The 10 inventions of the week
Edition of 9 November 2026, covering the week from 2 to 9 November.
Every week the newsroom of The Patent, the invention magazine, goes through patent filings, university labs and startup launches from around the world and picks the ten new inventions worth knowing about. Each pick comes with a short summary and a link to the full article.
An internal circulation of artificial blood grows light detectors on the wings. By the University of Tartu and the Italian Institute of Technology.
Read the article: A 3D-printed robot moth grows its own UV sensorsETH Zurich builds a quadcopter without a rigid body: the elastic ring absorbs the impact and keeps flying. A patent application has been filed.
Read the article: FlexiQuad, the ring drone that survives collisionsA single-molecule motor shaped like a spiral turns when current flows and reverses with the polarity. Built in Germany, Denmark and Israel.
Read the article: A microscopic Archimedes screw spins between gold tipsUT Southwestern combines several light-sheet modes in one instrument that images cells and tissues in three dimensions without light damage.
Read the article: A versatile 3D microscope for living cellsA crewed platform to flight-test reconfigurable controls and modular hardware, presented at Kennedy Space Center. First flight expected within two years.
Read the article: NASA unveils the X-70 Fractal experimental aircraftTwo chemical processes developed in Germany recover neodymium, iron and boron from scrap drives, for electric motors and wind turbines made in Europe.
Read the article: Neodymium magnets recycled from old hard drivesUCSF starts a first-in-human trial: acoustic pulses through the skull to calm auditory hallucinations, without surgery.
Read the article: Focused ultrasound against the voices of schizophreniaToronto and two Hong Kong universities add an articulated foot pad: steady landings on rough ground, a step closer to commercial use.
Read the article: Hopcopter, the drone that hops, gets a new footSouth Dakota State University straps wearable sensors to stalks and ears, with a reading every ten minutes. A patent filing is planned.
Read the article: Graphene bands that measure corn as it growsAT&T and AST SpaceMobile complete a live handoff between a ground network and a satellite link, with ordinary phones.
Read the article: From cell tower to satellite without dropping the callNext week’s ten, straight to your inbox
New inventions from labs, startups and companies, picked by our newsroom and sent free with The Patent newsletter.
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About the top ten
- What is The 10 inventions of the week?
- A weekly selection of ten new inventions, prototypes and patented technologies from universities, research centres, startups and companies, chosen by the newsroom of The Patent. Each one has a summary and a link to the full article on the magazine.
- How are the inventions chosen?
- Our editors pick them among the inventions covered on The Patent during the week, looking at what is genuinely new, what could reach real use and what is protected by a patent or a patent application.
- How can I get it by email?
- Subscribe to The Patent newsletter: The 10 inventions of the week reaches your inbox for free, and you can unsubscribe at any time with one click.