The world's first unstealable bike can be designed around the idea of building the lock into the bike, for example in the frame. The frame's lower tube can separate and open outward, forming a pair of arms that extend enough to be placed around a solid object like a pole or bike rack. The bike's seat (with the post attached) will then be removed and inserted through the open ends of the arms to form the lock. The integrated lock will act as a powerful theft-deterrent, since breaking...

In an effort to re-use the million of tons of building rubble produced each year, a way to recycle concrete with lightning was found. The lightning bolts of a short duration are more likely to pass through a solid. The idea is to produce lightning bolts and direct them to the concrete. As the lightning follows the path of least resistance, it separates the material into its fundamental components. A concrete recycling plant using the lightning method could be a reality in as...

A digital imaging system could give firefighters the ability to see through heat and smoke, making it easier to detect objects and people. Although firefighters can use infrared cameras to spot warm bodies, the cameras are often overwhelmed by the heat from extremely hot fires. The new system will use digital imaging to capture infrared signals in 3D and covert them in real time to holographic video. The device will feature an infrared laser, which will be able to penetrate a...

A personal mister will help cyclists keep cool while biking during the hot days of summer. The device will attach to the bike's handlebars and feature a user-controlled spray mechanism. Triggering the spray will draw water from the 100-ml reservoir and send a fine mist over the cyclist with each click. Three or four clicks per minute will be enough to completely moisten the torso and create a cooling effect. The device will be removed from the handlebars with a quick release, and...

The Night View Assist will identify humans as well as an impressive array of road-wandering animals. Although in-car night-vision systems were developed 13 years ago, they have been limited to identifying only pedestrians. This is because the wide range of animal sizes and shapes makes it much harder to develop a system able to pick them out. To address this problem, the Night View Assist will be developed with a thermal infrared camera that will scan for warm-blooded animals outside of...

Using some perforated sheets of plastic stacked in the shape of a pyramid, it is possible to develop a device able to hide an object from sound waves. The device will rely on the use of metamaterials--arranging natural materials in repeating patterns to create new and unique properties. When the sound wave-cloaking pyramid is placed around an object, the sound waves will behave like there is nothing more than a flat surface in their path. The sound-cloaking technology could have...

The e-ink card will let users carry all their card information on one device and choose between them via the card's touchscreen. The card will be equipped with the standard magnetic swipe strip, so it can be used at any location that already accepts today's cards. It can carry up to 20 cards, which can be chosen via the e-ink strip at the bottom of the card - allowing the user to scroll through the cards, lock the card with a PIN or even generate QR codes. The card will also come...