The idea is to create a way to make foam from paper mill waste, simultaneously reducing waste and creating a useful product. Some of the finer waste fibers from paper making are excellent feed-stock for nano-crystalline cellulose (NCC). Why not develop a method of processing the NCC into composite foams by adding a furan resin to the unprocessed foam. Paper mills create millions of tons of waste product annually, much of which could be re-used in this new method of foam...

The idea is to create a wheelchair that will be propelled by the user pushing and pulling on a center mounted lever. Such a chair will offer a better mechanical advantage while also reducing the chances of repetitive strain injuries. It will be steered by turning the center propulsion lever to the left or right, and brake levers mounted on the handlebar will control the dual disc brakes. There will be eight gears available, and the chair will still be maneuvered by the traditional...

The device will use a Bluetooth signal to prevent cell phone use, including texting and apps, while the vehicle is in motion. Once the device is installed in the car it will disable cell phone functions automatically, and will send an email alert if it detects tampering. It will allow cell phone operation if the user is wearing a hands-free headset.

A stroller will transform to a bike in under half a minute, and will provide a safer and more interactive method of biking with a small child. Rather than a bike trailer with the child riding in back, such a design will allow the parent to place their child up front, between their arms. BTW, the bike can also be adapted to other functions, with accessories including a shopping cart, weather cover, and car seat adapter.

Why not create a canoe which can be folded to fit in a backpack and weighs a little. The single passenger canoe will be made of a carbon fiber frame and a hull made of the same material as that used in racing sails. Locking mechanisms will secure the telescoping framework poles at bow and stern and a center folding mechanism will hold the boat firm in the middle. Such a canoe could be useful for forestry workers and hikers.

The door-free refrigerator concept will save energy by not refrigerating empty areas. The refrigerator concept will replace the door with a honeycomb wall of hexagonal chambers. Each chamber will be covered by a plate that will move aside when an item is inserted, exposing the item to the system of refrigerated pins. Since only areas with objects in them will be refrigerated, this refrigerator will use less energy than conventional ones. And since the items stay in sight, there...

The idea is to develop self-healing wires able to reconnect at the molecular level even after being completely severed. The self-healing wires will be made from a commercially-available self-healing polymer. Tiny microfluidic channels will be bored in the polymer using solid wire, and then the channels will be filled with a liquid-metal alloy of indium and gallium, resulting in a liquid-metal wire in an elastic sheath. If the wires are cut, the liquid metal will oxidize to...

Why not develop a way to make raw oysters a bit safer to eat by zapping them with electron-beams, which will kill more bacteria than conventional pasteurization. Raw oysters carry a particular risk, and can harbor viruses such as the norovirus, which has no treatment or vaccine. To destroy these bacteria and viruses, which often survive even after pasteurization by heating or pressure, it is now possible to subject the oysters to a beam of electrons. A dose of just under 5...

The small, clip-on translation device will use one-line translation services to translate in real-time without needing to access a smartphone directly. The device will translate up to 25 languages in real-time. It will be equipped with a microphone, speaker and two buttons to designate the first and second language, and will pair with the user's smartphone via Bluetooth, which will allow it to access pre-existing online translation services. The user will set their native language...

The new system will identify the Salmonella bacteria on food within 24 hours--a significant reduction in time from the previous requirement of several days--which could help prevent tainted food from reaching consumers. The technology will detect the bacterial colonies grown on agar plates by scanning them with a red diode laser. Penetrating a bacterial colony will cause the red light to form a unique scatter pattern, which will then be compared to a library of images to identify...