WASHINGTON — There’s cool. And then there’s really cool. The gadgets compiled by “Popular Science” in its 2011 list, “Best of What’s New,” fall into the really cool category.
There’s the Billabong V-1, an inflatable wetsuit that can save the lives of surfers caught in giant waves.
Then, there’s the Looxcie Live video camera, which connects to your ear for hands-free operation anywhere you go (discretion recommended).
And the coolest gadget, according to the magazine is the Lytro Light-Field Camera, which blows all other digital cameras away by allowing you to move your focal point from 3 inches away to infinity.
For the last 24 years, Popular Science has chosen 100 innovations each year that they deem the most cool. Each one, it says, seemed impossible the year before and that they exist today seems magical.
Some of the products are available for sale now, such as the JawSaw, an electric chainsaw that slices through wood with ease but keeps its operator safe from harm.
Others aren’t for sale today, but a version could be made available in the near future. Case in point: The Espoinage Hummingbird, a flying robot that looks like its namesake, but is equipped with a microphone or camera for, well, spying.
Remember that inflatable wetsuit? Watch it inflate:
For the complete list, click here.
WTOP’s Brennan Haselton contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
