The idea is to develop a way to extract large quantities of hydrogen from plants, opening the door to a new low-cost, environmentally friendly fuel source. The technique will involve using a combination of a polyphosphate and a blend of enzymes to extract hydrogen from any biological element that contains xylose--which can be found in every plant. The process will also be more efficient and eco-friendly than conventional hydrogen extraction methods.

The new motorcycle helmet will feature a helmet-mounted display, eliminating the need for riders to look down at their phones or GPS devices. Made of carbon fiber and weighing in at just 2.2 pounds, the helmet will be controlled by voice commands. The full-color, translucent image containing the desired information will be projected directly onto the visor, and a light sensor will adjust the image brightness to meet different lighting conditions. The helmet's maps will be powered...

A new LED embedded carpet will be able to display information such as directions or logos, and offer an alternative to static signs. The carpet will be programmed to change its information based on the time of day, or used as a temporary sign--lighting up to direct people after an event or during an emergency. The ground-level placement of information will coincide well with our tendency to look at the ground while walking, and the LEDs will take advantage of our inclination to...

The new headband could bring new relief to migraine sufferers by stimulating the cranial nerves to block the sensation of pain. The system will be based on the gate control theory of pain, and provide sensory input to the nerves to prevent the neural gate from receiving pain input. The battery-powered, tiara-shaped device will be worn on the head, where it will stimulate the trigeminal nerve--the nerve that has been associated with headache pain.

The system will be able to detect indoor positioning using echolocation, which could help to cut energy costs in large buildings by identifying unoccupied rooms. Previously, using echolocation in this manner required specialized equipment that could still be confounded by background noise. The new system, however, will be able to ignore the noise by processing the signal in a particular way--allowing the data to be gathered using a standard laptop. The system will be used to...

Glow-in-the dark nanoparticles will serve as an early warning for food-borne contaminations and bio-terrorism. The technique will use antibodies that will recognize botulinum toxin--a common poison in contaminated food. One side of the antibodies will be coated with a group of nanometer-sized particles carrying dye designed to glow under ultraviolet light. The new method will be much simpler and faster than current methods, which usually involve injecting a mouse with a...

The robot will brighten the dark areas of your home by automatically tracking the sun and directing it to a desired target. The small, portable robot will feature a mirror that will constantly adjust to reflect the sun's rays to a chosen location. The rays can be used to heat an area, send sunlight to neglected plants or simply brighten a dimly lit room. An array of solar cells power the dual-axis microcomputer and it will be able to redirect the equivalent of a 500 watt halogen...

It was discovered that adding spent brewing grains to red clay bricks can increase their insulation capabilities by up to 30 percent. Bricks are often embedded with polystyrene to increase their insulation abilities, but polystyrene and other synthetic materials can be expensive to make and bad for the environment. Spent brewer's grain, on the other hand, are often in plentiful supply, and have been proven to enhance the ability of the clay bricks to trap heat without sacrificing...

A sound effects bracelet will bring new life to everyday objects by turning everything into a potential toy. Designed with kids in mind, the easy-to-wear slap bracelet will be equipped with gyro sensors and accelerometers that will sense the user's motions. The device will communicate with iOS app via Bluetooth, which will allow the user to choose from a bank of different sounds. The bracelet will help to reduce the amount of toys parents feel the need to buy while also...

The shirt will be able to detect an epileptic seizure and contact a doctor immediately, allowing for a quick response as well as a way to continuously monitor seizure patterns. It will be equipped with sensors able to monitor the wearer's heart rate and other physiological characteristics--including brain activity--in real-time. The data will be transmitted to a smartphone via Bluetooth and then uploaded to the cloud, where a designated physician will access the information and...