The idea is to create a system that will let users find open parking spots, and spots about to be open, with their smartphones - and doesn't require hardware to be installed in existing infrastructure. The app will work based on crowd sourced data collected by mobile devices. By monitoring the location and movements of the user, the software will be able to determine when a person has parked and gotten out of their car, as well as when they are approaching their car and drive away. This...

The grassy computer keyboard is designed to make office work a bit less tedious by allowing your fingers an occasional run through the 'grass.' The keyboard features a green grass like material the covers the keyboards surface and gently stimulates the wrists and palms during typing. By using a static electricity hair transplant technique, the fibers of the grass remain upright continuously, and the invigorating texture and pleasing visual design could lead to increased work...

The solar-powered watercraft will not only cost much less than the traditional water craft--it will also help save a life. The solar-powered watercraft will be a design combination of a ski, surfboard and catamaran. Realizing how difficult it is to tow a body in the water, I suggest creating the solar, electric motor-powered paddleboard as way to speed water rescues. The watercraft central platform will make it easy to slide a body on board, and the V-shaped catamaran hull will...

The DNA fog tagging system can mark an intruder without their knowledge, making it easier for police to identify them later. DNA marking has already been in use by law enforcement agencies, with the most common use being to mark persons of interest at riots. The new system will be a bit more general, and will be meant to help stop and identify an intruder. Called DNA Fog, the device will fill a room with smoke and DNA-loaded droplets when triggered by a break-in. More than just...

The digital signpost will be designed to give visitors information about specific events or locations, and will base its data off Twitter feeds and other social networks. The sign will feature three, arrow-shaped, LED-equipped screens that will pivot around the post. Users will be able to select the information they need, such as "Food" or "Transit" from an interface at eye-level, and the signs will move to point in the direction of the desired location. Since the data is digital,...

The haptic feedback suit will put gamers in the game, letting them feel every shot, hit and explosion as it happens on-screen. The sensor-laden suit will feature three forms of sensory feedback: surround sound, vibration and STIMS (which will allow the suit to contract particular muscles). This array of sensors will enable the suit to recreate (in a less painful way) the sensations of explosions, bullets or creatures crawling on your skin.

The finger-worn, wireless 3D mouse will be activated by the thumb, making it easy to use in cramped and crowded areas. The mouse will track hand motion in 3D space and will have a range of up to 30 feet. It will be worn on the index finger, where a touch on the touch-sensitive panel will initiate cursor movement. The cursor will be controlled by hand motions and the touch panel will feature left, middle and right button selections.

The idea is to make biodegradable plastics from pine sap. The rosin and turpentine that can be derived from evergreens is rich in hydrocarbons similar to some components of petroleum. These hydrocarbon-rich materials can be converted into plastics through polymerization, but the process for creating plastics from petroleum is much more developed than any current processes using renewable sources.

A new automobile side-mirror will take inspiration from eyeglasses to eliminate the blind spot without distorting distances. Similar to the way eyeglasses have vertical layers of focal zones using progressive additive optics technology, the prototype mirror will make use of three difference focal zones arranged side by side. The inner zone and outer zone will be optimized for distance viewing and close up viewing, respectively, and the middle zone will make the transition between...

A new pool-cleaning robot will use sensory/algorithmic system to determine the size of the pool and select the most efficient cleaning path. While avoiding obstacles--like the pool's ladder and its own power cord--the robot will clean the entire surface of the pool floor, walls and steps with its motorized PVC scrub brush. It will work without using the pool's filtration system, hoses or booster pumps, which should help save money by reducing the need to run those systems.