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Innovation

Top 10 most popular SmartPlanet videos of 2009

Green building, earthquakes, NASA algae, lighting design, ultrasound, instant translation, boarding passes 2.0, user interface, automated driving, diabetic nanotechnology. Here are the Top 10 most popular SmartPlanet videos of 2009.
Written by Andrew Nusca, Contributor

Have you seen any SmartPlanet videos recently?

You sure have -- in fact, tens of thousands of you have watched one of our videos covering the world's most interesting people: from smart meters to virus hunters, nuclear energy to Internet technology.

In just seven months, we've produced more than 100 clips on the innovative tech, science, business and people that are changing the way we live.

Here are SmartPlanet's Top 10 most popular videos of 2009, as judged by you:

10.) Architect renovates homes to be more 'green'

Inspired by his childhood idol Frank Lloyd Wright, one architect's goal is to renovate existing homes and structures to be more sustainable through architectural design, advancements in renewable energy, and the use of recycled metals.

Watch the video.

9.) Detecting earthquakes before they happen

Can we detect earthquakes before they strike? Richard Allen has created Elarms, a suite of algorithms designed to detect an earthquake 5 to 10 seconds before it occurs.

Watch the video.

8.) Turning algae into oil the NASA way

NASA scientist Jonathan Trent is developing a smarter way to turn algae into oil.

Watch the video.

7.) A bright idea for wasteful office lighting

Commercial office buildings consume large amounts of electricity and release excessive carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Adura Technologies has developed a mesh-based lighting system that is reducing costs and consumption inside buildings.

Watch the video.

6.) GE: 'Stethoscope for the 21st century'

At the Web 2.0 Summit in San Francisco, GE Chief Executive Jeff Immelt introduces a handheld ultrasound gadget called Vscan that will make it easier for clinicians to monitor the human body.

Watch the video.

5.) Is instant translation in any language now possible?

Has the Star Trek Universal Translator arrived? Kristin Precoda, a speech translation researcher at SRI International demos a new translation system.

Watch the video.

4.) The future of... Boarding passes

Fed up with long check-in lines before you fly? Tired of trying to remember where you tucked away your boarding pass? Paperless mobile boarding could change that.

Watch the video.

3.) Next gen UI: Learning tools and toys for the digital age

What if you no longer needed a screen, mouse, and keyboard to use a computer?

Watch the video.

2.) Clearing the path for hands-free, automated driving

At UC Berkeley, PATH research engineer Wei-Bin Zhang is developing technologies that allow cars, buses and trucks to connect with the roadway using sensors placed on vehicles and magnets drilled into the cement.

Watch the video.

1.) Nanotechnology to end insulin injections for diabetics

Insulin injections may soon be a thing of the past for diabetics thanks to nanotechnology.

Watch the video.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com

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