Our 5 favorite inventions of 2009
Time Magazine just came out with a list of the 50 best inventions of 2009. We took a look and selected 5 of our favorites.
Those might not be the 5 best inventions on the list from a commerical or social value, but they’re the ones that got our vote.
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The Foldable Speaker We like this speaker because it’s perfect for travel. It starts off as a cube, but all you have to do to fit it conveniently in your laptop bag is to unfold it into a slim piece of paper. Plus, part of the profits from sales of this speaker go to charity! |
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The Solar Shingle Solar power is great, but it’s not very practical for most people. It costs a lot to install giant solar panels, which don’t have a nice appearance. The Solar Shingles takes the solar panel and turns it into small shingles that can be installed on the roof right next to the normal shingles. To make them even better, the solar shingles will cost 10% to 15% less than normal solar panels and are easier to install. |
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The YikeBike We love our Brompton fold-able bikes at BrainStore and this is a new twist on an old favorite. Imagine: an electric folding bike that charges in a little over 20 minutes and can reach speeds of up to 20 km/h (12 mph). Yup, we think that sounds great too. |
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Vertical Farming Vertical farming makes it possible to get more out of smaller parcels of land – which could be a huge benefit as the population increases and people want more locally-grown food (especially in urban areas). It’s also cool that the vertical farming uses far less water than conventional farming while still making sure that plants get all the nutrients and sun that they need. |
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The Human-Powered Vending Machine This invention doesn’t change the world, but it makes us happy. The concept is simple: to get something from the vending machine, potential customers will have to pedal a certain distance. We like the image of people pedaling madly away to get their afternoon treat, but we also like how an old technology gets a different spin. |
Take a look at Time’s list and let us know which ones you like best!
March 12th, 2010 at 10:31 pm
“I can’t think of any technology that addresses more urgent issues than Valcent’s vertical farming system”, says Robert F Keneddy Jr http://bit.ly/cPb00g
March 12th, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Nike, U.S. State Dept, NASA and USAID Pick Valcent as One of 10 Best Co’s in World for Sustainable Future: http://bit.ly/bmjIMU