Five Incredible Inventions that Turn Humans into True Cyborgs

We already understand how to artificially bring our bodies back to their natural optimal state. Prescription glasses can help correct vision, while hearing aids aid those with hearing loss.

Today, emerging technologies are advancing to enhance the human body more than ever before.

Those who utilize these innovations embody a blend of human and machine, elevating their capabilities to reach what once seemed unattainable.

These are not merely futuristic concepts; they are new technologies available on the market or soon to be released.

I’ll take you to the sky

Flight has been a long-held human aspiration, from Icarus in Greek mythology to flying cars in sci-fi films like Blade Runner. Though personal flight technology may seem fanciful, it exists today in the form of a gravity jet suit.

We once envisioned rocket boots that could lift us off the ground, but such designs would be inherently unstable due to thrust being directed away from the wearer’s center of gravity.

Instead, the Gravity Jetsuit employs five engines that gently assist the wearer in navigating the air. Pilots can hover, spin, and even glide short distances above land or water.

The 1,050 horsepower gas turbine on the back provides essential lift, while two small jet turbines on each arm ensure stability and control.

In 2021, the Royal Navy tested the suit in a training exercise to explore its onboarding potential.

Please close your eyes and look

In the future, this technology could assist individuals with color blindness in perceiving a broader spectrum of colors – Photo Credit: Getty Images

Human vision is relatively limited; without light, we are nearly blind. Night vision goggles have allowed us to see red light wavelengths for some time, but this technology has now been miniaturized.

Chinese scientist developed contact lenses coated with nanoparticles that absorb infrared rays and re-emitt them as visible red, green, or blue light.

In trials, these lenses enabled users to see flashes from an infrared LED.

Interestingly, participants found it easier to see these flashes with their eyes closed, as the visible interference from light was blocked by their eyelids.

In the future, this technology may be adapted to assist those with color blindness in experiencing a wider range of colors.

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I’m walking towards the future

Exoskeleton suits are wearable machines designed to enhance natural strength. Think of them as a type of powered suit or wearable forklift.

Many associate them with sci-fi movies like Alien, but they are already in use today.

Exoskeleton sensors detect the wearer’s movement and activate joint motors to provide additional strength.

Exoskeleton sensors detect your movement and activate the joint motors to provide added strength – Image Credit: DNSYS

Exoskeleton technology currently assists some individuals with disabilities, enabling them to function without assistance. It is also being developed to help warehouse workers lift and move heavier objects safely.

Moreover, this technology has everyday applications, such as aiding individuals in hiking longer distances or navigating stairs that might otherwise be challenging.

Get a better grip

Scientists at University College London recently created a glove-like device that provides the wearer with an additional thumb.

Researchers from University College London developed a glove-like device that provides the wearer with an extra thumb – Image credit: Dani Close/UCL

While this may appear redundant (as most of us already possess two), tests show that the additional thumb enhances dexterity, allowing tasks to be completed more easily with two hands.

Sensors located beneath the wearer’s toe control the movement of the third thumb. Currently, there is no tactile feedback, meaning the wearer cannot yet use it for delicate tasks, like carrying eggs.

Though the third thumb is not part of our natural anatomy, participants have quickly adapted to using it; only four out of nearly 600 individuals could not operate it successfully.

Control things with your thoughts

Brain Control Interface Technology allows individuals with neurodegenerative disorders reliable control over their surroundings – Photo Credit: Case Western Reserve University

Brain Control Interface (BCI) is an innovative technology that enables individuals to control computers using their thoughts.

By embedding microelectrodes into the brain, nerve signals associated with limb movement can be decoded by computers and used to manipulate external devices.

This technology enhances far more than just computer usability; it offers those with neurodegenerative conditions reliable control over their environment.

So far, this technology has allowed volunteers with spinal cord injuries to control computer cursors merely by thinking of movements associated with their paralyzed hands or arms.

The next evolution for these devices is the precise control of robotic limbs. With BCI technology, scientists envision a future where patients with muscle atrophy or other degenerative conditions fully regain their motor capabilities.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

15 Weirdest Inventions from Around the Globe

The most effective inventions address everyday challenges with a hint of flair and efficiency. However, that’s not always the case. Some inventions appear bizarre as they tackle nonexistent problems or approach solutions in unconventional ways.

