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Top 85 Inventions Trends of 2016

From Virtual Reality Scent Devices to Mushroom-Based Leather

— January 28, 2017 — Unique
The top 2016 inventions trends show that there are always improvements to be made on even what seem to be the most futuristic technologies. One of the US Commissioners of Patents in the mid 19th century famously predicted that all human inventions would soon come to an end, and yet inventors are still finding myriad ways to add value and use to all sorts of products -- not to mention inventing new products altogether.

In many cases, the 2016 inventions trends revolve around marketing stunts. For example, the creators of South Park collaborated with Ubisoft to make a VR peripheral that adds scent to a recently released South Park video game, and KFC invented a flavored nail polish in order to promote the release of a new fried chicken flavor. Such inventions are a clever way to engage with consumers, as our annual innovation conference discusses in more detail.
6.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
85
Portable Wind Tunnels
Portable Wind Tunnels
Ford is Conducting Its Wind Tunnel Tests in Mobile Shipping Container Units
<
84
Smart Cycling Jackets
Smart Cycling Jackets
This Vodafone Holland Jacket Creates a Safer World for Cyclists
<
83
Photosynthesizing Bionic Leaves
Photosynthesizing Bionic Leaves
Scientists Developed a Bionic Leaf That Turns Sunlight into Fuel
<
82
Rhythmic Ping Pong Games
Rhythmic Ping Pong Games
'Ping Pong FM' Players Need to Cooperate to Hit the Ball to the Beat
<
81
Saké Wine Cans
Saké Wine Cans
Social's Low-Calorie and Low-Sugar Alcohol is Organic and Gluten-Free
<
80
Sustainable Cultured Meats
Sustainable Cultured Meats
SuperMeat Plans to Grow Chicken Meat Without Killing One Animal
<
79
Sour Cucumber Ales
Sour Cucumber Ales
This Collaborative Golden Ale Boasts a Distinctive Tart Flavor
<
78
Chainsaw-Armed Drones
Chainsaw-Armed Drones
The Killer Drone is Equipped With a Remote-Controlled Chainsaw
<
77
Virtual Reality Scent Devices
Virtual Reality Scent Devices
The 'Nosulus Rift' is for 'South Park: The Fractured but Whole'
<
76
Mobile Work Pods
Mobile Work Pods
'WorkonWheels' Uses Autonomous Driving for Workspace Pods
<
75
Baseball Cap Camera Mounts
Baseball Cap Camera Mounts
The 'Smabow' Baseball Cap Has a Phone and Camera Mount on the Brim
<
74
Instant Craft Beers
Instant Craft Beers
'To Øl' Developed a Powdered Alcohol Beer for Consumption Anywhere
<
73
Single-Person Travel Pods
Single-Person Travel Pods
'rLoop' Offers a Fast and Cost-Effective Way for One Person to Travel
<
72
Beer-Kombucha Hybrids
Beer-Kombucha Hybrids
Postmark Brewing is Now Making a Beer Beverage Called 'Blondebucha'
<
71
Solar-Powered Hammock Boats
Solar-Powered Hammock Boats
The 'MelloShip' Introduces a Relaxing New Way to Enjoy the Water
<
70
Chocolate Bar Resumes
Chocolate Bar Resumes
Reading Resume Qualifications Has Never Been More Enjoyable with This Idea
<
69
Body Motion Music
Body Motion Music
The KAGURA Translates Body Movement into Sound
<
68
Chicken-Flavored Nail Polish
Chicken-Flavored Nail Polish
This Edible KFC Nail Polish Comes in Two Flavors
<
67
Blimp Repair Robots
Blimp Repair Robots
The Lockheed Martin 'Spider' Can Find and Fix Pinhole Leaks on Blimps
<
66
Mobile Mattress Sanitizers
Mobile Mattress Sanitizers
'Clean Sleep' Trucks Wash Mattresses, Plus Remove Stains and Odors
<
65
Impact-Absorbing Shin Pads
Impact-Absorbing Shin Pads
The KPS600 Hockey Socks Provide Next-Generation Protection
<
64
Hangover Remedy Ice Creams
Hangover Remedy Ice Creams
This South Korean Company Claims It Can Cure Your Hangover
<
63
Dog-Friendly Brews
