My idea for state and federal air quality bureaus to get better control of the air quality in their locales would be an engine and transmission replacement program for older vehicles. Many of these vehicles are owned by low and middle income drivers, who cannot afford newer and less polluting autos; replacing the engines of these autos would be an economical way to keep air quality from deteriorating. One suggestion is to provide a certain percentage to car owners, such as 75% of the costs...

One day, snowboarders may be able to charge down the slopes while charging their batteries with a solar panel equipped snowboard. The snowboard will be equipped with a pair of solar panels fitted to the board's shape and connected to a converter in the center of the board. The board's two rechargeable batteries will be able to power smartphones and music devices, taking advantage of the bright sun on snowy mountain slopes.

A bioelectric signal able to identify cells likely to become tumors could also help to suppress tumor growth. It was found that the tumor sites could be recognized by a distinct bioelectric signal due to their depolarized membrane voltage. If the bioelectric code is changed to hyperpolarize the tumor cells, the abnormal growth will be slowed.

The idea is to develop a way to extract large quantities of hydrogen from plants, opening the door to a new low-cost, environmentally friendly fuel source. The technique will involve using a combination of a polyphosphate and a blend of enzymes to extract hydrogen from any biological element that contains xylose--which can be found in every plant. The process will also be more efficient and eco-friendly than conventional hydrogen extraction methods.

A new breed of artificial trees able to scrub carbon dioxide from the air could help to reduce greenhouse gas pollution. The air filtering device will feature strands of a resin-based material that will attract the CO2 and bind to it - capturing the carbon dioxide directly from the air and creating bicarbonate salt. It could take as many as 10 million 'artificial trees' to lower the atmospheric CO2 concentrations by 0.5ppm per year. While this application may be a bit in the...

The generator will be designed to capitalize on the energy potential available both in the winds above the ocean, and in the currents flowing beneath the waves. The device will use an omnidirectional wind turbine sitting 47 meters above the sea on one end of a vertical shaft, with a different type of omnidirectional turbine design, a 15 meter diameter, spinning at the other end under the surface. The floating unit is supposed to be stable and self-righting, thanks to a...

The solar energy bucket concept will add extra functionality to the common bucket, transforming it into an energy-gathering source to heat water or provide light. The bottom of the bucket will be equipped with a small solar panel that, when the bucket is flipped over, will gather solar energy during the day. The bottom will be angled slightly for more efficient capture of the sun's rays, and the stored energy can then be used to power the built-in LED lights or slowly heat the...

The new lasers technology will involve taking advantage of perovskites, a material made from calcium titanium oxide. Perovskites have the ability to form near-perfect , complex crystalline structures from ready-made solutions and at low temperatures.

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...

The Seatower turbine platform could help encourage offshore wind farming by providing a cheaper and easier to install alternative. While offshore wind farms have many benefits, their platforms are expensive to install and require huge, specialized equipment for set-up. The Seatower foundations, in contrast, can be mass-produced on land and easily transported. They are hollow, and so will float easily--allowing them to be towed to their installation site with a reasonably small...