8 Incredible Innovations of 2020
The year 2020 is about to end and we are still fighting the pandemic.
Yet, the world didn’t stop and there are many areas that developed several innovations. Innovations are something new brought into the world; an idea, a change, a remodel. This article will introduce what we can look forward to in the near future.
Gadgets
MagSafe by Apple- Wireless Charger that snaps onto your phone
Apple launched a new type of wireless charger that snaps onto the back of your phone via magnets. This device came into the market with the launch of iPhone12. It has a ring of magnets that is used to connect the phone and the charger. The attraction is so strong that there is no need to remove the phone accessories like the case or card wallets, while you charge. The alignment of this device is optimised to reduce heat build-up, producing up to 50% faster charge time compared to the previous wireless chargers.
Microsoft Surface Duo– A phone or a notebook?
The Surface Duo is a phone that can be folded and unfolded to resemble a notebook. Microsoft has launched the dual-screen Android device that opens like a binder and reveals a pair of screens. Though risky, it has its advantages. One can expand a single application to fill up both the screens which result in perfect quality and hold for reading. There is also a Surface Pen to use which can help in getting some writing done, while multitasking on the other end of the screen. To use it as a traditional phone, one can simply just fold it back.
It takes us to the future of mobile devices, much like Samsung Galaxy Fold and the LG Wing.
Health
MiSight 1 day by Cooper Vision Inc. – Contact Lenses that slow Myopia
Myopia, or near-sightedness, is when a person’s eyeballs extend too far out of the socket, which disrupts light and focuses on the retina. This condition, though common, can get worse as a person ages as the ocular elongation 
extends. A 2015 WHO report suggests that the disease may affect up to 52% of the population by 2050.
MiSight 1 day corrective contact lenses are the first of their kind that can help to slow the speed of this condition in children aged 8-12, when it is typically diagnosed and is relatively mild. The lenses stall the elongation by creating “myopic defocus”. The light that hits the retina is redirected to the front, restraining the growth that affects the vision over time.
Studies show that the lenses helped reduce the progress of myopia by 59% over a three-year period.
ScanWatch by Withings– Smartwatch that can help detect Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a disorder where the muscles that help keep our airways open and relaxed during slumber, narrows or stops the airflow, causing periodic gaps in breathing. This new innovation by Withings has a system that can identify at an early stage when intervention is required.
Pulmonologists estimate that 80% of moderate to severe sleep apnea goes undiagnosed. This wearable device uses a motion sensor, O2 sensor, and a heart rate monitor that helps detect the disturbance in breathing pattern and the lower rate of oxygen levels that might indicate disruptive nighttime airflow.
Aerospace
Perseverance by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory- A new rover that can help search for signs of life on Mars.
Having spent decades studying Mars’ geology and chemistry, NASA is asking its big question for the Mars 2020 mission – Is the Red Planet capable of hosting life?
NASA launched a rocket with a one-ton nuclear-powered Perseverance rover onboard, on 30th July 2020. It is said that it would land in February 2021; it would be the first rover specifically designed to look out for evidence of past or present organisms. Although it may closely resemble its predecessor, Curiosity, it will help bring new material to Martian exploration.
With SHERLOC’s powerful spectrometer laser, biological molecules as minimal as one part in a million can be scanned. Such crisp images and other data would be combined by the researchers from the PIXL imaging system to look for clumps of molecules, amino acids, lipids, or anything that can indicate life. Evidence that would paint a clear picture of life on Mars.
Perseverance is the first space robot designed in a way to store samples for recovery.
Celera 500L by Otto Aviation – A private flight that anyone can afford
This flight holds just six passengers. The team behind the innovation hopes to cut down the costs and the travel time of private flights to a commercial level, so it can be experienced by regular people as well as the uber-wealthy. Though smaller, yet comfortable; these flights are expected to come with a low fare as they are more fuel-efficient than competitions.
The vehicle’s design resembles that of a blimp; with the help of its rear propeller, it creates an aerodynamic phenomenon called laminar flow. This phenomenon is where the air travels in smooth layers over the craft. Low maintenance costs and a cheaper sticker price, should help with the goal of low fares.
Entertainment
Play Station 5, Dual Sense by Sony- Action like never before
With the PS5 Dual Sense controller, console games feel different. Sony’s PS5 replaces the previous generations’ clunky rumble with a haptic feedback system made from strategically placed, tiny vibrating actuators. Along with the 
surprisingly powerful onboard speaker, the tremors are capable of conveying complex, in-game concepts, like walking through the crunchy gravel or along a sturdy castle floor. A subtle light breeze or a vigorous vibration can be created which is enough to spill your drink during a horror game. The on-screen tension is adapted automatically by the controller, which adds more to the extremely realistic experience.
MI TV Lux Transparent Edition by Xiaomi– A clear TV (literally)
This 5.7-millimeter display looks like a thick sheet of glass when turned off. The content seen through this transparent OLED seems like it’s floating in mid-air. Xiaomi’s device doesn’t seem to need a backlight as each individual pixel is a diode that gives its own illumination.
Xiaomi is the first to bring out such innovation to its consumer market in China during 2020, while others like LG are still working on similar technology.
Read more : https://www.popsci.com/story/technology/best-of-whats-new-2020/
