Power Engineering: Inventions of 2010

Inventor Sir James Dyson’s annual design competition has attracted entries from around the world. Here are pictures of inventions of the international winners.

Pure

Pure, a British-designed wind up water bottle that uses ultra violet light to purify dirty drinking water.

The Flip Ski Boot

(Ireland) is a ski boot that allows the user to step out of the rigid boot and walk in a soft soled boot, giving the user freedom on the mountain. This is achieved due to a front releasing tongue. The tongue allows the user total control over the tightening of the boot as there is a ratchet system built into the heel of the boot.

Interior Compositing Device

(Switzerland) is a bin that decomposes organic waste quickly without having to worry about the smell. When the aperture is opened and closed, the body of the bin rotates, creating heat inside. This process causes the waste to decompose. It can also filter the compost so it can then be used as fertiliser.

Wanderest seat

(New Zealand) is a seat designed to be strapped to public spaces such as a lamp post. It is portable so can be easily carried by the elderly.

Wind Force Mobility
(Japan) is a car powered by wind power. Its use will mainly be in shores locations where the wind blows more often.

Sodge

(Spain) is a refrigerator that saves energy and space as it uses transparent plastic doors that come partly off.

OCNO

(Russia) is a pen with Fresnel lens to magnify the fragment where you need to write down.

Sleepeasy

(Belgium) offers a solution to insomnia by generating a slow breathing pattern in an unconscious way. The user embraces the pillow and feels an up and down going movement. The pillow can measure the respiration rate of the user and ensures that the frequency of the movement of the cushion is one frequency lower than the respiration of the user. The user will follow the breathing of the pillow and therefore be more relaxed.

Amatoya

(Australia) is a light and fast car that can drive through rugged terrain and penetrate a fire. The car has an insulated cabin that can withstand temperatures of more than 600 degrees. Its high-powered water cannon can be operated from inside, so crews can fight fires from the middle of a blaze.