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Airing It Out Inventor: Michelin Availability: Now for the IBOT; about 2020 for cars To Learn More: michelinman.com A wheel without an inflated tire may seem old-fashioned - think wooden buggy wheels - but the Tweel from Michelin is anything but retro. A shock-absorbing rubber tread band distributes pressure to dozens of flexible polyurethane spokes. The spokes in turn are supported by an aluminum center. Because the Tweel is airless, it is more rugged than a pneumatic tire and never goes flat. The Tweel has been tested on the IBOT robotic wheelchair and military vehicles...
Clean Machine Inventor: Intelligent Energy Availability: In early 2007, for less than $10,000 To Learn More: envbike.com The ENV bike looks like a muscular motorcycle but runs more like a moped. Weighing in at 200 lbs., the aluminum bike travels at speeds of up to 50 m.p.h. on its hydrogen-powered fuel-cell engine. Project director Andy Eggleston says that proprietary technology allows the fuel cell to produce more energy than is typical. The ENV runs silently on a 5-oz. canister of hydrogen that costs about $4 and can power the bike for 100 miles. The drawback? California...
Handles Like a Dream Inventor: Yoshiaki Kato of Toyota Availability: Prototype only To Learn More: www.toyota.co.jp/en/news/04/1203_1e.html The i-unit is a four-wheel personal-transportation system that looks like a space-age sports car. "This is designed to be an extension of the human body," says Yoshiaki Kato, chief engineer of the fully electronic, drive-by-wire concept vehicle, which is powered by lithium-ion batteries and has an exterior made of biodegradable, plant-based materials. The 3-ft.-wide, leaf-shaped i-unit is nearly 6 ft. tall when positioned upright but drops its center of gravity...
Hanging Gardens Inventor: Bill Felknor, Felknor Ventures Availability: Now, $19 To Learn More: topsyturvys.com No longer will you have to cage, stake or weed your tomato plants or battle cutworms and other ruinous critters to put fresh tomatoes on the table. The Topsy-Turvy planter allows you to grow beefsteaks, cherries or any other variety upside down on your balcony or deck. Simply fill the bag with potting soil, add a young seedling - almost any vine-growing fruit or vegetable will do - and let the leafy part hang out. Mount the hook, add water and fertilize. A young plant...
Perfect Brew Inventor: Matthew Younkle, Laminar Technologies Availability: Businesses can lease it for $99 a year per tap; keg-cooler version costs $209, kegerator, $179 To Learn More: turbotap.com Nothing kills happy hour like a big head. Now bartenders and concessionaires pulling pints can rely on TurboTap to keep things neat. The device, a stainless-steel spout that attaches to an existing tap, changes the flow of the beer so that it hits the bottom just so, eliminating the need to tilt the glass or slow down the pour. (The tail end, shaped like a Hershey's Kiss, feathers...