2009's Top 10 Pieces of Tech By phact0rri [10 more lists]

Every year Technological Innovation gets better and better. Ten years ago it was hard to imagine we'd have computers with no wires, cellphones with no buttons and robot/cyborg vacuum cleaners. But what happened this year that blew our minds? Well, I don't know about you but I had my mind blown quite a lot and I owe it all to a few truly innovative inventions. Here's a list of those amazing innovations.

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1

Organic Motion

Motion Capture technology got a helping hand this year by New York based Organic Motion who rid the world of body suits and markers. By using 14 cameras, their technology creates a 3D clone of the actor, which is then used to replicate motions performed by the actor. What makes this even more amazing is the fact that the cameras can capture the effects to a single server with a high end video card, making the process much cheaper as well. Looks like Robert Zemeckis didn't have a stroke that made him change to only "Mo Cap", he's just being cheap.

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2

i-Limb

UK based Touch Bionics created a lifelike Prosthetic limb that achieves a dexterity that is extremely close to that of a human hand, allowing thumb and finger movements such as holding a cup or grabbing a business card, which is the main thing human hands do if you live in LA. The thumb can also rest inside the hand so it is not caught when putting on clothing. Unlike the Pincher prosthetics currently on the market, the i-Limb is sculpted to look and feel like a real hand, complete with proper weight and agronomic. To help with the lifelike nature there’s also a removable silicone skin to make it appear like its not a prosthetic at all. Talk about "the stranger"...

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3

QA

QA is Five foot Telepresence Robot manufactured by AnyBots Inc from California. QA is a 35 pound machine that moves on two wheels like a Segway, houses five high-megapixel cameras, and supports two-way audio and laser guided gesturing. It supports wireless communication, and you can control it using a wireless communication card from a PC. Currently, these bad boys are only build-on-demand, so if you have 30,000 dollars you will be one step away from taking over the world. Or having your own Jetsons-style maid. Although I'm not sure if they make them THAT sassy...yet.

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4

Logitech Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote

Still getting up to turn the knobs on your television? Your entertainment system is bound to get cooler. This over-the-top remote control by Logitech boasts a 3.5 inch touch screen encased in beautiful black brushed metal. It is able to read gestures and slides and has a guide function for it to remember motions. However if you aren’t sure about the touch screen it also has analog controls. Packed with a user controlled QVGA display, and the ability to be versatile no matter how complicated your entertainment center is, it makes performing tasks a breeze. With a replaceable battery, and an RF extender to take the signal more than 100 feet, its no wonder this device keeps winning awards. This will ensure your friends can never use your TV again.

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5

SFC Fuel Cell

SFC, a company based out of Munich, created a small light weight fuel cell, powered by Methanol. Unlike the heavier and bulkier fuel cells that ran on Hydrogen, SFG’s Methanol cells make it easier to carry power to GPS and communication devices, and are not explosive like the Hydrogen Models. I'm all for non-hindenburg fuel cells.

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6

EcoRock

Serious Materials of Sunnyvale California created a new Eco-friendly alternative to Drywall. It is as durable as drywall, but takes 80% less energy to make. On top of this it's created with recycled material, and is also termite and mold resistant. Competitively priced at the same price as premium Drywall, it is posed to be a viable alternative to the current Gypsum-based Drywall which emits 80% more Carbon Dioxide than EcoRock.

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7

Mirasol Display

Qualquam’s mobile display based on IMOD (Interferometric MODulation) reflective technology is a low-powered full color display for Mobile devices. The Mirasol Display uses a micro Electronic system known as MEM, which allows to thin plates to open and close creating vivid images even in direct sunlight. This is because the display uses ambient light as its system of illumination reflects through two plates. When an image is static, the display consumes almost no energy at all, making it the most energy effective display currently on the market. The first black and white version of the display was used in 2008, but the full color version began to be used in May of 2009. It's currently used on a variety of mobile devices including mp3 players, and Bluetooth head sets. LG has already contracted the display for a few lines of its forthcoming new Cell Phones

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8

Personal Pocket Safe

Scared about your Thumbdrive getting into the wrong hands? Well, so is Black Box. To fix this, they designed their new USB drive with Security in mind. Included in the security system is a 256-bit AES encryption system, and an Epoxy shield that kills data on forced entry. Kills. DATA. The software that is included works nice to organize your files, but really it’s the device’s hardcore security that really makes it hit this list. That and the fact that it's priced at about $60. Affordable and safe!...must...not...make...hooker...joke.

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9

Wacom’s Cintiq 12wx

I’m a digital artist, so I live and breathe by Wacom tablets. For me it's second nature to draw on a piece of plastic while looking at my screen to see where the pointer is as I’m working on some illustrations. But I’d be lying if I said that it was easy to learn how to do that when I went digital six or seven years ago. Using a tablet has a steep learning curve. In many ways you have to learn to draw all over again. But that learning curve might be a thing of the past with Wacom’s new Cintiq. You can look where you're drawing right on the surface of the tablet. With a twelve inch touch screen in place of the molded plastic we're use to, we can now draw right on our screens. Also with Wacom’s usual understanding of pressure-aided line strength and its intuitive design… this really changes everything about digital art. If only I could afford to drop a grand on one. I think its time for a second job.

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10

Nook

Barnes and Noble's new e-Reader blows the competition out of the water. The Android powered book reader boasts both a 16 level grey i-ink screen, and a smaller touch screen for navigation along the bottom. Weighing in at 11.6 ounces and 2GB of internal storage (with a microSD slot capable of supporting 16GB card), and a wireless connection that will also allow for purchase and download from your couch, directly onto the unit or download in any of he BnB retail stores. On top of that, it supports a wide range of eBook formats including Fictionwise, ePub, and PDF. Retailing at $259(US), it's an amazing and price-friendly unit.

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Showing items 1 - 5 of 10

Organic Motion

i-Limb

QA

Logitech Harmony 1100 Advanced Universal Remote

SFC Fuel Cell

EcoRock

Mirasol Display

Personal Pocket Safe

Wacom’s Cintiq 12wx