Featured Case: From brain-powered cat ears to dazzling car tires, here are ten truly peculiar items, including several strange hats. Let’s kick things off…

1. Cat Mimi

Journalists wearing headsets with cat ears called “Cat Mimi.” The ears respond to a brain wave analysis interface, moving as a form of nonverbal communication. Photo by Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

In 2011, the inventor merged Japanese technology with a playful animal-themed accessory, resulting in Nekomimi—cat ears that move based on the user’s brain waves. Concentration powers the ears, while a relaxed state causes them to drop.

Despite its oddity, this gadget is a hit among cosplayers and can be found in Japan for around £90.

2. Mono-Wheel Bike

The Dynasphere, a mono-wheeled vehicle, was tested in Breen Sands, Weston Supermare, England, in February 1932. Photo: Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Cars and motorcycles are iconic inventions, but had the Dynasphere gained popularity, the landscape of vehicles might have been very different.

This mono-wheeled vehicle could reach speeds of up to 48 km/h and was available with either a gasoline engine or an experimental electric motor.

However, safety concerns were paramount. Standing 3 meters tall, it was difficult to steer and prone to “gerbilling,” where the driver could be spun around like a rodent in a wheel.

3. Tomatan

Kagome employee Suzukijima prepares to eat tomatoes served by the Tomatan, a promotional tomato dispenser for marathon runners. Photo by Yoshikazu Tsuno/AFP/Getty Images

Who hasn’t dreamed of being fed by a robot? Well, maybe not many of us.

Nonetheless, Japanese juice maker Kagome envisioned this concept, allowing marathon runners to eat tomatoes on the go. Unfortunately, it was just a prototype and not for sale—how unfortunate!

4. Glowing Tires

In this 1961 archive image, a woman adjusts her stockings with light from a Goodyear lighted tire. Photo: Douglas Miller/Getty Images

In the ’60s, Goodyear had a fascinating idea: illuminating tires! These were crafted from synthetic rubber and featured bulbs within the wheels, making them glow.

While they offered a range of colors and looked stunning in the dark, their performance in wet conditions was lacking. They also tended to melt under heavy braking, leading to abandonment of the concept.

5. Hayfever Hat

Kawasaki Ken, founder of the International Chindog Association, showcases his creation, the “Hayfever Hat,” in Tokyo on June 3, 2009.

Kawasaki Ken is renowned for quirky inventions, coining the term “Chindogu,” meaning “strange tool,” and has created hundreds of unusual items, including mini shoe umbrellas and eye-drop funnels.

Next on the list is the “Hayfever Hat,” designed to dispense paper continuously to combat sneezing caused by allergies. While it seems odd, it offers a unique solution to a persistent problem.

6. Bed Glasses

A woman demonstrates Hamblin glasses, designed for comfortable reading in bed, captured in 1936.

Hamblin’s reading glasses enable users to read while lying down. Featuring a mirror system like a periscope, they allow reading at a 45-degree angle. They also double as a tool for checking your feet while walking.

7. Cat Meow Machine

The mechanical cat meowed 10 times per minute while lighting up. Photos by Keystone/Getty Images

Craving all the perks of cat ownership without the actual commitment? This bizarre invention from the 1960s Japan wasn’t even available for purchase.

Marketed to scare off mice, it ultimately failed as the rodents were not fooled, ensuring that pet owners could avoid cleaning up after a real cat.

8. Nap Pillow

A man demonstrates his nap pillow. Photo by Ostricpillow

The original nap pillow, Ostricpillow, is delightfully peculiar. It allows you to nap at your desk while blocking light and sound, and you can breathe through your nose or mouth.

The only downside? Your coworkers might not appreciate your snoring during crucial meetings, though you might be too cozy to care.

9. Submarine Car

Rinspeed’s Squba, the world’s first functional submarine car, was showcased at the Geneva Car Show in March 2008.

In the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, James Bond took his Lotus Esprit for a swim. Although the Esprit wasn’t actively marketed as a submersible vehicle, Rinspeed—a German car company—decided to create its own version.

The result was the Squba, a zero-emission electric sports car that could dive to depths of 10m at a speed of 3 km/h, powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. Despite the buzz, it never moved beyond the prototype phase.

10. Mustache Shield

The mustache shield was designed to prevent interference from food and liquids while eating. Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Mustaches have been a prominent form of facial hair for centuries, with handlebar varieties becoming popular during the latter part of the 19th century. In 1876, Virgil Gates patented a protective shield to keep them clean while eating and drinking.

Composed of rubber and metal, the guard was secured by elastic cords that looped over the ears. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t gain widespread acceptance.

