TIME Names ‘Best Inventions’ Of 2023: From Braille LEGO Bricks To DIY Nokias
By Mikelle Leow, 26 Oct 2023
Images via Teenage Engineering, L’Oréal, LEGO, Nvidia
TIME magazine has announced more than 200 impressive picks for its Best Inventions of 2023 list. The intriguing selection features groundbreaking creations that bring opportunity to reshape the way people live, work, and play.
Below, we’ve delved into some of the remarkable inventions from the spheres of design, accessibility, artificial intelligence, experimental works, consumer electronics, and outdoor innovation. From eco-friendly paints to cutting-edge artificial intelligence solutions and inclusive ideas, these creations are shaping the way we interact with the world, fostering sustainability, accessibility, and creativity in every aspect of our lives.
As we continue to advance, these inventions serve as a testament to the power of human ingenuity and our ability to create a brighter future.
To view all 200 products and experiments, plus 50 honorable mentions, check out TIME’s full report here.
Lancôme’s Motorized Makeup Applicators (Accessibility)
Image via L’Oréal
Lancôme, under the wing of beauty giant L’Oréal, introduced an inclusive lipstick applicator tailored to empower individuals with restricted hand and arm mobility. This ingenious, tech-infused tool is built on adaptive technology used to assist people in maintaining mealtime autonomy, ensuring a steady and confident rouge application from the comfort of one’s home.
Sony’s Access Controller for Playstation 5 (Accessibility)
Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony worked with accessibility experts to bring forth a literal game-changer: a split PS5 controller that’s a blank canvas for players to tailor to their individual needs. This innovative device comes equipped with a versatile kit of interchangeable components, including various analog stick caps and buttons in diverse shapes and sizes, enabling gamers to craft their own unique control layouts.
A symmetrical split design gives players the freedom to reposition the analog sticks to their liking, while the controller’s flat profile means it can rest on a tabletop or wheelchair tray, eliminating the need to hold it during gameplay.
LEGO’s Braille Bricks (Accessibility)
Image via LEGO
LEGO launched Play with Braille bricks, designed to immerse children with visual impairments in play and teach them to read, all while fostering family fun. These special plastic bricks are coded in Braille, aligning with numbers and letters to serve as educational tools. What’s truly heartwarming is that the toys have been distributed to schools since 2020 to bridge learning gaps.
Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Expand and Generative Fill (AI)
Video screenshots via Adobe
Adobe has endowed users of all skill levels with unprecedented photoshopping skills with generative AI features like Generative Expand and Generative Fill, baked into its ethical Firefly AI model that’s trained on Adobe Stock, openly-licensed, and public-domain content to be commercial-safe.
With Generative Expand, users can expand images using text prompts to “uncrop” them creatively. Meanwhile, Generative Fill takes image manipulation to the next level by enabling users to add or remove content with finesse and precision, all accomplished non-destructively through straightforward text prompts.
OpenAI’s GPT-4 and DALL-E 3 (AI)
Video screenshot via OpenAI
OpenAI’s powerful generative AI tools have eased into everyday workflows, and they’ve now become even more formidable with the introduction of GPT-4, its most advanced system. Being “multimodal,” it is able to understand images in addition to mere text prompts, analyzing screenshots, documents, diagrams, and various formats, and delivering guidance in natural language. According to the organization, GPT-4 excels beyond ChatGPT with a heightened capacity for advanced reasoning.
In a similar vein, OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 takes text-to-image generation to new heights with a more sophisticated model for vivid, highly detailed outputs.
Humane AI Pin (AI)
A sneak peek of our first product:@imranchaudhri's @TEDTalks is now available to watch: https://t.co/Pv6MsZVJB9 pic.twitter.com/q0AEGIUAOR
— Humane (@Humane) May 9, 2023
Developed by former Apple designers, the Humane AI Pin is a first-of-a-kind, tiny “standalone” projector primed to replace smartphones (it’s been dubbed an “iPhone killer”). The device, wireless, weightless, and screenless, presents a disruption-free solution to a world drained by tech fatigue by using AI to deliver contextual and important information most meaningful to its user.
Nokia’s DIY Smartphone with Repair Kit (Consumer Electronics)
Image via Nokia
In line with right-to-repair demands, the Nokia G22 is the brand’s first smartphone with “repairability in its DNA.” Thanks to its friendly design, the model allows users to replace components like the display, charging port, or battery, even beyond the warranty period—ensuring a longer lifespan and staving off the urgency of replacing your phone.
Furthermore, with a back made entirely from 100% recycled plastic and a playful two-tone design, the Nokia G22 embodies sustainability both in its construction and packaging.
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 (Consumer Electronics)
Image via Samsung Newsroom
Personal expression is a no-brainer with the Samsung Galaxy Z 5, which boasts a sleek and compact design that’s big on performance. The pocket-sized device has an enhanced Flex Window, now 3.78 times larger than its predecessor, that offers a plethora of new and existing capabilities, including customizable informative clocks and stylish frames.
