What do a battery-powered bike wheel, wireless phone chargers, a prescription delivery service and a new gastronomical creation have in common?
Besides the fact that they all made the list of TIME's best inventions of 2014, they also all hail from Boston. The annual round-up, which also included a hoverboard, an ebola-fighting dialysis cartridge and yes, a selfie-assisting camera attachment, wasn't restricted to medically or scientifically significant inventions - they simply had to make the world "better, smarter and—in some cases—a little more fun."
And yeah, 3D printing and the Apple Watch were on there, too. Here are the four from Boston:
WiTricity
The concept of wireless electricity isn't just useful for automotive, oil and gas companies concerned with the possibility of melting or snapping wires, it's also helpful for us smartphone-dependent consumers, too. If you could charge your phone via the transfer of magnetic forces, life would be a lot easier - which is exactly what the Watertown-based WiTricity can provide. The company's technology entails implementing a coil into both the charging station and the device, allowing the two to exchange power. What's particularly cool about the invention, though, is its ability to make nearly any surface a wireless charging hotspot - whether a coffeeshop table or your kitchen counter - by simply placing the charging pad beneath it. TIME noted that the method has already been tested for charging mats in Toyota electric cars as well as charging pads inside Intel PCs. CEO Alex Gruzen predicts that within a decade, every room in your house could be wired so that TVs, lamps and other appliances could could be powered by one central wireless charging base.
PillPack
If you're one of the millions of Americans who takes more than one prescription, you know what a hassle it can be to fill, retrieve and sort all of them. That's where PillPack comes in: The service, which houses its design, engineering and marketing teams in Somerville, streamlines and simplifies the process by taking care of nearly every step for you, and then delivering the drugs right to your doorstep right on time. Customers not only get their personalized and pre-sorted medications, but also labels with the directions for each pill, as well as recyclable dispensers. TIME gave props to PillPack for customer communication, too - the company provides online tools for tracking shipments, refills and co-pays, and also makes it easy for users to email or call their pharmacist for help at any time.
Currently, PillPack is available in 42 states, and you can expect some big things from the company in the coming year - in mid-October, they announced that they had raised a $8.75M round of funding led by Fred Destin of Accel.
No matter how much of a hardcore biker you are, your enthusiasm for the eco-friendly transportation mode can certainly be hindered by frigid temperatures, potholes and steep hills. Fortunately, Cambridge-based Superpedestrian developed a standard-sized wheel attachment called the Copenhagen Wheel to make your ride a lot more pleasant. A battery-powered, rechargeable motor gives you an extra boost - just enter your preferences through a smartphone app ahead of time so it knows when to kick in, or let the unit detect your pedaling effort and determine what level of support you need.
Cyclists can also access real-time data on the best routes to take via sensors that detect road conditions and air temperature. TIME also emphasized the sustainability aspect, noting that this MIT-spun invention may make bikes a more viable alternative as roads get increasingly clogged with cars.
At the end of September, Superpedestrian announced that it raised another $4 million in funding, which means it will be easier to get your hands on one. Due to high demand, the $799 Copenhagen Wheel is currently only available for preorder, but the products will be shipping in Spring 2015.
WikiPearl
WikiPearl, the brainchild of Harvard professor and bio-creator David Edwards, includes an array of treats from cheese to ice cream that you can pop in your mouth without unwrapping. Why? Because Edwards concocted a way to make the whole thing is edible, thanks to WikiFoods technology, which encases the food or drink in a biodegradable protective shell. It’s not unlike the skin on a grape, and that’s in part the inspiration behind the line - the idea that nature packages food in a way that's conveniently portable.
The WikiPearl technology encases the food or drink in a biodegradable protective shell.
So how did Edwards come up with this innovative idea for edible packaging? Certain natural substances, like dried fruit, have an inherent electrical attraction in the form of tiny particles. The addition of calcium and sugar bolster the bond, thus making up an impenetrable shell, which blocks out contaminants, prevents water loss and ensures the food maintains optimal health benefits. WikiPearl ice cream stays colder longer, making it more melt-proof, WikiPearl yogurt requires no spoon and WikiPearl cheese stays fresh in its wrapper.
Edwards first consulted Harvard students when he was toying with the idea of producing food and beverage packaging that mimics those naturally found on fruits and vegetables. Then he teamed up with designer François Azambourg and biologist Don Ingber for further research on the technology, which was finally unveiled to the public at Paris’ the Laboratoire in 2010. Two years of incubation later and WikiFoods, Inc. was born.
First came frozen yogurt pearls, which were launched in partnership with Stonyfield and sold in biodegradable bags at just a few Whole Foods. Now, they can be found at some 40 locations in the supermarkets’ chain.
It’s not hard to see why the startup quickly piqued the interest of top U.S. venture capital funds, and raised Series A investments from both Polaris Partners and Flagship Ventures. The benefits are abundant: WikiPearl products are environmentally-friendly, support portion control, promise functional nutrition and furthermore, the the flavor possibilities are endless. Not to mention, they’re just plain fun to eat.
But Edwards isn’t stopping at yogurt and fruit - he’s now looking for new ways to apply the technology to a bevy of other beverages and foods. Even lactose-intolerant folks will be able to indulge: One of his latest creations is a non-dairy, non-allergen treat called WikiPearl FREE that consists of frozen coconut milk encased in fruit skins, coffee or salted caramel. The product will be hitting the shelves at Roche Brothers and Dave's Fresh Marketplace this January.
In September, the WikiFoods think tank collaborated with Chef Patrick Campbell, of Eastern Standard and No.9 Park, Clio mixologist Todd Maul, and Commonwealth GM Tom Mastricola to to open Cafe ArtScience in Kendall Square: An innovative eatery and bar that explores the “sustainable future of food.”
Edwards said that the Cafe will allow him to test out WikiPearl inventions on the public so that he can continue experimenting with and tweaking the products and eventually, move them onto store shelves.
Copenhagen Wheel images courtesy of Superpedestrian. The section on WikiPearl was added after this post was initially published.
