Patent

Honda has patented a new type of airbag system for motorcycles, which would rapidly inflate in a crash or fall situation, wrap around the rider's torso in a great big hug, and detach from the bike to protect the rider when the two are separated.

Amazon is understandably keen to make the job of deliveries easier. The latest idea is a new patent for a system where delivery vans would carry items almost to their destination, then send out and direct ground drones to do the final drop-off.

Several effective COVID-19 vaccines have been developed in rapid time but was that the easy part of the process? Are intellectual property protections and for-profit pharmaceutical companies now getting in the way of vaccinating the world's population?

So far, Dyson hasn't made any headphones, but a recently-published patent shows that its engineers are certainly thinking about it. And these cans are designed to provide the wearer with a steady supply of filtered air.

​Almost 5 years after Elon Musk allowed other manufacturers access to Tesla patents without fear of legal action – effectively making them open source – Toyota has announced that it's opening up its vehicle electrification patents to help speed up the development and adoption of electric vehicles.​

If you’ve ever wished for a third hand so you can watch your phone while doing the dishes, Samsung might be answering your prayers in a roundabout way. The company has just been awarded a patent for a “flying display device” – a screen mounted on a quadcopter that follows your gaze.

Right now the Apple Pencil stylus only works with the iPad Pro, but it seems Apple has bigger plans for its pointing device. The company's latest patent shows a new device that's capable of writing on any surface it's pressed up against, and even in mid-air.

Journeys in self-driving cars might be much less stressful, but could also increase cases of motion sickness, as drivers give up the wheel and visual distractions that help to ward off nausea. To combat the issue, researchers are developing a new wearable featuring a system of moving lights.

A patent filed by Amazon outlines the company's vision for drone delivery hives that could be destined for urban centers. These tall, multilevel cylinders would receive truck freight at the ground level, with delivery drones leaving and returning through windows dotted up the sides of the structure.

Commercial delivery drones are already taking flight, but before the system really gets off the ground, there are plenty of big-picture details to sort out. Now, Amazon has outlined plans to pack parachutes into shipping labels, so packages can be safely dropped as the drone buzzes by.

​There are times when at-a-glance notifications do more harm than good – driving is one of them. A recently awarded patent suggests that the Apple Watch could eventually prevent this distraction/nuisance by automatically detecting when you're driving and following suit by halting notifications.

​Flip phones may have died out with MySpace, but if technology in a patent awarded to Apple this week eventuates into a commercial product, a future iPhone may bring them back. The document describes carbon nanotubes in flexible printed circuits, allowing devices that can bend along a seam.