17. The Filter that Fights Ebola

抗埃博拉过滤器

What makes the Ebola virus so frightening is its speed. In a matter of days, it can pump out enough copies of itself to overtake the immune system. But the Hemopurifier, a specially designed cartridge that attaches to a dialysis machine, can tip the balance back in the body’s favor: its lectin filter attracts Ebola viruses and sucks them from the blood as it flows through. It’s been used only once, on a patient in Germany, but it did the trick—effectively curing his Ebola infection.

埃博拉病毒的可怕之处是它的传播速度。它可以在几天之内进行大量自我复制，攻破免疫系统。但Aethlon医疗公司开发的Hemopurifier过滤筒可加装到血液透析机上，能让机体恢复应有的平衡：其植物凝血素过滤剂可吸收埃博拉病毒，并在血液流经时把病毒清除。该产品仅在德国一名患者身上用过一次，但它产生了奇效，真的治愈了他的埃博拉感染。

18. The Selfie Stick (and Hairbrush)

自拍助手

If 2013 was the year in which selfie became a buzzword, then 2014 was the year selfies became a cultural phenomenon. Look no further than a recent Pew report, which found that at least a quarter of Americans have shared a selfie on a social-networking site. Sensing a new market, several companies have launched devices designed to streamline the selfie-taking experience. Many of them, like a hairbrush that holds your smartphone, are more goofy than game changing. But the selfie stick (produced by multiple brands), which enables users to position their smartphone beyond arms’ reach to get better photo angles adds genuine value.

如果说2013是“自拍”成为热词的一年，那么2014便是自拍成为一种文化现象的一年。最近的皮尤调查显示，至少有1/4的美国人在社交网站上分享过自拍。感觉到新商机的几家公司推出了优化自拍体验的专门装置。大部分像发梳一样的自拍装置形式大于实际意义。不过，让用户能把手机放到双手够得着的范围之外取景的(多种品牌的)自拍助手真正达到了增值效果。