A new pen will do more than just look good--it will also never need sharpening and will never run of out of 'ink.' The pen will be handcrafted of aluminum and wood, giving it an unmistakable style. The true beauty of the pen, however, will be contained in its Ethergraph tip, a special metal alloy that will leave a precise, permanent line on the paper--a bit like a combination of a pencil and ink pen. The tip will never wear out and will continue to write forever with no need for a...

The device will help reduce the danger of alcohol-infused socializing by sending an alert that will allow friends to step in if the wearer seems dangerously intoxicated. Research has long established that over-consumption of alcohol is the largest contributor to sexual assault on campuses. To help reduce those numbers, I suggest creating an inconspicuous wristband that will monitor the user for dehydration as well as any unusual movements, such as weaving or passing out. And since...

The new safety system is to help prevent accidental needle-pricks, reducing the spread of blood borne infectious disease. The mechanism is developed with an eye toward to increased emphasis on preventing the spread of disease, and is designed for use on standard glass syringes. It fits on top of the activated syringe's needle, where it functions as both a tamper-resistant shield and a safety shield to prevent unintentional needle sticks.

A hydroelectric lamp powers its bulbs with the water that runs through the plumbing of a house. The system is made up of an array of micro turbines placed in strategic pipes throughout the home. Water from sinks, toilets, and washing machines will flow past the turbines, generating electricity stored in the system's batteries, which then power the long, vertical lamps.

The counter will attach to IV bags to instantly measure the amount of liquid being dispensed per hour, replacing the more expensive fluid dosing pumps that some remote hospitals are unable to obtain. In poor areas and disaster locations, medical personnel must often count each IV drop manually in order to estimate the dosage being delivered. To reduce this demand on staff, the device will clip easily to the IV tube and count the drops by measuring the changes in light between a LED...

The idea is to create a device that will tackle the fragility of the hard drives and the fee and anonymity of the cloud, allowing users to back up their files to the hard drives of chosen, trusted people. When files are saved to the device, they will also be automatically sent over the internet to the hard drive of selected people. Saved files will be pulled directly from the device or accessed online from anywhere in the world, and the data transferred will always be encrypted...

Instead of the conventional roof-mounted solar panels, the new design concept will feature a flexible, solar cell-embedded façade able to move with the sun and shift positions for maximum energy efficiency. The façade of the house will made up of a network of textile strips embedded with photovoltaic cells. With its two axis solar tracking system, the façade will be able to move to follow the sun and gather the maximum amount of energy. The flexible façade will also be altered to...

A new contact lens-and-glasses system will let you zoom in on something to 2.8 times magnification. The lenses will do the zooming, while the glasses will let you switch between normal and magnified vision. The lens will be made of concentric regions. The middle region will let light through normally, for standard vision. Meanwhile, the edges of the lens will be specially designed to reflect light and magnify it. The final lens will be 1.17 millimeters at its thickest...

Forget fingerprints and iris scans--a new form of biometric identification will use body odor to identify the individual. Every person's individual body odor is unique, and can be used to identify an individual with an accuracy rate of more than 85 percent. The odor-identification method may provide a more subtle alternative to the current biometric techniques like fingerprints and iris scans--techniques that are often associated with criminal records and could cause people to be...

The smart nicotine patch will inject a specific dose of nicotine on demand, helping to prevent cravings and making it easier to stop smoking. Instead of delivering a steady stream of nicotine like conventional nicotine patches, the smart patch will deliver doses that are synchronized with the user's cravings. The system will also be equipped with Bluetooth, which will allow it to send real-time data to smartphones regarding nicotine consumption while also providing a way to control...