The 100 Greatest Innovations Of 2015

Every December, Popular Science honors the 100 greatest innovations of the year. Brilliant, revolutionary, and bound to shape the future—these are the Best of What's New.

By Popular Science Staff

Posted on Oct 23, 2015 7:09 PM EDT

The silver cylinder of the August Smart Lock with yellow and blue in the background
The August Smart Lock unshackles your home from the tyranny of physical keys. The 3-inch cylinder fastens to the back of an existing deadbolt, leaving the outside appearance of your door unchanged. Once attached, a Bluetooth signal from your smartphone can flip the mechanism to unlock the door. A guest with a smartphone and an August app can enter once you've granted them access. No more passing out hard-copy keys, which are much harder to revoke—and easier to lose. The Smart Lock lets you pick days and times for guest entry, so the dog walker can get in only during lunch hours, or your weekend Airbnb guests lose access once their stay is over. If your guests don't have smartphones, a Wi-Fi add-on allows you to buzz them in remotely. Plus, you can set the Smart Lock to bolt automatically every time the door shuts. And should anything fail, the old key still works. $229, plus $50 for remote connectivity Image: Jonathon Kambouris
HTC Vive
ZTE Spro 2
GoPro Hero4 Black
Meccano Meccanoid G15 KS: A DIY Robot You Can Talk To
Philips Fidelio B5: Surround Sound in a Sound Bar
Red Epic Dragon: A Camera Built for the Future
Nvidia Shield: Blazing-fast Media Console
IMAX Laser logo
Sphero BB-8 A Star
Samsung SUHD Series
Sling TV logo
Star Wars Battlefront: Biggest Videogame Space Battle
Boeing 777X
Rosetta: Comets Finally Get Their Closeup
Sikorsky Aircraft S-97 Raider: Fastest Helicopter
DHI Parcelcopter: Real-World Drone Delivery
Voyage To Pluto
Xavion app from X-Avionics
A small white and silver plane in a corrugated-metal hangar
A stocky little rocket is taking off from a launch pad against a clear blue sky
A small glider-style plane with solar panels on the tops of its wings, flying over a dusty urban desert landscape
A small yellow semi-circlular vechile with electronics on the surface
Two modern smartphones overlapping on a black background
Two translucent white cylinders--one big, one little--on a black background
A small figure on a flying prototype quadcopter, both in white, on a cloudy blue-gray sky
A blue square, angled 30 degrees up on the left side, with a sans-serif "p" cut out of the middle
Drone Shield: Ears, Not Eyes, In The Sky
A translucent credit-card size lab-on-a-chip with a big red circle in the upper left
An adhesive pen with a bunch of tiny dots in the background
An NYPD officer using a smart phone in front of the World Trade Center memorial
Tesla Motors Powerwall: Now You Can Supercharge Your Home
Windstream Technology Solar Mill: An Alternative-Energy Powerhouse
Bosch Power-Ready Wireless-Charging System: Tools Leading A Wireless Revolution
Stack Downlight: A Bulb That Gets To Know You
Dyson Humidifier: The Ultimate Clean Machine
Leatherman Tread: First Wearable Multitool
Briggs & Stratton EXi Series Engine: Never Change Your Oil Again
Channellock Rescue Tool
Whirlpool HybridCare Heat-Pump Dryer
DeWalt Carbon-Fiber Composite Level
DeWalt Carbon-Fiber Composite Level
Micra: The World's Smallest Pacemaker
Human Epigenome Maps
Biostamp: Health Stats That Stick
Fitguard: A “Check Engine” Light For Your Brain
Eargo: The Most Comfortable Hearing Aid
Teixobactin: First New Antibiotic In Nearly 30 Years
Xoft: Targeted Cancer Radiation In One Go
Medtronic Closed-Loop System: A Savior For Diabetics
Exvive3D: 3D-Printed Tissue
Aim: A Monitor With Muscle
Kolibree: A 3D-Motion Toothbrush
Periscope: A Broadcast Network Of Your Own
Windows 10: The Windows We’ve Been Waiting For
Be My Eyes: A Smartphone App That Gives The Gift Of Sight
Google Photos: Adding Google Smarts To Your Photo App
IBM Watson: Team Up With A Supercomputer
Hound: Nimble-Minded Digital Assistant
Pixar RenderMan: Create Your Own *Toy Story* For Family And Friends
Albedo100 Light-Reflective Spray: Paint That Can Save Your Life
Stower Candle Charger: Charge Your Phone With A Flame
Voormi Fall Line Jacket With Core Construction: The Only Jacket You'll Need
Epson M-Tracer Golf Swing Analyzer: Golf Coach In Your Phone
Dainese D-Air racing Misano Suit: Failproof Motorcycle Airbag Suit
Uvex Snowstrike VT Goggles: Fighter-Pilot Goggles for Skiers
Torquing Group Zano Self-Tracking Drone: A Drone That Snaps Your Selfies
MSR Guardian Purifier: Drink Water from a Mud Puddle
Avatech Avanet Cloud Platform/Mobile App: An App That Helps You Avoid Avalanches
Front-end view of a gray BMW sedan on a white background
A beige heavy-duty armored car in a shop with a white man in jeans working on it
A burly rear view mirror with a taxi visible in its view, driving on a New York City street
A Volvo XC90 with rugged rocks in the background
A side view of the Model X vehicle, gull-wing rear doors open
Two cars on a desert highway, both Acuras, one passing the other
A dark gray motorcycle on a white background
A head-on view of a slim silver sportscar with a cityscape in the background
A night scene with a car dashboard in the foreground and a man and a woman sitting on the car hood in the background, city lights in the distance
A red Audi sports car with black racing stripes, driving on a desert road under a clear blue sky
Amazon Echo: HAL For Your Home
Microsoft HoloLens: A Headset That Creates Holograms
HearNotes WireFree: Earbuds for Cord Cutters
Raspberry Pi 2: World’s Cheapest PC
Buddy The Robot: A robot at your beck and call
DJI Inspire 1: The Ultimate Drone for Filmmakers
USB Type-C: The Next USB Port
Seek CompactXR: A Thermal Camera For Your Phone
Pebble Time Steel: Longest-Lasting Smartwatch
iPhone 6S: 3D At Your Fingertips
SUSIBA2: Rice That Fights Global Warming
A Fuel-Free Commuter Ferry
A Camera Powered By Wi-Fi
Durst Organization, Port Authority of NY and NJ: The Most Secure Skyscraper Ever
Yarn Made From Slaughterhouse Waste
The World's Fastest, Strongest, Lightest Temporary Bridge
A robot that can overcome disabilities in two minutes
A solar panel floor that can charge your phone
Surf Snowdonia Wavegarden
A Laser So Pure, It's White
Siemens: Hydrogen Energy's Green Giant