The idea is to design smart light switch functioning as a sensor to dial in the optimal light levels in the room. The switch will go beyond color-changing, app-enabled bulbs to provide an intuitive lighting-environment. The device's sensor will detect movements, noise, the time of day and the room's ambient light levels, and then automatically adjust the lighting to suit the needs of the moment. Bedtime will trigger the lights to slowly dim, setting a relaxing mood, while...

The bottle will turn regular tap water into a safe and effective hard-surface sanitizer. The handheld sprayer will transform water into a sanitizing solution by turning the water into ozone. This will be accomplished by using a diamond electrolysis cell. As a cleaner, the ozone is as powerful as chlorine, and is able to kill bacteria and viruses such as E. coli and salmonella while still remaining safe for use on fruits and vegetables.

The idea is to develop a way to use piezoelectric materials to harness the energy in loud sounds, potentially leading to quieter engines and new way to harness wind power. First approach is to use a piezoelectric material to build a very thin, sensitive membrane of aluminum able to transform sound vibrations into enough electricity to power a small sensor. They it will be possible to attach the membrane to a liner that will quiet the sound of the engine by canceling out certain...

The idea is to develop a system that will use the weight of traffic and pedestrians to generate electricity. The system will consist of an array of sturdy ramp-steps (made of a tire-like polymer) that will be set into the street. The ramps will protrude about two inches above the surface, and will be pushed down momentarily when a car drives over them, which will cause them to exert pressure on a set of bellows below the ramp. The bellows will then expel their air through a hose,...

It was discovered that adding spent brewing grains to red clay bricks can increase their insulation capabilities by up to 30 percent. Bricks are often embedded with polystyrene to increase their insulation abilities, but polystyrene and other synthetic materials can be expensive to make and bad for the environment. Spent brewer's grain, on the other hand, are often in plentiful supply, and have been proven to enhance the ability of the clay bricks to trap heat without sacrificing...

The "remote-controlled drug depot" will be designed to help ease the pain and stress of vaccines by replacing booster shots with an implant that will release a dose when the user takes a pill. The system will feature an extremely flexible hydrogel that will stay intact until exposed to a particular substance. The vaccine will be contained within an enclosure made of the hydrogel, and will be released when the user takes a pill containing a compound that will eventually make its way...

The water-recycling shower will purify water while you wash, cutting water use by up to 90 percent. The shower will feature a closed-loop system that will filter the soapy, used water, purify it and then send it directly back into the flow. The water will retain most of its heat during the process as well, and the filtration process will leave the water even cleaner than typical tap water.

The sign language ring concept will track the signing motions made by the user and translate them into audio and written text. The system will consist of a bracelet and six rings, which will be stored on the bracelet when not in use. The ring will detect the hand motions and send the data to the bracelet, where the signs will then be translated into spoken word as well as displayed as text on the bracelet's screen.

The bee-powered sensor will be made up of pair of chambers: a smaller one, called the diagnosis space, and a larger chamber that will hold the trained bees. The patient will breathe into the smaller chamber, and the bees taught to connect certain smells with a food reward, will move toward the person's breath if they detect their trigger smell. Bees can be trained to respond to certain smells in only ten minutes. Once the bee has been captured, trained and performed its duty, it...

A new LED embedded carpet will be able to display information such as directions or logos, and offer an alternative to static signs. The carpet will be programmed to change its information based on the time of day, or used as a temporary sign--lighting up to direct people after an event or during an emergency. The ground-level placement of information will coincide well with our tendency to look at the ground while walking, and the LEDs will take advantage of our inclination to...