Dog-Friendly Brews
Woof & Brew's 'Bottom Sniffer' is a Special Non-Alcoholic Beer for Dogs
<
62
Selective Noise-Canceling Headphones
Selective Noise-Canceling Headphones
'Orosound' Offers Headphones Designed for the Office
<
61
Voice-Analyzing Health Platforms
Voice-Analyzing Health Platforms
'Beyond Verbal' Hopes to Assess Medical Conditions Through Voices
<
60
Airtight Beverage Bottles
Airtight Beverage Bottles
Fresh N Go!'s Bottle Design Prevents Drinks from Oxidating
<
59
Kite-Based Power Sources
Kite-Based Power Sources
Kite Power Solutions Offers an Innovative and Cost-Effective Alternative
<
58
AI Beer Breweries
AI Beer Breweries
Artificial Intelligence is Now Being Used to Craft the Perfect Beer
<
57
Arcade Button Testers
Arcade Button Testers
The Sole Purpose of Mike Sannikov's 'Button Factory' is to Test Buttons
<
56
Glowing Barware Accessories
Glowing Barware Accessories
Jakobsen Design's Glow-In-The-Dark Barware Accessory Embodies Elegance
<
55
Novelty Ear Bud Catchers
Novelty Ear Bud Catchers
M3D's Air'rings are 3D-Printed Earrings with Nets for Catching Air Pods
<
54
Liquid Instant Teas
Liquid Instant Teas
'No More Tea Bags' Helps Consumers Make Tea with Just Hot Water
<
53
Malleable Cotton Clocks
Malleable Cotton Clocks
Veronica Szalai's 'NEW TIME' Clocks Can Be Crumbled into New Shapes
<
52
Waste-Made 3D Printers
Waste-Made 3D Printers
This 3D Printer is Made Entirely from Repurposed Electronic Waste
<
51
Small-Scale Synthesizers
Small-Scale Synthesizers
The Tiny TS Synthesizer is the Size of a Credit Card
<
50
Bacteria-Balancing Kits
Bacteria-Balancing Kits
This Skin Flora Kit Allows Women to Wear Probiotics in the Form of Pads
<
49
Hybrid Paper-Plastic Materials
Hybrid Paper-Plastic Materials
'Paptic' Blurs the Line Between Paper and Plastic
<
48
Artificial Memory Implants
Artificial Memory Implants
'Neurofeedback' Allows False Memories to Be Added to the Brain
<
47
High-Temperature Cooking Bags
High-Temperature Cooking Bags
Klearcook's Polymer Sheets Can Be Used to Reduce Cooking Times
<
46
Unshelled Cashew Snacks
Unshelled Cashew Snacks
KARMA'S 'Wrapped Cashews' Can Be Eaten with Their Original Shell
<
45
Baguette Vending Machines
Baguette Vending Machines
This Machine Serves Up Fresh Baguettes On-Demand
<
44
Absurdist Gear Systems
Absurdist Gear Systems
'Extreme Reduction' is a Gag Gift That Could Theoretically Move a Train
<
43
Autonomous Rescue Aircraft
Autonomous Rescue Aircraft
Urban Aeronautics' Cormorant Aircraft Will Operate in Dangerous Areas
<
42
Mosquito-Killing Streetlights
Mosquito-Killing Streetlights
These Smart Streetlights Perform Many Different Functions
<
41
3D-Printed Sugar Candies
3D-Printed Sugar Candies
The ColorPod Add-On Creates Novelty Full-Color Printed Edibles
<
40
Couture Aromatic Cocktails
Couture Aromatic Cocktails
Café Royal Offers Luxury Drinks Inspired By Givenchy's Perfume
<
39
Whipped Chocolate Butter
Whipped Chocolate Butter
Lewis Road Creamery's 'Chocolate Butter' Blends a Sweet Spread and Dairy
<
38
Bamboo Towel Bags
Bamboo Towel Bags
These Beach Towels Can Easily Transform for a Variety of Uses
<
37
Bicycle Brake Mugs
Bicycle Brake Mugs
This Unique Coffee Mug Features a Handle Made from a Bicycle Brake
<
36
Ice Pop Cocktail Mixers
Ice Pop Cocktail Mixers
The Alcoholic Mixers by Savory 'Sicles Take the Form of Ice Pops
<
35
Stock Market-Inspired Bars
Stock Market-Inspired Bars
Asia's 'Wolf Market' Lets Patrons Drive the Prices of Drinks Up or Down
<
34
VR Dining Experiments
VR Dining Experiments
'Project Nourished' Pairs 3D-Printed Food with Virtual Reality
<
33
Anime-Infused Contact Lenses
Anime-Infused Contact Lenses
These Smart Custom Contact Lenses Could Help Pokémon Go Players
<
32
