Best Inventions 2005: Home Runs

Formfitting
Inventor: Rikiya Fukuda
Availability: Prototype only
To Learn More: snipurl.com/jp3h (Japanese only)
A door that fits like a glove? This one does. Fukuda's Automatic Door, designed in Japan, opens just enough to match the shape of the person or object passing through. The nifty motion-detecting portal saves energy by keeping a door from having to repeatedly open all the way. That helps maintain a stable temperature in a room and can prevent dirt and other materials from being swept inside. In addition to people, the new system can be used for small objects, like packages dropped off at a post office, or for larger things, like a car coming through a garage door.
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