11. Fliz Bike

Conceptual illustration of the Fliz Bike, photographed in 2012. Photo: Fliz

The Fliz resembles a bicycle but functions similarly to a scooter. It harks back to the Laufmaschine Bike (or hobby horse) invented by Baron Karl Drais over 200 years ago. Like the Fliz, this early model had no chains and required riders to provide their own propulsion.

The key difference? Instead of sitting on a seat, riders dangle from the frame atop the bike. Constructed with a carbon fiber frame, the Fliz is lightweight and modern—but its practicality remains questionable.

12. Pet Rock

Gary Dahl, creator of “Pet Rock,” is seen packing the one-millionth toy for sale in 1975. Photos by GettyImages

Long before Tamagotchis and virtual pet simulations, there was the pet rock—a pet that required no upkeep. This quirky toy came with “bedding” and a ventilated carrier to mimic the experience of real pet ownership.

For a fleeting moment, it topped the charts as America’s best-selling toy. However, after just six months, interest waned, leading to the Pet Rock’s quick discontinuation in February 1976.

13. V-Shaped Bed

Evelyn Myers tests the V-shaped spring-free bed, created by Joseph Pilates. Photo: George Rinhart/Corbis/Getty Images

Joseph Pilates was not only known for popularizing fitness techniques but also for his unique creations, including a V-shaped bed designed after he moved to America. He filed a patent in 1930, believing traditional beds were uncomfortable and that his design would provide better support for the back and limbs. Unfortunately, public reception was lukewarm.

14. Crane Head Cereal Serving Device

Artist and inventor Dominique Wilcox showcases the Crane Head Cereal Serving Device in Kellogg’s wearable breakfast collection at the Serial Killer Cafe in Camden, England. Photography by photo

Artist and inventor Dominic Wilcox is known for his bevy of unconventional designs, such as a nose stylus for smartphone use in the bath.

The Crane Head Cereal Serving Device consists of a milk-powered hydraulic crane attachment worn on the head. Users can operate its arms to transfer cereal from a box to a bowl and pour milk on top. For some reason, this peculiar contraption hasn’t hit the market yet.

15. Baby Cage

An example of a baby cage proposed by the London Council in January 1934, intended to be mounted outside apartment windows. Photo: Fox Photos/Getty Images

Baby cages are a chilling concept that thankfully never took off. Designed for apartment dwellers with limited access to outdoor space, these cages were seen as a feasible solution for getting babies fresh air.

They were trialed in various locations around the globe, including New York and London, but fortunately, parents weren’t enthusiastic about the idea of their infants dangling outside a window.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Fashion: The Evolution and Innovation of Our Ancestors’ Inventions

France. Cannes. Gucci. cruise. 2018.

Today, clothes are the means of self -expression and group identity, and we will not go without them.

Photo of Martin Parr/Magnum

Venus figurines are most famous for their sexual characteristics. These frequently pronounced sculptures of women’s forms made about 30,000 years to 20,000 years ago have been interpreted as a ritual rich Ility, the mother of the mother, and the self -portrait. Like a fashion plate, one of them is not generally seen. However, some of them can get a glimpse of the appetite, which is worn by a good-looking stone-oriented woman. One of Russian Kostenki is equipped with a strap-style robe. Others have stringed instruments. And the famous Venus of Willendorf is wearing a woven hat, but it is a very wonderful hat.

These statues are far from our general concepts in the past, covered with animal fur. According to archeologists, the gorgeous details with their clothes are the importance of clothing tens of thousands of years ago and hundreds of thousands of years ago. Olga sofaProfessor Emerita from the University of Illinois University of Urbanhamping. It started as needed and turned into a canvas for aesthetic expressions and meanings to keep people warm. Now, the story of how it happened was added, thanks to some new discoveries.

Clothing is easy to rot, and the oldest archeological site is only around 10,000 years old。 However, as the Venus figurine shows, we can follow the time dating in other ways. These archeological clues have revealed the origin of both simple cape and complex tailoring. largely…

Source: www.newscientist.com

10 of the Most Disastrous Inventions in History

If you take a look around your home, you’ll notice numerous incredible inventions that have made our lives easier. You’re currently reading this article.

However, not all inventions are well-thought-out and useful. Some don’t serve their purpose well, while others are as effective as a yarn submarine. Some are created with good intentions, while others are made to fill a non-existent niche in hopes of making some money.

parachute coat

Franz Reichert was photographed wearing a parachute suit that he designed. Photo credit: Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

Franz Reichert was a tailor, but he was inspired to design a suit for pilots that could double as a parachute in the early days of manned flight. After testing his design with a dummy, he believed it worked and decided to test it by jumping from the Eiffel Tower in Paris in 1912.

