2002 Best Inventions If you ever wonder what your dog is thinking, you can now tap into his inner canine with a nifty dog translator. And if you're tired of toting around your mobile phone, use the ultra-cool tooth phone to answer your phone with a tap of your canine tooth. These gadgets are just a couple of the best ideas of 2002 that wowed tech editors from TIME. Are household chores stressing you out? Hire the Frisbee-like Roomba vacuum to do your dirty work while you bask under chic color therapy lamps. For stylish alone time, pitch a Yurt-like Icopod. Socially relevant innovations geared toward women include a date rape drug spotter and the discreet birth control patch. Moving beyond everyday life, some prototypes reach lofty heights -- a solar tower promises clean energy, while a Martian rover tackle roads never traveled. For the just plain cool, check out the solid and spectacular Aerogel and ultra-bubbles. (in Inventions)
