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The Gadgets

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  ASIMO – Humanoid Robot

  Asimo is one of the most advanced humanoid robots. A humanoid robot mimics the human body in its appearance and actions. It has a torso, head, legs, arms, and hands and fingers. Asimo is capable of walking, running, recognizing moving objects and faces, posturing and gesturing, distinguishing sound and conducting orchestras.

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  LZR Racer

  Speedo’s LZR Racer swimsuit has been used in many world-record-breaking swims since its release in February 2008. Engineered with NASA's assistance, the suit helps to minimize the wearer’s “drag,” which is caused by the friction of a swimmer's body against the water. The LZR Racer also improves the swimmer’s oxygen utilization.

  Related Article: Innovation in Sports Technology -- Inevitable or Unfair? Return to Top
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  Parking Meter

  Oklahoma City lawyer Carl Magee patented the coin-fed parking meter 70 years ago, in May 1938. Not everybody was pleased. A tax on parking? Next thing, they’ll make us pay for walking down the street! But city authorities welcomed the new source of revenue, and some 140,000 meters were in use by 1941. Magee’s basic concept -- a sturdy coin box with a manual dial to engage the timing mechanism and a visible pointer -- lasted until the 1980s, when it was gradually replaced with more complex electronic models.

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  Text Recognition Software

  The first print-to-speech reading machine was invented in 1975 and was about the size of a photocopier. The technology, which enables the visually impaired to understand printed words by translating them to speech, has been continuously miniaturized since its invention. Now print reader technology is available for cell phones, such as the Nokia N82.

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  Flex-Foot

  The Flex-Foot prosthetic limb is the brainchild of inventor Van Phillips, who turned his frustration with an unwieldy prosthetic limb into a lifelong passion for innovation. His revolutionary, L-shaped Flex-Foot mimics a regular foot, using the weight of a step to create a spring reaction that enables the wearer to run and jump. A version of the Flex-Foot, the Cheetah, is used by more than 90 percent of Paralympics track athletes.

  Related Article: Innovation in Sports Technology -- Inevitable or Unfair? Return to Top
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  Windmill

  Since the middle ages, windmills have been used in northwestern Europe to mill grain. Wind turns the windmill’s axles and generates energy to mill the grain or pump water. In recent times, the technology has made a comeback in the form of wind turbines. Wind turbines use wind energy to generate electricity. Wind power is a clean, renewable energy source that produces about 1 percent of the world’s electricity.

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  Hand Crank

  The hand crank is an age-old invention that is used in manual water pumps, manually operated car windows and as a starter for early 20th-century automotive engines. The hand crank is now making a comeback as an environmentally friendly way to operate gadgets like flashlights, radios and even laptops without the use of batteries or an electrical outlet.

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  Global Positioning System

  A global positioning system (GPS) tells you where you are. Initially developed for military use, a 1983 directive from President Ronald Reagan made the system available free of charge for civilian use. The GPS now is used for a wide range of scientific and civilian activities from tracking wildlife, to locating shipwrecks, to enhancing public safety.

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  Digital Photo Display Devices

  Devices that display digital photographs downloaded from computers or cameras originated as desktop frames that ran a slide show of favorite digital photos. Now, digital picture display devices are everywhere: in wallets, key chains, necklaces, radios, wristwatches, even measuring tapes. Some also play music or voice recordings.

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  Portable Solar Chargers

  Portable Solar Chargers (2005) With the renewed emphasis on environmental conservation, portable solar chargers that allow users to recharge devices without tapping their electrical outlets are receiving attention. These small, efficient, folding solar panels can charge an iPod, cell phone or other small device without expanding the user’s carbon footprint, even in areas far from civilization.

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  Clocky

  The brainchild of engineering students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, this alarm clock rings like any other, but will jump off your nightstand and roll away to hide if you push the “snooze” bar. The next time it rings, you will have to get out of bed to find it and turn it off. The device became commercially available in 2007.

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  Apple iPhone

  A multimedia, multifunction, Internet-enabled phone, camera, media player, text/visual message system, e-mail and Web browser with local Wi-Fi connectivity, this sleek little device is an accomplished multitasker. It communicates with the world using a quad-band GSM cellular phone standard, allowing it to function nearly worldwide.

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  Microwave Oven

  Daily meals that once took hours to cook now can be ready in minutes, thanks to the microwave oven. Originally invented in the 1940s, the first microwave was nearly the size of a large refrigerator, but by the 1970s had slimmed down to countertop size. The latest technology has reduced size and power use even further; and made microwaves ubiquitous in homes, offices and college dorm rooms.

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  Zenith Space Commander 300

  The first TV remote control, called "Lazy Bones," was developed in 1950 by Zenith Electronics Corporation (then known as Zenith Radio Corporation). By pushing buttons on the wired remote control, viewers could change channels, adjust volume and turn the receiver on and off. In 1956, Zenith’s Space Commander eliminated the wires. Now remote controls are commonplace.

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  Polaroid Camera

  The original Polaroid SX-70 Land Camera (1972) improved on an earlier 1948 model by using dry film instead of the wet peel-off type. It also folded neatly to fit into a pocket. The instant gratification provided by Polaroids was matched only when digital photography became popular.

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  Segway

  A two-wheeled electric transportation device balanced by computers, invented by Dean Kamen and presented to the public in December 2001, remains more a toy than a vehicle. Intended for use in pedestrian areas, bike paths and indoors, police departments, tour operators, large warehouses and utility companies continue experimenting with it.

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  e-Books

  Devices that were designed to allow us to carry around dozens of books in a small, hand-held unit and read our favorite authors on tiny screens began appearing in 1990s. These products have yet to become popular, but seem to be attracting new interest with screens that are easier on the eyes and memories that can store whole libraries.

  Related Article: Electronic Book Reading Devices Growing in Popularity Return to Top
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  Smart Appliances

  Refrigerators that tell you when you need to buy milk or eggs, prepare a shopping list and even call the grocery store to order food have been marketed since 2003, as have ovens that automatically start, cook and hold food at its proper temperatures until served. These Internet-enabled products, possibly because of complexity or price, have failed to attract a broad following among consumers.

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