90 Time November 30/December 7, 2020
BEST INVENTIONS 2020
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
A CLEANER CHARGE
Lexon Oblio
Cell phones can be
covered with more
than 17,000 bacterial
gene copies—10
times as much bac-
teria as the average
toilet seat, one study
found. Oblio solves
that problem and
charges your device
at the same time. The
wireless charging sta-
tion resembles
a stylish vase and
uses UVC light to sani-tize your phone,
killing 99% of the
bacteria on its surface
in just 20 minutes.
The device ($80)
has not yet been
tested for effective-
ness against COVID-
19, but even
so, it sold out soon
after it became com-
mercially available
in the U.S. over the
summer.— MADELEINE
CARLISLEEXPERIMENTAL
THE CLIMATE COP
Climate TRACE
For years, Silicon Valley companies have used artificial
intelligence to make social media more addictive and streaming
recommendations more predictive. “But very few people want
to point these tools at the biggest problem we’re facing: CO²
emissions,” says Gavin McCormick, a co-founder of Climate TRACE.
The first-of-its-kind environmental analytics tool—backed by an
international coalition that includes seven environmental nonprofits
and former Vice President Al Gore—uses a combination of machine
learning, infrared satellite imagery and advanced computer
modeling to track polluters worldwide in real time. The information
it collects, accessible through a data-rich online portal that is set
for release in 2021, will help environmental organizations verify
that governments around the globe are honoring pledges to cut
greenhouse gases. The data will also enable companies to better
judge their supply chain’s cleanliness—and help the public stay
informed too. —J.R. SULLIVANPARENTING
THE E-ASSIST STROLLER
Cybex e-PRIAM
New parents need
all the help they can
get, especially when
schlepping a young
one around town. The
sleek e-PRIAM ($1,400),
by German stroller
stalwart Cybex, gives
parents an extra boost
with an electric motor
discreetly connected
to the rear wheels. “It’s
really built for urban
living,” explains Dave
Taylor, deputy CEO of
Cybex America—be
it for conquering
San Francisco’s hills,
Boston’s cobblestone
streets or Miami’s
sandy beaches.
Along with the uphill
assist, the e-PRIAM
features innovative
handlebar smart
sensors that detect
downhill slopes and
apply the brakes
accordingly, ensuring
the stroller is as safe as
it is strain-saving.
And with its 28-mile peak
battery life, the e-PRIAM
can cover serious ground
between charges.
—J.R. SULLIVANSTYLE
FEEL THE MUSIC
CuteCircuit SoundShirt
The SoundShirt (£550) pledges to open
up the world of music by allowing wearers
who are deaf to experience songs using
their sense of touch rather than hearing.
The garment is outfitted with 30 miniature
haptic motors that vibrate according to
what is being played, allowing the wearer
to “feel” the music in a visceral way. Lower
frequencies from instruments like drums are
felt in the lower abdomen, while sounds from
instruments like flutes and violins vibrate
across the chest, arms and shoulders.
The shirt has been used by orchestras
to translate performances of works by
composers like Franz Schubert and Felix
Mendelssohn into tactile experiences for
deaf audiences. And there are applications
beyond the concert hall. “If somebody
happens to be deaf and wants to go dancing
with their friends,” says Francesca Rosella,
a co-founder of wearable-tech brand
CuteCircuit, which makes the SoundShirt,
“they can just turn on the microphone and
feel the beat.” —PATRICK LUCAS AUSTIN