Unfortunately, Franz’s design failed, and he tragically fell to his death. However, his pioneering spirit led to the development of wingsuits for BASE jumping, as well as parachutes and ejection seats for pilots.

coffee pod

All used coffee pods are useless and ready for landfill. Photo credit: Getty Images

Coffee pods, invented by John Sylvan, initially seemed like a great idea but turned out to be incredibly wasteful. Even Sylvan, the inventor, regrets creating them during his time at Keurig Green Mountain.

Research shows that coffee pods have a significant global environmental impact, with specialized recycling companies being the only option for recycling them. If left in landfills, it takes 500 years for them to decompose.

Sinclair C5 Electric Tricycle

Sir Clive Sinclair launches the new Sinclair C5 electric car at Alexandra Palace in London on January 10, 1985. Photo by David Levenson/Getty Images – ©Getty Images

The Sinclair C5, an electric three-wheeler, was launched by Sir Clive Sinclair and was ahead of its time. Despite being legal for road use, its short battery life, low speed, and safety concerns led to poor reviews and sales.

With advancements in battery technology, the Sinclair C5 could have been more successful if released today.

pop up ads

Browser popup vector illustration. Photo credit: Getty Images

Pop-up ads, originally intended to help internet users, have become synonymous with a poor browsing experience. Ethan Zuckerman, the inventor, has apologized for creating them as they became incredibly annoying.

hydrogen airship

LZ 127 “Graf Zeppelin” flies over the New York skyline in 1928. Photo courtesy of Ullstein Bild/Getty Images

Before jet planes, airships like the Zeppelin Company’s were a popular means of long-distance travel. However, the use of highly explosive hydrogen gas led to frequent accidents, culminating in the Hindenburg disaster in 1937.

Modern airship companies now use helium instead of hydrogen for safer and more environmentally friendly travel.

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sega dreamcast

SEGA’s home game console “Dreamcast” and controller. Photo by: James Shepherd/Future/Getty Images

SEGA’s Dreamcast, while innovative with online gameplay, failed due to a lack of third-party titles and competition from Sony’s PlayStation 2.

Other failed consoles, like Apple’s Pippin, also faced challenges in the market.

chewing gum

A collection of colorful chewing gums at the Hoover Dam in America. Photo courtesy: Getty Images

Chewing gum, a popular modern product, contains polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic that contributes to environmental pollution. However, plastic-free alternatives are now emerging.

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betamax video

A collection of old Betamax videotapes. Photo credit: Getty Images

Sony’s Betamax system had superior image quality compared to VHS but failed due to the adoption of VHS by the adult film industry and high costs.

vinyl carry bag

Senegalese environmental activist Maudou Fall, known as “Plastic Man,” walks on a beach to warn people about pollution caused by the use of single-use plastics in Dakar, Senegal, April 4, 2023. Photo by: Annika Hammerschlag/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Plastic bags, originally intended for repeated use, have contributed to plastic pollution. However, biodegradable alternatives are now being introduced.

apple newton

See the original Apple Newton MessagePad from 1993 in action. Photo credit: Alamy

Apple’s Newton tablet, aimed at modernizing note-taking, failed due to high costs and poor handwriting recognition.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

11 futuristic visions from old inventions: From carrier pigeons to self-cleaning homes | Lifestyle

“Things can only get better,” D:Ream promised, but they were wrong, as were most people throughout history who tried to predict the future.

But that hasn’t stopped us from trying, and some visionaries have been quite successful. Leonardo da Vinci also envisioned a helicopter and a refrigerator. Joseph Granville suggested in 1661 that lunar travel and communication using “magnetic waves” might be possible. Civil engineer John Elfreth Watkins, writing in 1900, predicted mobile phones, prepared meals, and global digital media (“Photos can be sent via telegram even if you are far away. If there were a battle in China in 100 years, a snapshot of that most shocking event would be in the newspapers an hour later.”). Visionary American cartoonist Arthur Radbaugh in the late 1950s to early 1960s, through his series Closer Than We Think, introduced ideas like wrist-worn televisions, robot-run warehouses, and bloodless surgery.

