One day, snowboarders may be able to charge down the slopes while charging their batteries with a solar panel equipped snowboard. The snowboard will be equipped with a pair of solar panels fitted to the board's shape and connected to a converter in the center of the board. The board's two rechargeable batteries will be able to power smartphones and music devices, taking advantage of the bright sun on snowy mountain slopes.

Inspired by a hamster ball, the robot will propel itself along the ground without any limbs or wheels (or hamsters). A system of pendulums will swing in two different directions in order to shift the robot's center of mass. As a pendulum swings to the right or left, the robot will naturally move in the opposite direction as it will attempt to stabilize (the same thing happens when a hamster runs up one side of the hamster ball). The robot could be used as a low-cost system...

The folding pen mouse concept will shift from a mouse to a tablet pen, providing two ways to interact with the screen. The folding pen mouse will be equipped with a pair of sensors - one on the tip and one on the base - and a recessed hinge system that will allow it to be folded in half and secured with magnets. When used as a tablet pen, the device will sense speed, direction and pressure. In mouse form, it will perform the usual mouse functions.

The vest will combine the technology of driverless cars with the natural skills of bats and pit vipers to help the visually impaired navigate. The system will feature a vest equipped with sensors and emitters that will be arranged to provide 360 degrees of detection. The system will include a LiDAR laser, which is used in driverless cars; ultrasound, used by bats for echo-location; and infrared, used by pit vipers for thermal location, which combine to deliver extremely effective...

The device will not only track your car's health, it will also help you remember where you parked. It will plug into the car's data port and communicate with the smartphone via the included app. Once installed it will automatically connect to the smartphone each time the driver (with phone) begins a trip. The device will track mileage and gas usage, retrieve engine trouble codes from the car's computer and offer possible repair solutions. The built in accelerometer will...

The idea is to develop a set of earbuds that will provide a non-invasive method of monitoring pressure inside the skull. Usually, intercranial pressure is measured by drilling a hole in the skill and inserting a catheter--a process that is both expensive and somewhat risky, and therefore used only in serious cases. The earbuds, in contrast, will be used in cases that won't require such extreme procedures, but will still benefit from pressure monitoring. The earbuds will...

The dragonfly-inspired turbine will be small enough to be erected in a backyard and will harness energy from winds as low as four miles per hour. Based on the dragonfly's ability to float on light breezes and still navigate through gale-force winds, the turbine will be made of lightweight carbon and polycarbonate, which will allow it to harness low winds and at low altitudes. It will also withstand the force of larger winds, due to its slim-line design, and, standing only 20 meters...

Nanonsheet material able to cling to irregular skin could provide a more effective treatment for burn victims. The nanosheets will be made by first spinning the biodegradable polymer poly (L-lactic acid) (PLLA) in a test tube of water, breaking the material down into smaller pieces. This mixture will then be poured onto a flat surface, where the pieces overlap and merge to dry into a single sheet. The unique makeup of the nanosheet will allow it to tightly cover even tiny bumps and...

The idea is to develop a swarm of robotic bees that will help pollinate crops if required. The RoboBees will feature specially designed artificial muscles and miniature sensors that will to allow them to process cues from the environment in order to make decisions. They are intended to be used as a swarm, coordinating their actions without relying upon a single leader. Beyond their potential to augment the pollination of real bees, the RoboBees could be used for search and...

A new wetsuit for surfers and swimmers will help prevent shark attacks by making the wearer invisible and seemingly less tasty to sharks. The will be two wetsuit styles that will help deter attacks in two different ways. One, designed for swimmers and divers, will use a Cryptic Pattern that will cause the wearer to blend into the background, making them difficult for sharks to see. The other, for surfers, will feature a Warning Pattern that will mimic the patterns of untasty fish,...