The new device will expand the horizons of wearable sensors, and will be programmed to handle wide range of tasks. It will be equipped with an accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, barometer, thermometer and microphone as well as 2 GB of storage and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. Because its functions will not be pre-set, the device can be programmed by the user with "when/do" statements to recognize gestures or certain conditions, and then react accordingly. Some examples of its...

The idea is to develop a lithium-ion battery with an early warning system that will alert the user before bursting into flames. Lithium-ion batteries are becoming increasingly common in electronic devices as well as cars and airplanes, but they have the annoying risk of exploding if their electrodes accidentally touch. This accidental contact can happen when the lithium ions gather on the anode and pile up to form chains of lithium metal known as dendrites. When these dendrites...

The finger-worn, wireless 3D mouse will be activated by the thumb, making it easy to use in cramped and crowded areas. The mouse will track hand motion in 3D space and will have a range of up to 30 feet. It will be worn on the index finger, where a touch on the touch-sensitive panel will initiate cursor movement. The cursor will be controlled by hand motions and the touch panel will feature left, middle and right button selections.

An implantable device able to provide a real time reading of the amount of medication in a person's bloodstream could allow doctors to fine-tune medication doses for each individual patient. The microfluidic device will feature a central chamber lined with gold electrodes with DNA strands extending from them. These strands, called aptamers, will be set to recognize specific drug molecules as the blood moves through the chamber. As the molecules of the target drug flow through the...

The idea is to develop a way to produce synthetic fuels cleanly and efficiently - bringing us a step closer to weaning ourselves from coal and petroleum-based fuels. The process will convert carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons using the Fischer-Tropsch process and solid oxide electrolyser cells. The machine will be powered by alternative energy and convert water to steam, from which oxygen will then removed to create hydrogen. The hydrogen will be used to...

In another example of using the body to power implanted devices, I suggest developing a chip powered by the ear. The power source for the chip will be an ion-filled chamber within the cochlea, which will be divided by a membrane with some cells specialized to pump ions. The imbalance of potassium and sodium ions on opposite sides of the membrane will create an electrical voltage, which, though low, will be the highest in the body. Though the technology is still a long way...

The haptic feedback suit will put gamers in the game, letting them feel every shot, hit and explosion as it happens on-screen. The sensor-laden suit will feature three forms of sensory feedback: surround sound, vibration and STIMS (which will allow the suit to contract particular muscles). This array of sensors will enable the suit to recreate (in a less painful way) the sensations of explosions, bullets or creatures crawling on your skin.

The new digital stethoscope will be equipped with a visual display and the world's first heart murmur indicator, designed to help physicians pinpoint sounds of potential cardiac issues. The device will work in the same way as a conventional stethoscope, but will also feature a screen that will display the phonocardiogram of the patient's heartbeat, allowing a measure of visual confirmation. More exciting may be its embedded algorithm, which will allow physicians to screen for heart...

The idea is to create a dive transceiver that will allow scuba divers to communicate underwater without the need for expensive, specialized masks. The pocket-sized transceiver will use bone conduction technologies to pick up the diver's words and ultrasound to transmit those words to transceivers worn by the other divers. The sound waves will be played back as speech via the unit's bone conduction speakers and the "built-in digital speech conversion technology" will help to correct...

The digital signpost will be designed to give visitors information about specific events or locations, and will base its data off Twitter feeds and other social networks. The sign will feature three, arrow-shaped, LED-equipped screens that will pivot around the post. Users will be able to select the information they need, such as "Food" or "Transit" from an interface at eye-level, and the signs will move to point in the direction of the desired location. Since the data is digital,...