There aren’t enough technophiles in the world. One of the saddest ironies of our modern age is that we have the knowledge and skills to create countless world-changing technologies, yet never will.
Sometimes cost is the obstacle; other times politics are to blame. But all-too-often the world misses out on life-changing technologies because of a simple lack of consumer demand. Fortunately, however, there is still a handful of forward-looking companies out there making remarkable gadgets to sell to the few of us out here in cyberspace who still care.
So although most people are still too oblivious to realize it, the rest of us know that the future has already arrived. If you’re still skeptical, check out these 6 high tech tools you probably never knew existed:
Transparent TV
Designed by Michael Friebe, this innovative and sexy technology combines a revolutionary TOLED display and conventional LCD technology to create a TV that all-but disappears when not in use. It can hang on walls as a stylish clear sheet of glass or be built into coffee tables, which transform into a crystal clear HDTVs or computer displays with the click of a button.
Infrared Revolution
Infragrama tech startup that recently received more than $50K in funding on Kickstarteris a DIY near-infrared photographic technology, which allows users to capture a light spectrum ordinarily invisible to the human eye. Invented by a company called Public Labs, the camera filters red light and records short wavelength blues to record images that once took expensive infrared cameras to capture. Potential applications include documenting plant photosynthetic health, tailoring fertilizer to specific mineral levels, and investigating ancient artworks for signs of retouching and canvas re-use.
Magic Cube Keyboard
The ultimate compact keyboard, this innovative tool by Celluon is the perfect accessory for smartphones and tablets. Using a class II laser, it projects a full-sized keyboard onto any flat opaque surface (along with a multi-touch trackpad mouse), and uses 3D sensors to record keystrokes whenever its horizontal infrared plane is interrupted. Not only is it the tiniest and most efficient keyboard on the market, it also connects via Bluetooth or USB and has a batter life of nearly 3 hours.
Self-Sterilizing Door Handle
Door handles in bathrooms and restaurants are amongst the most common places for humans to transmit viruses. So these clever devices have the potential to promote worldwide health and reduce the always-looming risk of pandemic. Using simple UV technology, the metallic handle self-sterilizes when not in use. And on human contact the sterilizing rays temporarily inactivate. Safe, clean, and energy efficient, these handles could have a huge impact on global health.
Eco Cleaner
Eliminating the need for toxic detergents, the Electrolux Eco Cleaner uses ultrasonic waves to ionize and dissolve food particles and clean dishes and utensils. It converts the food into reusable fertilizer nutrients for indoor or outdoor plants, saves space with its uniquely compact shape, and operates on minimal energy. Best of all, it doesn’t use water.
Green Smart Glass
Today’s thermoses, which have evolved little in the past century, are inefficient. They keep beverages hot or cold longer, but still allow substantial energy loss. So the Green Smart Glass changes everything. It absorbs heat or cold into its container walls, which it then recycles to reheat or continuously cool your beverage. By minimizing energy loss, it can keep liquids at the desired temperature for exponentially longer than ordinary mugs, and even features a thermometer to help users monitor their drink temperature.
The disparity between our creative capabilities and the technologies that are actually available to the public is embarrassingly wide.
The consumer landscape is years behind the cutting edge innovations of inventors, researchers, and scientists throughout the world. But there is hope for change: if 3D printers put the power of manufacturing in the hands of hobbyists and ordinary consumers, we could soon see the gap between innovation and production close. If so, the impacts on the technological landscape will profoundly change the way we live, think, and interact with the world around us.
About the Author: Katherine Michaelson
Katherine Michaelson is a tech geek and sci-fi addict; she’s always on the lookout for the coolest new technologies, and here lists some of her favorites.