It’s been a good year for innovation. As we panicked our way through several months of Swine Flu and a global financial meltdown some pretty amazing things were invented right under our collective nose. So to give these inventions and innovations their time in the spotlight I’ve compiled what I believe to be the most inventive and innovative top 10 list you’ll find anywhere on the internet. It goes in reverse!

10. Teleportation: AKA “Live Migration” This new feature from Sun Microsystem’s VirtualBox 3.1.0 allows virtual machine sessions to be moved, while running, from one computer to another. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac OS X, Linux and Solaris. AND the other type of teleportation (the Star Trek kind) is apparently just around the corner too.

9. The Jaipur Knee: AKA The $20 Knee, this hotly contested invention (claimed to have been developed by two separate American Universities) reduces the cost of a prosthetic limb from thousands of dollars down to $20. In many developing countries limb loss from landmines or disease affects a large number of people. This invention now increases the economic chances of those who have suffered the loss of a limb, which means the economic health of entire regions in developing countries will likely benefit.

8. LED Light Bulbs: Driven by the $10 million L-prize from the American Department of Energy, companies like Seimens and Phillips (the first to enter a finished product) can drastically reduce the amount of energy consumed by light bulbs in North America through their new designs. By installing these new bulbs in place of the antiquated ones enough energy to power over 17 million homes will become available just from the increased efficiency.

7. The Electric Eye: Developed  by MIT this microchip implant will help those who are completely blind to regain their sight.

6. VPL Vaccine Technology: Maryland company Novavax has developed a process to create just in time vaccines that bypass the need for tens of millions of eggs to be used as hosts. The new vaccines also eliminate common side-effects from traditional vaccines.

5. The Solar Shingle: Developed by Dow, this innocuous roofing material looks pretty much just like a roof shingle and  is expected to cost 10% to 15% less than traditional solar panels as well as being quicker to install.

4. Closed Containment Aquaculture: Two recent developments have made the future of human food security a whole lot brighter. In China, a massive closed containment aquaculture project that will provide millions of tonnes of Trout and Salmon is underway using Canadian technology from Agri Marine, while in Australia Blue Fin Tuna has been successfully bred using similar closed containment methods.

3. The Ares Rocket: It seems NASA had been stuck in the past in many ways, particularly when it came to its Rocket fleet. The Ares Rockets represent a turning point for the agency and opens up all sorts of possibilities for manned space flight by increasing the safety, efficiency and range of missions.

2. The AIDS Vaccine: 30 Years after HIV/AIDS appeared a vaccine trial has finally provided a glimmer of hope in the battle against this incredibly complex disease. Reducing the chances of contracting the disease by 30% the vaccine and similar variants are still being developed and tested.

1. I’m leaving this spot blank for YOU to comment on what you think the number one invention of the year is. My list is likely to be different than yours, as many of the other ones online that I’ve seen are. We here at Senses are very interested to hear what you think the coolest invention of the year is. So leave a comment below and we’ll put yours at the number 1 spot if we think it beats our number 1 being held in reserve!

NUMBER 1 INVENTION OF THE YEAR AS CHOSEN BY YOU THE PEOPLE:

Closed Containment Aquaculture (Fish Farms).

Terrorism has become a real money maker for some companies, and it looks to be a catalyst for lucky tech companies in England who were recently encouraged by the British Government to create James Bond-like anti-terror gadgets to aid them in preventing further violent acts. A recent British Government publication titled: “Countering the Terrorist Threat, Ideas and Innovation, How Industry and academia can play their part” invites everyone to the party, and I commend their government for reaching out and engaging the private sector and academia in such a manner. I think it should be done more often, for things like the environment and education too. But some argue that these new technologies the UK and American defense strategies are calling for are moving us closer and closer to a very Orwellian future. Here are a few examples of my personal favorites, highlited by references to popular sci-fi movies that I feel can help illustrate their features.

The Medusa Microwave Crowd Control Raygun brought to you by the people at Sierra Nevada Corp. This cannon like ray gun will send a focused wave of energy that creates a “painful screaming sound” inside a person’s head. Like Star Trek phasers it can be set to mildly irritate, nasueat or fully F-you right up.

The cousin to the Medusa is Raytheon’s Active Denial System. Rather than get inside your brain like a scene from Scanners this little puppy makes you think that you are being burned alive when in fact you aren’t. Like that scene in Dune where Kyle McLaughlin puts his hand in the box. Your skin isn’t actually burning, but a 95 GHz-millimeter-wave directed at you from a small cannon is convincing your pain receptors that you are in fact on fire. Remember, fear is the mind killer. Next time you stand too close to a seal clubbing protest and you start to get really hot you’ll now know what’s going on.

DARPA’s Human Assisted Neural Devices Program. Previously known as The Brain-Machine Interfaces Program. Look Luitenant, no hands! This program explores the possibilities of missiles, unmanned drones or other kinds of weaponry being controlled directly from a soldiers mind. Much like say…The Beastmaster and his animals. This program is a veritable ministrone of legally dubious and morally questionable ideas- and it’s utterly fascinating. Stephen E White of Cornell University frames the issues around the program eloquently in the Cornell International Law Journal. His Brave New World:Neurowarfare and the Limits of International Humanitarian Law, is an eye popper of a read. I advise against perusing it first thing in the morning or just before bed though as it will affect your mood or sleep.

A recent article in National Defense Magazine quite frankly suggests that DARPA, after 50 years of innovation leading to such things as oh The Internet for example, needs to reasses how and what it researches and creates. This new wave of Anti-terror technology is all overhwelmingly based on urban scenarios, or at least scenarios involving crowds and civilians. Warfare has changed from trenches, deserts and jungles and now to city streets. Population trends show a continued human migration from rural to urban environments and particualarly in developing and undeveloped countries, where we can expect continued political and social conflict. Technologies like the ones listed above are positioned well in the new economics of warfare to find suitable buyers around the globe. Terrorism may be the inspiration for this rush of weapons and surveillance technology, but it’s inevitable in my opinion that several uses, including non-military uses, will be found for them.

My question is who’s developing technology to protect us from the Giant Asteroids that are careening towards us right now?

Well…I’m going to put on my aluminium foil helmet now and kick back with a relaxing G&T and ponder all of this further.