TIME cover: The Most Amazing Inventions of the Year

Sunday, Nov. 21, 2004

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New York � SpaceShipOne, the world�s first privately developed spacecraft that first entered space in October, has been named 2004 Invention of the Year by TIME magazine as part of TIME�s annual Coolest Inventions issue (on newsstands Monday, Nov. 22).

In explaining the choice, TIME�s San Francisco bureau chief Chris Taylor writes, �For solving the problems of suborbital flight and re-entry with ingenious design, for boldly going where NASA now fears to tread and returning without a scratch, but most of all for reigniting the moon-shot-era dream of zero-gravity for everyone, SpaceShipOne is TIME�s Coolest Invention of 2004.�

Burt Rutan of Scaled Composites designed SpaceShipOne, a vehicle as improbable as it is revolutionary. The size of a small biplane, SpaceShipOne is a shell of woven graphite glued onto a rocket motor that runs on laughing gas and rubber. The nose is punctuated by portholes, like an ocean liner. Inside, the critical instrument is a Ping-Pong ball decorated with a smiley face and attached to the cabin with a piece of string, which goes slack when the pilot reaches zero-gravity of suborbital space.

In June, SpaceShipOne became the first privately funded spacecraft. In Oct. it clinched the $10 million Ansari X Prize as the first such craft to travel to space twice in two weeks. Thanks to the backing of two starry-eyed billionaires, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and Virgin�s Richard Branson, SpaceShipOne is set to become the first in a new line of space-tourism craft scheduled for 2007.

If Rutan�s firm, Scaled Composites, delivers on time, Virgin Galactic will be up and running in 2007. Rutan knows that to sell tickets, he must make flights �at least a hundred times� safer than space travel has been so far. Via the Virgin Galactic website, Branson already has a waiting list of more than 7,000 people who are apparently willing to pay the $190,000 price for a suborbital flight�more than enough to cover Virgin�s investment. Among the pledged passengers are former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Dave Navarro and actor William Shatner. As more people sign on, says Branson, Virgin will be able to lower the price: �This isn�t just a pipe dream. We will get this to the point where thousands of people can go into space.� He and Rutan plan to be aboard the first Virgin Galactic flight.

Highlights of TIME�s 2004 Coolest Inventions:

Things that move:

∑ GoCar: A three-wheel tour guide equipped with a GPS system that not only tells you where to go but describes the sights once you reach them.

∑ Centaur: A prototype by Segway. Like the original Human Transporter, the Centaur uses dynamic stabilization technology (you shift your weight to steer) but adds a thumb throttle for extra oomph.

∑ Snow Boat: A 14-ft. custom-made aluminum craft welded onto a standard snowmobile. If the ice breaks, the boat stays afloat so passengers won�t fall into the freezing cold water. Prototype only.

Sporting life:

∑ Adidas 1 sneakers: A sensor in the new Adidas 1 sneakers measures with each step how much compression you put on the heels of your shoes. Microprocessor-controlled cushioning then adjusts the heel�s stiffness so they become more rigid on dirt trails and softer on pavement.

∑ Nike strapless swim goggles: Disposable adhesive strips keep them in place and keep water out.

∑ Intel Centrino: Wireless technology surfboard enables the surfer to send e-mail, shoot videos (using the built-in webcam) and surf the web.

Robots: ∑ JVC J4: A robot that can walk and kick a soccer ball.

∑ The Sword: An armed, unmanned ground vehicle that has night and thermal vision, four cameras and a 7.62-mm machine gun. A live video feed enables its �driver� to operate the vehicle from up to 1 mile away. The U.S. Army has ordered 18 to deploy in Iraq.

For Your Health:

∑ Rheo Knee: A new prosthetic joint developed in Iceland is designed to learn the nuances of an individual�s movement and adjust itself.

∑ Violight Toothbrush Sanitizer: Pop toothbrushes inside, push a button, and the Violight bathes them with ultraviolet light, which eliminates 99.9% of germs and bacteria on the brush within 10 mins

∑ OraQuick Advance HIV test: A health professional simply swabs the inside of a person�s mouth along the upper and lower gums and then inserts the stick into a vial of solution that tests for antibodies to the HIV-1 and HIV-2 virus strains. Within 20 minutes, the results appear on the stick.

Fresh Ideas:

∑ Ripesense: A firm in New Zealand has developed a sensor that detects when pears are ripe by analyzing the aromas emitted by the fruit. Sensors go from red to orange to yellow as the fruit ripens.

Cutting edge:

∑ Tag Heuer Monaco V4 concept watch: The watch uses a system of belts similar to those in a high-end motor racing engine.

TIME�s issue includes a web shopping guide, tech buyers guide and top 10 video games of 2004.

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