5 game-changing products launched in December 2022
Here are some of the most innovative products announced or showcased this month. They may or may not be successful but, most importantly, they all propose novel solutions, whether it’s about boosting performance, improving usability, or experimenting with bold or unusual ideas. Therefore, they are giving us a glimpse of the future.
1. H3 Dynamics - Self-contained hydrogen propulsion pods for drones and airplanes
The pitch
A lightweight propulsion nacelle containing a hydrogen tank, fuel cell system, electric motor, and propeller — in short, a fully self-contained powertrain that can be attached under the wings of drones or airplanes.
(presented earlier this year, demonstrated in a first flight in mid-November 2022, announced as a key component of the first Australian hydrogen-electric VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) unmanned aircraft system in December 2022).
Why it matters
Decarbonizing air transport is one of the keys to the eco-transition. Removing fossil fuels from the equation is often thought of as a long-term endeavor (2035 and beyond), but H3 Dynamics proves otherwise with a ready-to-fly solution. The idea of self-contained propellers, avoiding in-plane tanks and batteries, and easy to adapt to existing fixed-wing aircraft, is truly promising.
2. LG - Artsy and eco-friendly air conditioner
The pitch
An air conditioner hidden behind a 27-inch LCD screen to display personalized content. Through a dedicated app, users can select static or animated images from a growing collection of artistic visuals, or their favorite family photos. The unit delivers energy-efficient cooling, “using up to 70% less power than a conventional residential air conditioner,” while operating at noise levels as low as 20 decibels.
Why it matters
This new addition to LG’s ARTCOOL Gallery lineup confirms a trend: A/C units cease to be cumbersome (and rather ugly) devices with purely functional attributes, to become fully connected, decorative, central elements of the digital home. The air-conditioner as “a framed work of art” also boasts a significant efficiency improvement, on par with the necessity to reduce power consumption for such devices (energy consumption for space cooling has more than tripled since 1990, with significant implications).
3. Ledger - Eye-catching and easy-to-use hardware crypto wallet
The pitch
Ledger Stax is a credit-card-size device to store up to 5,000 different digital assets (cryptocurrencies, tokens, NFTs). Equipped with an e-ink touch display, the wallet can be personalized with a picture or NFT as a lock screen and offers a “smooth experience” with “clarity and comfort” through navigating and signing transactions, without compromising on security (offline storage of private keys on a Secure Element chip).
Why it matters
The sexy device, designed by former Apple lead designer Tony Fadell, marks a departure from the traditional USB-key form factor of standard hardware crypto wallets. The product becomes less “geek” and “technical”, to offer better usability while increasing its desirability (closer to an attractive compact high-end smartphone, than to a security dongle). It confirms that hardware wallet providers are now targeting a much larger audience, on the road to mass adoption of crypto-currencies, NFTs, and Web3.
4. Skydio - Base stations for autonomous drones
The pitch
American start-up Skydio’s Dock and Dock Lite are “the smallest, lightest, and smartest cloud-connected base stations for drones available on the market.” These solutions give customers “complete remote and autonomous visibility into tasks like site inspection and monitoring, mapping, and situational awareness – indoors and outdoors – from anywhere in the world.”
Why it matters
With a wide range of applications, from aerial photography to delivery services, drones have become increasingly popular due to their versatility and utility. But they need to scale, which requires increased integration and autonomy. Skydio’s solution is leading the way into more automated and seamless remote drone operations.
5. Treecard - A wooden debit card with planet-friendly rewards
The pitch
A standard debit card (Mastercard) made from sustainably sourced wood and recycled plastic bottles, and associated with eco-friendly programs, such as environment-first rewards for users or collected fees used to plant trees.
Why it matters
At the very least, Treecard is emblematic of an evolution toward a more sustainable future. Yes, even one of the most iconic of plastic objects, the “plastic card,” can be made of wood (and therefore made easily recyclable). The rest, like using financial tools to plant trees and build a fossil-fuel-free future, is logical but still remarkable.