Inflatable
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For several years now, obese people have been able to lose weight by swallowing capsules that inflate within the stomach, providing a sense of fullness. While such capsules have had to be inflated via a catheter fed down the throat, scientists have now created one that's activated magnetically. -
Attaching regular roof racks to your car is an investment. Lately we're seeing cheaper and more flexible solutions emerge, the latest of which uses bicycle inner tubes to support sports gear en-route and keep your paintwork scratch-free.
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The folks over at Wandrd have launched a Kickstarter campaign for a travel bag that has an inflatable back panel for custom comfort and support, and can be had with inflatable protection for your camera.
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According to French firm Helite, approximately 40 percent of serious bicycle-accident injuries involve the thorax, and 25 percent involve the spinal area. With that in mind, the airbag tech company has developed B'Safe, which is a cycling vest that inflates when the cyclist wipes out.
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Tentsile has been bringing camping to the air with an ever-growing lineup of suspended tree tents. Now it's coming back down to earth ... and water. The new Universe is a multifunctional, five-person shelter that can pitch in the trees or on the ground, before going to work as a day raft.
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When you ship something, you typically put bubble wrap or newspaper around it, to provide impact protection and to keep it from rattling around inside the box. Well, PaQ is a self-inflating gadget that does the same thing for the precious contents of your suitcase.
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An interesting novelty from last year's Düsseldorf Caravan Salon, the GT Roof from GentleTent is billed as the world's first inflatable roof-top tent (RTT). It combines the convenience of a car-top tent with the ease and lightness of inflatable design – and it even doubles as a sheltered raft.
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Austrian inflatable tent specialist GentleTent is slowly adapting its air-filled tent technology from ground camping to vehicular camping. Its B-Turtle pop-up bike camper hauls gear, then inflates to create a cozy two-person shelter.
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A collaboration between BMW and MIT's Self-Assembly Laboratory has produced a 3D-printed inflatable material that can change its shape and stiffness on command. It could be used in designing highly customizable and multifunctional car interiors.
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A lot of people don't like wearing life jackets, as they find the things to be bulky and cumbersome. If you're such a person, then you might be interested in the Wingman, as it's claimed to be the world's thinnest.
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Which do you think would be easier to throw to someone who's drowning, a big ol' life preserver or a compact device about the size of a pop can? If you went with the latter – and if you spend a lot of time on the water – then you might be interested in OneUp.
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High-flying tree tents and roofed hammocks are all the rage and tents are getting as social as the internet. The basic ground tent was nearly more the exception than the rule in 2017, as tents that dangle from trees and cliffs, float on water, and ride atop motor vehicles hoarded the spotlight.
