Products of Tomorrow

The products of tomorrow.

Keeping the Bugs at Bay

With its instant repellency and its ability to repel rather than kill or deactivate pathogens, RepelWrap presents an effective alternative to current technologies.

Portable Device Detects Foodborne Illness

Foodborne illness hits about one in six people in the United States every year from more than 31 recognized pathogens including E. coli O157:H7, a particularly harsh strain of E. coli. Researchers...

Nanocomposite Material Protects Against Intense Light

Optical limiting — a manner of telecom switching without the use of electronics — is an all-optical method that could improve the speed and capacity of Internet communications. A...

Products of Tomorrow

This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.

Inexpensive Portable Detector Identifies Pathogens in Minutes

The smartphone-based device could reduce the pressure on testing laboratories during a pandemic.

Liquid Metal Coating Creates Effective Antiviral, Antimicrobial Fabric

The coatings eradicated human influenza and coronavirus in five minutes.

Micro-Robots Propelled by Air Bubbles and Ultrasound

A remotely controlled microswimmer could navigate the human body and aid in drug delivery.

Optical Biosensor Detects Toxins

The portable device can differentiate among bacteria, viruses, and other biothreats.

Microbe Turns Waste into Industrial Chemical

The method could be applied to carbon waste streams.

Hydrodynamic Effect Helps Motorized Objects Navigate Inclines

The tiny motors mimic how rock climbers navigate inclines.

5 Ws of the Anti-Bacterial Hydrogel

A specially designed hydrogel works against all types of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant ones.

Standard Water Treatment Eliminates Enveloped Viruses Including Coronavirus

This treatment has the potential to remove from drinking water nearly all viruses that have an “outer fortress.”

Filters from Tree Branches Purify Drinking Water

Prototypes show promise as a low-cost, natural filtration option.

Smartphone-Based Medical Tests

A smartphone, combined with nanoscale porous silicon, enables inexpensive, simple, home diagnostics.

2020 Create the Future Design Contest Grand Prize Winner: RepelWrap — A Nature-inspired Surface Technology for Repelling Contamination

Read all about this year's "Create the Future" winner: A transparent flexible film called "RepelWrap."

Laser Treatment Turns Metal Surfaces into Bacteria Killers

The technique could easily be translated into existing medical device manufacturing processes for use in orthopedic implants.

Portable Tool Analyzes Microbes in the Environment

This device could be used to find threats to ecosystems.

Biohybrid Can Turn Carbon Dioxide into New Products

Applications exist both on Mars and on Earth.

5 Ws of Bacteria-Killing Metal Surfaces

Bacterial pathogens can live on surfaces for days. What if frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, could instantly kill them off?

Fabric Allows Wearers to Control Electronic Devices Through Clothing

The rainproof, stainproof technology turns clothing into self-powered remotes while turning away bacteria.

Self-Cleaning, Non-Stick Coating

The coating can prevent the transfer of antibiotic-resistant superbugs and other bacteria in settings ranging from hospitals to kitchens.

Process Turns Sand and Plant Materials into a Water Filtration Tool

According to the United Nations, 2.1 billion people lack access to safely managed drinking water services and the majority live in developing nations. A process was...

Methane Detector Sniffs Out Leaks

Methane is everywhere on Earth. It’s the main ingredient in the natural gas that powers heating, cooking, and electricity. It’s also a potent greenhouse gas. The presence of methane is also interesting...

Technique Identifies Electricity-Producing Bacteria

Certain species of bacteria that exist in oxygen-deprived environments must find a way to breathe that doesn't involve oxygen. These microbes — which can be found deep within mines, at...

Method Uses Ultraviolet Light to Control Fluid Flow and Organize Particles

A new method uses ultraviolet light to control the flow of fluids by encouraging particles — from plastic microbeads, to bacterial spores, to pollutants — to...

Electroceutical Bandages Destroy Bacteria

Used since 2013, electroceutical bandages — which use electrical impulses to treat medical issues — kill bacteria around a wound, allowing wounds to heal faster. In addition, if infection is...