New York City’s ‘Better’ Trash Bins (Design)
New York City has introduced ‘Better Bins’, a significant upgrade to its litter baskets. They’re designed to be rat-resistant, less prone to public misuse, user-friendly for sanitation workers, and with increased capacity. A pivotal innovation driving this design is its modular, three-part construction, comprising a stand, a lid, and a recyclable plastic basket.
The stand acts as a sturdy base, safeguarding the basket against heavy winds and the rigors of NYC streets. The bisected lid serves a triple purpose—it acts as a hinge for easy basket removal, contains refuse effectively, and eliminates side access doors, a common entry point for rodents, which also need snow removal. Notably, the plastic basket weighs less than half of the current green wire mesh receptacle, making it a practical and efficient solution.
Teenage Engineering’s Retro Digital “Tape Recorder” (Design)
Image via Teenage Engineering
Teenage Engineering revives a beloved classic and infuses it with a contemporary twist in the form of the TP-7, a compact retrofuturistic digital “tape recorder.” This nifty device sports a motorized click wheel reminiscent of the iconic original iPod. Modern technology sets it apart from your old-school gadgets—when paired with a smartphone, it can transcribe audio into text, bridging the gap between vintage charm and cutting-edge functionality.
Romotow’s Rotating Trailer (Design)
Image via Romotow
The Romotow T8 is no ordinary caravan; with the push of a button, this invention swivels in and out of itself, extending a welcoming porch. Step inside, and you’ll discover a cozy main bedroom for two, a convenient kitchenette, a shower, and a toilet. For those who desire extra space, it can be configured with a double bed and even has provisions for mounting televisions.
Nvidia’s Neuralangelo (Experimental)
Nvidia’s Neuralangelo endeavors to make 3D modeling a breeze by effortlessly transforming 2D footage that you can easily capture with your smartphone into high-fidelity 3D objects.
Just as Michelangelo carved breathtaking, lifelike masterpieces from blocks of marble, Neuralangelo crafts intricate 3D structures with astonishing details and textures, the company told DesignTAXI in June. This groundbreaking technology can generate “digital twins” of real-world sculptures, buildings, and various objects, faithfully replicating even complex textures like the smooth surface of marble or the granularity of roof shingles.
World’s Whitest Paint That Also Cools Buildings & Cars (Experimental)
Photo 37498659 © Luis Viegas | Dreamstime.com
Engineers at Purdue University developed the world’s whitest paint, a record officially recognized by Guinness World Records. This extraordinary paint has the ability to reduce temperatures by a staggering 40°F, thanks to its capacity to reflect 80% to 90% of the sun’s rays. As a result, it can effectively maintain cooler temperatures inside buildings, potentially eliminating the need for energy-intensive air conditioning. Moreover, when applied in thicker layers, this innovative paint can also be employed to cool down vehicles or spacecraft, opening up new possibilities for energy-efficient cooling solutions.
“World’s Fastest Shoes” (Outdoors)
Image via Shift Robotics
Described as the “world’s fastest shoes,” Shift Robotics’ ‘Moonwalkers’ allow wearers to “walk at the speed of a run,” thanks to their intelligent AI drivetrain. These innovative devices harness the power of machine learning algorithms to seamlessly adapt to the wearer’s unique walking gaits, essentially becoming an extension of their legs. Designed with an ergonomic hinge system that enables natural bending at the toes, they preserve mobility and balance while ensuring safety with brake protection.
Boat-in-a-Backpack (Outdoors)
Image via GoBoat
The GoBoat 2.0 redefines convenience as a “boat in a backpack.” This fully inflatable marvel can be effortlessly set up within minutes, making it an ideal choice for those seeking portability. Its lightweight yet durable design allows it to fit snugly into a carry bag, car trunk, or closet when not in use. When on the water, it boasts a quiet electric motor operation, providing the capability to navigate even the most challenging and remote areas
A Phone That’s Also A Handbag (Special Mentions)
Image via Honor
At IFA 2023, Chinese smartphone manufacturer Honor showcased an innovative concept known as the Honor V Purse. This foldable device envisions smartphones as fashion-forward handbags, featuring an always-on display on the exterior. Adorned with a stylish chain, the foldable design allows for personalization, allowing users to showcase a different design each time they use it.
Honda’s Motocompacto Foldable E-Bike (Special Mentions)
Image via Honda
Taking a delightful trip down memory lane, Honda reimagined its 1980s Motocompo micro-scooter into an urban mobility marvel known as the Motocompacto. This all-electric personal transportation device begins in a flat, compact form but can be unfolded to reveal a fully functional scooter, equipped with seats, handlebars, and a rear wheel—all neatly packaged within a unit measuring just a little over three feet in length.
[via TIME, images via various sources]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.