I suggest using a new method of steel processing which results in an end product that is lighter, stronger, and more environmentally friendly than traditional methods. The process takes only ten seconds, rather than the hours or days of heating in conventional steel plants. The metal is flash heated and then quickly cooled, which alters the microstructure of the steel and results in a product that is 7% stronger and 30% more flexible than traditional steel. And since the...

The idea is to create a wrist device that will use sonar and haptic feedback to help the visually impaired navigate their surroundings without interfering with the user's hearing. The device will be made up of four range finding sensors that will communicate with a microcontroller in order to calculate distances. Servo motors will translate the distances into force feedback on the user's wrist, with the intensity of the force indicating the nearness of the objects. The user will be...

The electronic glove will act as an interpreter for the hearing impaired, allowing them to communicate more easily. The glove will feature a pair of virtual reality gloves with 15 imbedded flex sensors, a gyroscope, accelerometer, and compass. The combination of sensors will be able to detect the many subtle motions of sign language and then send the data to a mobile device via Bluetooth, where the information from the gloves will then be transformed into a sound wave. The gloves...

A new tracking system could help firefighting crews continuously monitor every member of their team without interference from walls and other obstacles. The system will consist of three parts, a tracking system worn by each firefighter, and a health assessment system to monitor their vitals in real time. The third part will be the router system consisting of five routers contained in a canister, one of which will be automatically dropped if a firefighter goes out of tracking system...

Why not create electronic earplugs that can selectively block sound, activating only when the noise level hits a certain threshold. Tiny microphones inside the earplugs will be able to instantly block sounds waves that are over the accepted limit. The earplugs will also be able to amplify sounds by 15 decibels just by flipping the built in switch, but even in the amplification setting they will still block sudden loud impact sounds.

An ionic mini motor, weighing only 7 oz, will allow the new generation of nanosatellites to have autonomous capabilities and "set them free" from their current orbits. The tiny motor will include fuel and electronics and will be attached to satellites as small as a 4 inch cube. It will use an ionic liquid, the chemical compound EMI-BF4, from which ions with electrical charges will be extracted and then ejected to provide thrust. Although the motor will only provide a tiny...

The idea is to combine a sensitive tracking system with a high-speed camera to create a way to track fast-moving objects in real time. The system will consist of a pair of mirrors--one able to pan and one able to tilt--that can move sixty degrees in about 3.5 milliseconds. The mirrors will track the fast-moving objects, keeping them in the center field of vision much like an autofocus camera, and will send the images back to a stationary HD camera. The resolution will be suitable...

My idea is to create a cell phone application for wheelchair users that will give information about the accessibility of nearby locations. The application will use a color coded map to display the accessibility levels of various places, such as cafes, theaters, or clubs. The maps will use open data that will allow users to modify and update the information. This open contribution ability is very important, because it allows the application to grow as it is being used.

A new alloy is able to convert heat directly into electricity. The alloy, a multiferroic composite of nickel, cobalt, manganese and tin, can quickly and dramatically change from non-magnetic to extremely magnetic when heated only a small amount. When the alloy is located near a rare- earth magnet, a current is produced in a surrounding coil. The new allow could have applications in harvesting waste heat from car exhausts, particularly since many hybrid batteries already have...

The Sleepbox allows air travels a quiet, private place to recharge both themselves and their gadgets. The boxes have as many as three beds, and include LED lamps, Wi-Fi, and sockets for gadget charging, as well as other amenities.