan any food or drink and know precisely what's in it. The
tool recently raised more than $2 million on Kickstarter. |
|
A cheap, portable water filtration device
The problem: Nearly 1 billion people lack access to clean and safe
water, according to the Water Project, a nonprofit that focuses on water
issues.
The solution: Portapure, a five-gallon water filtration device, can take
dirty water from a lake or stream and turn it into clean, drinkable H20
-- without the need for purification tablets or electricity. The device
can provide 3,000-5,000 gallons of drinkable water before it needs a new
filter. |
|
Chewing gum that fixes your teeth
The problem: Nearly 4 billion people around the world suffer from
untreated oral diseases like cavities and gingivitis.
The solution: "Sweet Bites," a chewing gum that is enhanced with xylitol
to clean teeth and prevent disease. Not only could the invention help
the world make strides in oral health, but its creators also hope to
have entrepreneurial women sell it in poor communities, helping spur
economic development. |
|
A shower that reuses its own water
The problem: Showers waste a tremendous amount of water and require a
huge amount of energy. Every year, 1.2 trillion gallons of water are
used to shower in the U.S. alone, according to the EPA.
The solution: The OrbSys shower promises to reduce water use by a
whopping 90 percent and energy use by 80 percent. The OrbSys recycles
shower water by pumping it through a filter in a closed-loop system, and
the clean water that comes out of the filter only needs to be reheated
minimally. The device could result in dramatic water and energy savings
if used on a large scale. |
|
A mouth guard that can detect concussions
The problem: Detecting a concussion is difficult, and unknowingly
allowing athletes to play with one can cause a lifetime of brain damage.
The solution: Mamori, which is Japanese for "protect," is a mouthguard
with built-in sensors that can send alerts to players and coaches when a
collision is intense enough to cause a concussion.
|
|
Water pipes that monitor their own leaks
The problem: We lose between $12.5 million and $92 million worth of
clean drinking water every year in the U.S. due to leaking pipes,
according to a 2005 study by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
The solution: "Smart Pipe" technology, which is still in development,
would use nanosensors to monitor leaks in public water systems, making
our water use more efficient. If brought to scale, this type of
innovation could help communities detect leaks when they occur, and fix
them early.
|
|
Electricity-generating fabric
The problem: Our bodies generate a significant amount of heat, but this
energy is lost into the environment. We are in need of alternative
energy sources that don't create toxic pollution.
The solution: Clothes that charge your phone may sound like a fantasy,
but this technology is actually in development. Power Felt is a fabric
that can harness body heat to produce electricity. A small piece of the
fabric could could allow a person to charge a cell phone just with his
or her body heat.
|
|
A smokeless solar cooker for developing countries
The problem: Cooking in the developing world often requires large
amounts of costly fuel and creates harmful smoke as a byproduct.
The solution: The Infinity Bakery and other similar solar ovens aim to
reduce disease and save energy by offering an affordable, sun-powered
cooker to developing communities. The oven, which concentrates the sun's
rays, is made from recycled oil drums, wood, bamboo and clay, so it can
be produced locally and quickly.
|
|
An electric bike wheel
The problem: Biking to work or school requires a lot of psychical strain
and isn't realistic for those needing to wear business attire or travel
long distances.
The solution: Smartwheel is a motorized bike wheel that can be used on
any existing bike. Replacing one of a bike's wheels with a motorized one
would effectively eliminate a lot of the downsides of bike commuting:
the physical effort, the time constraints, the varied terrain. The wheel
can allow a bike to reach about 20 miles per hour, and it can also synch
up with a smartphone to protect against theft and monitor the rider's
speed and distance.
|
|