FOLIOThe Sun Stop Visor #20693
Flip down the visors when driving right into the early morning or late afternoon sun and sight-killing rays still boggle your vision. This can be dangerous. That’s why Michael Doyle invented his simple but smart Sun Stop Visor, which fits over the rearview mirror and bridges the gap between the mirror and the visors. Sun blocked.
Northbank Riverwalk, 341 S. Hogan St.
Hand Awareness Buzzer #20912
Rajesh Verma wants to stop the spread of viruses. He can’t shout, “Keep your frickin’ hands off your face!” but that’s basically what his B.F. Skinner-ish wristband does. Any time your germy hand moves close to your face, the wristband senses it and emits a warning buzz. People touch their faces 15.7 times an hour, according to a 2011 study by the National Institutes of Health. Stop it.
Jacksonville Landing, 2 Independent Dr.
Bibo Survival Trailer #20394
Bill Cirmo designed a survival capsule that’s configured like a travel trailer. It folds out to provide food, water, sanitation, shelter, security, electricity, hot water and anything else you need to survive a disaster. As a master scuba instructor, a U.S. Coast Guard master captain, an FAA-certified flight instructor and a U.S. Navy combat pilot, Cirmo knows what it takes to survive, and doesn’t need a reality show to prove it.
Adams Street Venue, 110 W. Adams St.
O2 Rocket #20370
Sufferers of sleep apnea or athletes wanting to improve oxygen flow to the lungs might consider sitting for a custom caste of their nasal cavity by San Francisco inventor Tim Hallahan. He invented the O2 Rocket to fit exactly inside a particular nose and push its airways open. The device is practically invisible and comfortable to wear, says Hallahan, who uses it himself.
Mad Men Marketing, 111 E. Bay St., Ste. 201
Rent a Wife #20072
Tina Finical Mayer will run errands, organize your workspace, resolve issues that have you stuck and just generally make your life work. You know, like a wife should. (Kidding!) Her company, Life Management Services, wants to free you up to focus on the important stuff.
Northbank Riverwalk, 341 S. Hogan St.
Flip Tops #20702
John Schlier is an evangelist for barefooting it. He considers shoes a safety device, like safety goggles. And he thinks they should only be worn for protection. For the no-shoe, no-service groove-killers out there, Schlier offers a workaround – Flip Tops – a couple of straps that wrap around the big toe, connected to a foam strap underneath, that look like sandals from above.
Northbank Riverwalk, 341 S. Hogan St.
Piezoelectric Wind Energy Harvesting for Powering of Wireless Sensor Networks in Remote Locations #20957
Nicholas Martin is a Jacksonville junior (as in high school) who has invented an ultra-low-power wind energy harvester for wireless sensor networks that work at wind speeds of less than 5 mph – perfect for monitoring weather conditions at remote or hard-to-reach locations, such as the underside of a bridge. Martin is seeking $1,500 from One Spark to pay for transportation to the 2014 International World (Energy, Engineering, and Environment) Project Olympiad in Houston, where he’s been invited to present his project.
Jacksonville Landing, 2 Independent Dr.
Orion Wearable Power Anywhere Belt #20529
Anyone with a cell phone – so, everyone – has experienced that sinking feeling seeing the charge at nil with no way to juice up. Never again. Luke Jensen and his company JuiceLIon (that capital “I” is intentional, and yes, it bothers us, too) have created a unisex black leather dress belt that recharges mobile devices on the go without bulk or clutter.
Jax Chamber, 3 Independent Dr.
Board Button Down Line #20179
Matching surfboard and clothing – you might chalk that up to something you didn’t know you needed. Shaun O’Meara shapes surfboards inlaid with colorful Hawaiian fabric (made in the U.S.A.) that are sold with a matching front-buttoned shirt and (perhaps) board shorts. If you’re macho enough to match, that is.
Northbank Riverwalk, 341 S. Hogan St.
The MulTie #20608
A collection of ties can get old. But by separating the knot from the tie, Michael Millican exponentially expands a tie collection into a dizzying array of choices. With Millican’s MulTie, just 10 ties allows for 100 different color combos – and there’s no end to tie-and-knot style combinations, such as a fuchsia knot with a blue Madras front or a Madras knot with a hot pink tie or a paisley tie with a purpley geometric knot. And so on.
The SunTrust Building, 76 S. Laura St.
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