Two-In-One Swimwear Designs
Two-In-One Swimwear Designs
Syndicut Makes Reversible Swimsuit Designs for Men and Women
<
31
Modular Restaurant Franchise Buildings
Modular Restaurant Franchise Buildings
The New Checkers Building is Cost-Effective for Franchisees
<
30
Protective Floating Swimwear
Protective Floating Swimwear
This Protective Swimwear Will Ensure That No One Drowns in Water
<
29
Bottled Deep Sea Water
Bottled Deep Sea Water
'Kona Deep' is a Desalinated Beverage from Deep-Ocean Currents
<
28
High-Tech Exercise Water Bottles
High-Tech Exercise Water Bottles
Crio Uses Cryogel to Keep Liquids Hot or Cold Longer
<
27
Artist-Inspired Socks
Artist-Inspired Socks
These Themed Socks Include Names Like Vincent Van Toe and Feetasso
<
26
Two-In-One Shooters
Two-In-One Shooters
Twisted Shotz Combines Two Liqueurs in a Single Ready-to-Drink Shot
<
25
Business Card Embossers
Business Card Embossers
The 'Pocket Scrawl' Stamps Custom Info on Business Cards
<
24
TV-Friendly Beer Mugs
TV-Friendly Beer Mugs
The 'Better TV Viewing Beer Mug' Leaves Views to the Screen Unobstructed
<
23
Hands-Free Magnetic Zippers
Hands-Free Magnetic Zippers
Evolve Enclosures' Magnetic Zipper Makes Fastening Clothing Automatic
<
22
Popped Cheese Snacks
Popped Cheese Snacks
'Cheesepop' is an Innovative Snack Cheese That's Like Popcorn
<
21
Office Smoking Pods
Office Smoking Pods
Ryonetsu Has Developed a Single-Occupant Smoking Booth for Office Workers
<
20
Phone-Charging Wallets
Phone-Charging Wallets
VoltNow's Smart Leather Wallet Doubles as a Charger
<
19
Instant Coffee Beans
Instant Coffee Beans
This Coffee Concept Turns Compressed Instant Coffee into Beans
<
18
Wearable Flying Cameras
Wearable Flying Cameras
The 'nixie' is a Wearable Drone That Can Be Worn Like a Watch
<
17
Match-Sized Flashlights
Match-Sized Flashlights
The 'MBI Matchlight' is the World's Smallest Flashlight
<
16
Empathy-Building Playsets
Empathy-Building Playsets
'The Empathy Toy' Set for Kids is a Unique Family Puzzle Game
<
15
Hands-Free Umbrellas
Hands-Free Umbrellas
These Inverted Umbrellas Clevery Attach to Your Wrist
<
14
Extremely Long-Lasting Roses
Extremely Long-Lasting Roses
The Venus Et Fleur Rose Shop Crafts Roses that Stay Fresh for a Year
<
13
Disguised Shoebox Strongboxes
Disguised Shoebox Strongboxes
The 'Mandem Safe' Protects Valuables While Looking Like a Nike Box
<
12
Next-Gen Farming Houses
Next-Gen Farming Houses
Net Houses Offer Better Produce with Fewer Chemicals
<
11
Wooden Chef Knives
Wooden Chef Knives
'//SKID' is a 97% Wood and 3% High Alloyed Carbon Steel Kitchen Tool
<
10
Ergonomic Standing Desk Mats
Ergonomic Standing Desk Mats
The CubeFit TerraMat is Designed to Keep You Healthy and Productive
<
9
Ice Cream Capsules
Ice Cream Capsules
This Convenient Ice Cream Concept Boasts Brain-Boosting Properties
<
8
Mushroom-Based Leather
Mushroom-Based Leather
'Muskin' is a Plant-Based and Cruelty-Free Mushroom Leather
<
7
Single-Seat Cars
Single-Seat Cars
The Vector May Be a Solution to Traffic Congestion
<
6
Carbon Fiber Cars
Carbon Fiber Cars
Lamborghini is Changing the Rules of Auto Manufacturing with Carbon Fiber
<
5
Space-Saving Inflatable Bathtubs
Space-Saving Inflatable Bathtubs
This Tub Was Designed to Accommodate Growing Populations
<
4
DIY Flying Chairs
DIY Flying Chairs
The 'Manned Multicopter' Flies with the Use of Homemade Multirotors
<
3
Photo-Finished Cube Furniture
Photo-Finished Cube Furniture
This Coated Foam Furniture Boasts Real-Life Images on its Designs
<
2
Futuristic Levitating Drinkware
Futuristic Levitating Drinkware
This Flying Cup Defies Gravity
<
1
Self-Balancing Motorcycles
Self-Balancing Motorcycles
The GyroCycle Stabilizes Itself with a Gyroscopic System
<