5 mind-blowing inventions that are already turning humans into cyborgs - BBC Science Focus Magazine

Fujifilm’s instax mini Evo Cinema ($378.99 on Amazon), a $410 hybrid instant camera capable of recording short video clips and producing physical prints, has been selected as one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026. The camera was recognized in the Consumer Electronics category, joining 300 innovations selected by the publication this year. Interestingly, the award goes to a camera with modest video specifications but a distinctive approach to combining digital recording with the nostalgic experience of instant photography. The camera is currently available on Amazon for $378.99, an 8% discount from its $409.95 list price. Introduced in January 2026, the instax mini Evo Cinema combines three functions in one device: a digital still camera, a short-form video camera, and an instax mini printer. Its design draws inspiration from traditional 8mm movie cameras, featuring a vertical body, physical controls, and a dedicated recording mechanism. The camera’s most distinctive feature is its Gen Dial, which allows users to select visual styles inspired by ten different decades, ranging from the 1930s to the 2020s.

Vancouver-based Glüxkind has been named to TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 for Rosa, its smart stroller designed to make everyday parenting a little easier. The Parenting category selection recognizes a stroller that combines motor-assisted movement with features such as automatic rocking and integrated audio. TIME highlights Rosa’s ability to help parents navigate hills and soothe a child, while noting that the stroller is not intended to operate unattended.

Not long after its spring release, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra became the world’s fastest selling Android phone of the year, even with a price tag of over $1,000. Its biggest selling point is the brand-new Privacy Display feature, which can dim screen visibility from the side and make snooping nearly impossible. Drew Blackard, Samsung’s SVP of Mobile Product Management, touts the software as a more flexible alternative to stick-on privacy screen protectors. “The user can decide when it turns on,” he says, “or limit visibility for specific content such as popup notifications.”Buy now: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra on Samsung

After losing his fingers in a fireworks accident in Nigeria on New Year’s Day 2019, Ubokobong Amanam couldn’t find a prosthetic that matched his dark skin tone. His brother, John, a special-effects artist, crafted him a hyperrealistic hand, and together they founded Immortal Cosmetic Art, making lifelike prosthetics for other Black amputees. “We try to restore comfort and confidence to the amputee,” Ubokobong says. With a background in technology and electronics, John next set out to develop a prosthetic that was not only realistic but also functional. The resulting Ubokobong Bionic Arm—which is myoelectric, or controlled by muscle signals—is now with clients across 56 countries.

Post-pandemic, many companies have eschewed assigned cubicles for “hot-desking.” Stacy Wolff, Senior VP of Design & Sustainability at HP, says the practice can make workers feel like middle school students: “From class to class, you have to bring everything with you. And by God, you better have a No. 2 pencil.” The new HP Eliteboard G1a Next Gen AI PC is designed to lessen that load. Like the Commodore 64 or Apple IIe of yore, the EliteBoard is a full computer built into a keyboard. But the latter features a full sized numeric keypad and weighs less than two pounds, considerably lighter than most laptops. Two USB-C ports allow you to connect monitors and external hubs to access the full desktop experience at any desk.