FORTS OF WILL
A DEFINITIVE RANKING OF THE LATEST IDEAS, MARKETING STRATEGIES AND INVENTIONS, FROM THE BRILLIANT TO THE MERELY BONKERS
EMERGENCY JEWELRY
The WiseWear bracelet sends a distress call to a user’s loved ones when tapped three times. It’s dressy enough to be worn with a cocktail dress, and the company promises new designs from fashion maven Iris Apfel
DRONE SHUTTLES
Using four rotor blades, the EHang drone carries a single passenger for up to 23 minutes. All the user needs to do is enter a destination
WEARABLE WITH ENDURANCE
The Withings activity tracker offers an eightmonth battery life, thanks to a low-energy screen
FORT MATERIALS
Squishy Forts manufactures firm pillows containing strong magnets that allow users to build structurally-sound edifices
FLOATING HOTEL
Architect Gianluca Santosuosso proposes an 800-metre long floating hotel with a bendable spine that can adapt to ocean currents
NETFLIX SOCKS
The streaming service advertises socks with wireless sensors that pause programming when the wearer falls asleep
PEDAL WASHER
The foot-powered Drumi clothes washer holds 2.5kg of clothing and uses 80% less water than a standard machine
SLEEP HOODIE
The Hypnos sweatshirt contains an inflatable ergonomic pillow in its hood
OLD SCHOOL CAMERA
Hoping to appeal to amateur auteurs, Kodak revives the Super 8 camera, complete with film, after a 33-year hiatus
COFFEE FLOUR
A Brandeis University professor patents a process to mill green coffee beans into an antioxidant-rich baking product
SMOKEABLE PHONE
The Jupiter smartphone contains an e-cigarette, allowing users to enjoy 800 puffs at a time
MOVIE PRINTER
LifePrint creates photographs that become moving pictures when viewed through a smartphone’s camera
FERTILITY SWITCH
A German inventor creates a valve to implant in a man’s scrotum, allowing him to turn on or off the flow of sperm