A new portable scanner for police departments will make it easier for officers to detect weapons, such as knives or guns, on a person's body. The device will use infrared light image the natural radiation gives off by a person's body. When a solid metal object blocks the rays, the image shape will show up on the scanner screen.

The gesture based calculator application will allow the user to perform basic math computations with only a swipe. The iOS app will simplify the basic functions of the calculator. The user can add with a swipe to the right and subtract with a swipe to the left, while an upwards gesture will access the equal function and two swipes down will erase everything.

Astronauts may soon be making fresh sandwiches in space thanks to a new process. The concept uses the carbon dioxide naturally expelled by the astronauts expel to act as the leavening agent, eliminating the need for yeast. The carbon dioxide is mixed with water in a sealed, pressurized chamber, where it dissolves to form carbonic acid which is then combined with the bread dough in a separate sealed container. Releasing the pressure in the sealed container converts the carbonic acid...

A new robotic wheelchair will go where no wheelchair has gone before--climbing over curbs and tackling stairs. The wheelchair will feature four independently powered wheels mounted on five axes. Sensors next to the wheels will scan obstacles to determine if they can be rolled over, signaling the wheels to change to legs if necessary. An on-board computer will help keep the chair steady and the legs properly aligned, allowing the legs to step on or over the obstacle. The legs will...

Such a situation seems to have happened to everyone... You have been watching a football match or some other sports event for nearly two hours and nothing spectacular has happened. So you decide to go and fetch a beer. The moment you're in the kitchen, you hear the commentator yelling and the audience roaring. You forget about beer and run back to the living room to see what's going on, but by the time you're there it's all over. Of course, they might show you a replay, but it's not the...

The device will be a combination of phone charger and LED flashlight, merging two useful objects into one and perhaps making it easier to find your phone in the dark. The device itself will be charged by a USB port, reaching a full charge in about 5 hours. It will be controlled by a single button, and a blue LED will flash to indicate phone charging. The same single on/off button can be held for two seconds to operate the flashlight, which will consist of a 1W LED.

I wish we had a store where it was possible to buy all the staff for the case of disaster. People would be able to find some special devices there, i.e. modified in some way so as to be the most helpful. For example, an ordinary flashlight could combine a radio and a cell phone charger as well.

Why not create piezoelectric artificial trees able to collect rainwater and generate electricity? The tree will be able to use water from rainfall as well as the natural water table as irrigation; wind energy will provide power for the LED lights.

The new pod makes catching big waves easier, adding a bit of thrust to allow the surfers to reach big waves without the need for a tow. The device is designed to fit on a variety of boards, including surfboards and rescue boards. It fits flat against the underside of the board and relies on a pair of aluminum impellers to provide up to 20 lbs of thrust and 12 mph of speed. The surfer controls the device through a wireless wrist worn remote control, and the rechargeable battery...

A new, inexpensive sensor able to measure the ripeness of fruit could help cut back on food waste by allowing grocers to determine which batches of fruit should be sold first. Fruit gives off ethylene as it ripens, which is currently monitored by costly sensors in fruit warehouses. The new sensors will be small and inexpensive enough to be used in individual grocery stores. The sensors will be made up of an array of carbon nanotubes with attached copper atoms. Ethylene particles...