Tech That Matters (@techthatmatters) | Instagram photos and videos

This is a pain-free flu vaccine patch that may replace traditional shots. (via @techthatmatters ) Simply place it on the skin yourself or through a healthcare practitioner and press to trigger its micro-needles to dissolve and pass the vaccine to your bloodstream. Developed at the @georgiatech and @emoryuniversity to make flu shots easy for everyone. The patches have passed initial trials with further trials planned in the future. ...

Belgian company @ecoBirdy recycles plastic toys and turns them into furniture for children. (via @techthatmatters ) They collect old toys through containers in schools across Europe and also educate the children about recycling and sustainability. The deposited toys are sorted and cleaned. They are then crushed and moulded to be transformed into furniture with ecological design. This initiative gives a second life to all these toys while making children aware of the impact of plastic on the planet. What do you think? ...

Meet Cloudfisher, the giant nets that convert fog into fresh drinking water. (via @techthatmatters ) The project by Aqualonis and WaterFoundation provides water to more than 1600 people near Mount Boutmezguida in Aït Baamrane, Morocco, so they don't have to walk for hours to get it. This is the world's largest collector park, with 1,682 square metres of mesh space and 30 Cloudfisher nets. Once fogs form in the area, they move through the nets and tiny droplets of water come together to form droplets heavy enough to move down the nets. The collected water is then stored in tanks to provide clean drinking water to the locals, which is also used to produce food sustainably. The Cloudfisher fog-catchers work best in dry, coastal and mountainous areas, where fog is present at altitude. ...

This coat for the homeless turns into a sleeping bag. (via @techthatmatters ) The @empowermentplan , a nonprofit from Detroit, employs and trains previously homeless women to make these coats, allowing them to find a stable job and to get out of the streets. The coats are made from recycled and donated materials and are completely insulated and waterproof. The organisation has distributed more than 35,000 coats for free to the homeless across the globe. Since 2012, The Empowerment Plan has employed over 80 homeless individuals who have now moved into their own permanent housing and have been able to regain financial stability. The Empowerment Plan offers resources to ensure long-term success for their employees; such as GED classes, financial literacy seminars, leadership and professional development workshops. The goal is to be a stepping stone out of poverty into other employment in the community. You can sponsor a coat for someone in need. Please visit empowermentplan(dot)org ...

This machine crushes beer bottles into sand for construction. (via @techthatmatters ) New Zealand beer company DB Breweries has installed bottle crushing machines that turn their @dbexport Beer bottles into usable sand for construction and even pharmaceuticals. Simply drop in your used beer bottle and the machine turns it into 200 grams of powder. The process involves the removal of silica dust, which results in the sand substitute. Beach sand has been heavily used in construction for decades and with the increase in demand, it's causing 70% to 90% of our beaches eroding away (according to the New York Times.) This project aims to replace the sand with beer bottle sand, which will not only preserve our beaches but also prevent the glass bottles ending up in landfills. What do you think? ...

This rescue backpack with a harness could save your life in a high-rise building emergency. (via @techthatmatters ) The @sky_saver backpack lets you escape out of a window from a high-rise building instead of using the stairs in a fire emergency or terrorist attack. Just buckle up the backpack and clip the hook into a pre-fixed wall anchor, then lower yourself gently to the ground. It also has a front harness for a child or your pet. SkySaver is made out of durable materials and can hold up to 298 pounds. The patented technology can repel down any exterior wall at 3-5 feet a minute. What do you think? ...

This wearable robotic exoskeleton enables wheelchair users to stand upright and walk. (via @techthatmatters ) It's called Rewalk Personal 6.0 by @rewalk_robotics , and it's designed for paraplegics and those with spinal cord injury (SCI). The battery-powered system has motors at the hip and knee joints that assist with the movements. A forward tilt of the upper body is sensed by the system, which initiates the first step. Repeated body shifting generates a sequence of steps that mimics a functional natural gait of the legs. The customizable exoskeleton is configured specifically for the user with a precise fit to optimize safety, function and joint alignment. It designed for all-day use at home and in the community. ...

This bionic competition is for disabled people who use robotic assistive technologies. (via @techthatmatters ) @cybathlon_eth_zurich is a non-profit championship by @ethzurich in which people with physical disabilities compete against each other to complete everyday tasks using their bionics. The first competition happened in 2013 and since then it attracts hundreds of individuals from 25 nations to compete in six different disciplines. It includes powered exoskeleton race, arm prosthesis race, leg prosthesis race, brain-controlled computer games, bike race and a wheelchair race. The championship break downs barriers between the public, people with disabilities, technology developers and serves as a platform for the development of everyday-suitable assistance systems. Cybathlon 2020 will take place between 2–3 May 2020 at the Swiss Arena in Kloten near Zurich. ...

This standing wheelchair allows disabled people to easily shift to a standing position. (via @techthatmatters ) It's called Arise and it's designed in India by Phoenix Medical Systems to allow the user to independently rise to a standing position. Most wheelchair users require considerable help to get to a standing position but Arise uses a gas spring mechanism that's adjustable to user’s weight for a smooth transition. The ability to get to a standing position is greatly beneficial to the health, self-esteem and sense of wellbeing of a wheelchair user. Arise brings back the freedom to achieve it. The chair supports people up to 110 kg (242 lbs) and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It's affordably priced and costs just $200. What do you think? ...

This home recycler transforms your food waste into a fertilizer that can be used to feed plants, lawns and gardens. (via @techthatmatters ) It's called @teroproducts and it a small kitchen composter that quickly converts peels of fruits and vegetables, eggshells, ground coffee and even avocado seeds into a natural fertilizer. Tero recycles more than 95 percent of our food waste, with a drying and grinding cycle that lasts only 3 hours and it also effortlessly reduces the volume of food waste by 90 percent. Unlike traditional composting, its automatic and odourless process does not attract insects. It's a great solution for those who wish to do their part for the environment by reducing their food waste. What do you think? ...

This is a robotic needle insertion that safely draws blood using imaging and AI. (via @techthatmatters ) Veebot automates the venepuncture procedure so it's less painful and more accurate. Infrared image guidance eliminates the guesswork in finding the right vein for needle insertion. The image-guided analysis is performed in real-time and the entire robotic blood drawing takes just a minute. This saves hospitals money and reduces missed sticks! What do you think? Footage Credit: @ieeespectrum ...

This motorized bicycle can go over 50mph (80km/h). (via @techthatmatters ) Meet the @erockit_motorbike human-hybrid motorized bicycle with an intuitive drive system. It looks like a motorcycle, and you can ride it like a bicycle. It achieves breathtaking acceleration and reaches a top speed of over 50mph (80km/h) by combining the drive from the electric motor and the driver's muscle power. It's made in Germany and has over 75 miles (120km) of battery range. The emission-free vehicle has low noise and has completed over 150,000 km of test drives. What do you think? ...