Many of these predictions, however, turned out to be inaccurate. Watkins believed he could eradicate mosquitoes and the letters C, X, and Q. Radbaugh imagined a colony of monkeys in space riding a hamster wheel-shaped “unicycle” vehicle. Most futurists simply added imaginative touches to existing technological advancements. It requires a great deal of creativity to envisage a truly different world.

Perhaps that is why more outlandish events occur in fiction. Jules Verne’s book Paris in the 20th Century, written in 1860 but not published until 1994, foretold a world with copy machines, techno music, and individuals who view art degrees as foolish. HG Wells took it further (or deeper) by imagining the atomic bomb.

What people anticipate often reveals more about their aspirations and anxieties than the actual future. Predictions tend to surge around significant dates and momentous global occurrences, reflecting contemporary concerns. The rapid technological advancements of the 19th century gave rise to new uncertainties as well as hopes, and the future they envisaged mirrors this duality (women’s pursuit of happiness also emerges as a recurring theme). The 1960s vision encompasses the space race and the “sky’s the limit” enthusiasm that promotes a sense of boundless possibility – alongside the fear of the Cold War and the quest for viable alternatives in case nuclear annihilation renders life on Earth untenable. The reality tends to lie somewhere in between these extremes, but the list of people who have been anticipating the apocalypse for the past millennium serves as a peculiar consolation for those who believed in cataclysmic events involving fire, flood, comet impacts, or the Antichrist. Hey, we’re still here (for now).

It’s a whimsical retrospective vision of the future. So let’s hop off the hoverboard, ask the kangaroo butler, and start with the roast dinner pill.

March of the Intellect, 1829

“6 hours from London to Bath!” Photo: Heritage Images/Getty Images

The imaginative stride of cartoonists is remarkable. Much more captivating than reality. An enormous steam-powered horse emitting smoke; a vacuum tube transport to Bengal; a flying whale gargoyle ferrying convicts to New South Wales in style; a refuse collector biting into a whole pineapple; a postman with elegant wings – it’s bewildering. Heath believed the future would be kinder and more user-friendly. That, to me, signifies progress.

Test tube baby, 19th century

Simmer until done. Photo: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

French author and illustrator Albert Robida, in his “Twentieth Century” trilogy created in the 1880s and 1990s, predicted video conferences, doorbell cameras, pneumatic tube transport systems like hyperloops, industrialized food production, and a world polluted with “pathogenic ferments” clogging its rivers. The test tube baby seems a tad on the nose, but the image of a toddler scientist concocting this idea makes me wish they had invented something like ibuprofen instead.

City with a roof, 19th century

‘Is it still raining? I didn’t realize it.’ Photo: Alamy

The German Hildebrand chocolate company produced trading cards in the late 19th century envisioning various marvels of the future: buildings that could be moved on rails by steam engines, aquatic penny-farthings, summer holidays in the North Pole. Unfortunately, these might only become a reality in about 30 years from now. I won’t name names, but there are a few cities in the UK that could definitely benefit from a rainproof glass roof (cough, Manchester cough).

Crowded, c1901-14

Sky Rage first appears in this illustration for a French satirical magazine. Photo: Science and Society Image Library/SSPL/Getty Images

While imagined visions of future transportation frequently depict crowded skies with flying vehicles, road traffic continues to remain tediously earthbound (barely enough space for a two-lane road, I tell you). Robida presented a sleek, almost animalistic driverless vehicle approach. I, however, appreciate the comical impracticality of this airship traffic jam. You can easily tell it’s French from the man’s gesture on the far left. They sure threw this at me at numerous Gaulish crossroads.

Bathroom, 2000, 1899

Because she’s worth it. Photo: CCI/Shutterstock

Commissioned by French toymaker Jean-Marc Côté, illustrations of the year 2000 for the 1900 Paris Exposition achieved fame when Isaac Asimov republished them in 1986. They depict scenarios like underwater hippopotamus and seahorse rides, a bus pulled by whales, and scientists investigating giant, menacing “microorganisms.” I chose this specific piece illustrating how the laziest woman in the world would prefer to conduct her nightly errands. Science, let’s materialize this!

School, 2000, 1899

Are headphones required during class? Little did they know. Photo: Public domain

Another 2000 card portrays a rather bleak vista of the future school. I appreciate how the teacher reassigns the Racine and Molière editions to child apprentices rather than mastering them personally. Côté wasn’t alone in envisioning educational reforms that involve transmitting knowledge through buttons pressed with an audible click, as Arthur Radebaugh did in the late 1950s. The idea was to enable students to advance at a pace

Source: www.theguardian.com