THE 50 BEST INVENTIONS of 2018
Every year, TIME highlights the Best Inventions that are making the world better, smarter and even a bit more fun. To assemble our 2018 list, we solicited nominations across a variety of categories from our editors and correspondents around the world, as well as through an online application process. Then TIME evaluated each contender based on key factors, including originality, creativity, influence, ambition and effectiveness. The result: 50 groundbreaking inventions that are changing the way we live, work, play and think about what’s possible.
GEAR + GADGETS
A revolutionary robotic arm
PANDA
We’re living in the middle of a robotics revolution, but the most capable machines are generally available only to wealthy corporations. The German-based robotics firm Franka Emika is changing that with the Panda, an $11,000 (roughly) easy-to-program robotic arm designed for small businesses. Able to move in seven axes and designed with a smart sense of “touch,” the Panda can help conduct science experiments, build circuit boards or pretest equipment. Two Panda arms can even work together to build a third. And while the Panda isn’t designed for personal use, something similar could eventually offer a helping hand at home, chopping food in the kitchen or assisting the elderly with difficult tasks. “We believe that robots will have a similar success story as personal computers,” says Franka Emika’s CEO and co-founder, Simon Haddadin. —Alejandro de la Garza
GEAR + GADGETS
A compass that points to family and friends
LYNQ
Who hasn’t worried about getting separated from friends at a crowded event or losing track of a loved one on a family vacation? LynQ ($209 for two), a new location tracker, offers a fix. Using a combination of GPS technology and long-range radio frequencies, LynQs can find other LynQs up to three miles away; an onscreen dot then points each user in the right direction, like a compass. As a bonus, parents or pet owners can also set up “safe zones” to be alerted when a wandering child or animal leaves a given area. Unlike smartphones, LynQ doesn’t require a cell signal or monthly subscription, and it’s easier for kids to use than full GPS handsets. “We always say LynQ solves the three W’s,” says co-founder Drew Lauter, whose startup has raised more than $1.5 million to mass-produce the device. “No more worrying, wandering or waiting around.” —A.G.
TRANSPORTATION + TRAVEL
A HELMET WITH BUILT-IN HEADLIGHTS
LUMOS KICKSTART HELMET
Biking in the dark can be dangerous. Eu-wen Ding, as a business-school student living in Boston, nearly found out the hard way: he’d forget his lights, and cars would almost clip him. So he started thinking of a better way to ride. “All I wanted to do,” says Ding, “was get from A to B without dying.” Eventually, that goal led Ding to create the Lumos Kickstart Helmet ($180), whose LED lights not only increase a cyclist’s visibility but also blink to indicate if she is making a left or right turn. Riders can trigger the signal by clicking a wireless remote mounted to their handlebars or by syncing the helmet with their Apple Watch and making a traditional hand turn signal. The Lumos launched in 2017 after more than $800,000 was raised on Kickstarter; more recently it became the first light-up helmet to be sold in the Apple Store.
—Sean Gregory
FOOD + DRINK
A lid that fits most pots
MADE IN UNIVERSAL LID
For years, inventors have tried to perfect the universal lid—that one-pot covering that could prevent all kinds of frantic cabinet searching. But most options are imperfect, dipping into pans and reducing their capacity or allowing heat loss (longer cooking times) and water runoff (messy dripping on stove tops). A new design from cookware brand Made In could be the answer. Its Universal Lid ($49), made of silicon-coated stainless steel, has three different-size bottom lips, allowing it to fit a variety of pots and pans without the issues that have plagued its predecessors. Although the product “looks very simple,” says Made In co-founder Chip Malt, “a lot of thought and consideration went into getting it right.” Consumers appear to agree: the first batch sold out in less than two days. —A.G.
ACCESSIBILITY
A razor built for assisted shaving
GILLETTE TREO
Most razors are meant to help people shave themselves. So for elderly or disabled individuals who rely on a caregiver, it can be difficult, if not downright painful, when someone else takes over, since the handles and blades aren’t designed for that.
