There are countless inventions throughout the year, but only a few have the capacity to change the world.
From a sassy digital personal assistant to a mirror of the future, here are our picks for the most impressive breakthroughs in science, technology and medicine.
The Medical Mirror takes your pulse by analyzing your face
Inventor: Ming Zher Poh, Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate student
What is it? Did you know you could measure your heart rate through your face? If you did, you're probably a graduate student at MIT. Poh's mirror, using a web cam behind the glass, measures the amount of light your face is reflecting and uses it to calculate your heartbeat.
Why it's important: We'll be able to track our heart health on our own, without a visit to a doctor and tons of sticky electrodes or sensors (which are painful for burn victims and the infirm). The mirror will hopefully be able to tell us our respiratory rate and blood-oxygen saturation levels as well.
A vibrating belt that helps soldiers feel their way through the dark
Inventors: Researchers at the Army Research Office led by Elmar Schmeisser and Linda Elliott
What is it? A belt equipped with accelerometers and a digital compass that vibrates to let soldiers know they're moving in the right direction at night.
Why it's important: The silent, hands-free device is seen as no-fuss alternative to GPS devices or a traditional map and compass. Elliot told New Scientist that soldiers loved the technology "because they didn't need to put down their weapon or take their eyes off their surroundings."
The Stark Hand combines the utility of a hook and the aesthetics of a cosmetic model
Inventor: Mark Stark
What is it? A prosthetic hand that is both visually pleasing — it looks like a real hand, albeit a bit mechanical — and, yes, handy: it moves like a high-end electronic version at a fraction of the cost.
Why it's important: People with missing appendages, especially arms and hands, have a rough time choosing between something expensive and something helpful. The Stark Hand can bend to the user's whim, and a shrug of the shoulder can pick up irregularly shaped objects like light bulbs with ease. By using cables and harnesses rather than electronics, Stark has put the full range of motion within the grasp of every amputee.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider