Whether it's something as basic as Orange Tang or a far more sophisticated gadget like the GPS navigation network, a surprising amount of the cool stuff we use every day has its origins in taxpayer-funded research done by the likes of NASA and the military. Big governments are often willing to shell out the big bucks to give their fighting forces and space programs a technological edge, and while few of us will ever encounter the resulting products in their original form, almost all of us use some of the übercool gear that's a direct spin off from this research.

All that's well and good, but it begs the question, "What's to come?" The government and the military are constantly developing new technologies, but which ones in the works right now have the potential to change the lives of us civilians? We looked at the gadgets the boys in E Ring (and others) have been hatching up and picked out nine favorites that we want to see go domestic.

 

Where they're spending our tax dollars: Monitoring a soldier's vital signs during strenuous training and even under battle conditions can be critical, and the SmartShirt developed by Sensatex makes this task much simpler. With tiny sensor wires embedded directly into its fibers, this regular-looking garment can be used to monitor all kinds of body functions from heart rate and blood pressure to breathing and body temperature.
Why we want it too: Apart from its obvious uses monitoring athletes during training, Sensatex says that the technology could also be used for anything from keeping tabs on sleeping babies for preventing SIDS, to warning long-haul truck drivers about dangerous fatigue levels. It could even be used to warn coal miners and other workers in hazardous enviroments about dangerous levels of toxins.

 

Where they're spending our tax dollars: The creation of superhumans with mechanical body parts has long been a staple of science-fiction stories, and in a real case of truth following fiction, the military is trying to make the concept a reality with a powered exoskeleton suit that can help soldiers to run faster and march farther while carrying a lot of heavy gear.
Why we want it too: Whether it's keeping up with the kids on a 50-mile bike trip, or helping a friend in a fifth-floor apartment move, having superhuman strength and endurance would be incredibly convenient at times. Sure, it's likely that this type of aid would be banned from competitive sports, but that won't stop the rest of us from going bionic when we need to.

 

Where they're spending our tax dollars: Protecting soldiers on the battlefield has always been a tricky balancing act between providing sufficient armor to prevent casualties and allowing the soldier to move quickly and easily. To help bring these seemingly conflicting goals together, the US Army has developed a liquid body armor called STF that flows easily under normal conditions, yet becomes rigid when impacted. STF is particularly effective against stabbing weapons like knives when it's used in combination with more traditional Kevlar.
Why we want it too: It's not just members of the military who might find themselves confronted by would-be attackers. Police in riot situations and prison guards are also at risk, and a garment using STF could provide far more complete body coverage than a simple armored vest around the torso area.

 

Where they're spending our tax dollars: Unmanned aircraft like Predator drones can help the military to see what's up ahead, but they still cost millions of dollars each, and are easy for the enemy to spot and shoot down. The Wasp Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) can't carry weapons like its big brother, but it's no bigger than a magazine, carries two video cameras, and can even be guided by GPS.
Why we want it too: Certainly, the voyeuristic capabilities of a tiny eye in the sky would be great, especially if you live next door to Penelope Cruz. On a more practical level, though, farmers could use technology like this to check out their herds, and police could use it instead of costly helicopters to inspect large crowds or to follow fugitives on the run.

 

Where they're spending our tax dollars: Flying a helicopter is a tricky balancing act at the best of times, so the unmanned GT Max has been programmed to react to changing conditions by itself without the need for continual external control. It uses are similar to the Wasp micro plane described above.
Why we want it too: Even though it's much larger and more complex than the Wasp MAV, running a GT Max should still cost only a fraction of the price of a regular manned helicopter. With good enough cameras and optics, it might even be able to replace some of the costly news and traffic hueys used in many major cities.

 

Where they're spending our tax dollars: Battlefield survival rates are now way higher than just a few years ago, yet many soldiers still die from internal bleeding before they can get to help. To help prevent this, DARPA is sponsoring research into a device that can stem the bleeding using concentrated ultrasonic waves. The plan is for something that looks like a blood-pressure cuff that any trained soldier can use in the field.
Why we want it too: In civilian life most of us can be wheeled into an emergency room pretty quickly, but there are still situations — while on an airplane flight for instance — where we'd be goners if we had to wait to get to a hospital. Developers see this challenge as becoming similar to the defibrillator: an expensive exotic device at first, but eventually becoming commonplace.

 

Where they're spending our tax dollars: Looking distinctly like something Q would cook up for the next James Bond adventure, the Gryphon has been developed by a German company to allow a skydiver to cruise up to 40 miles from the drop point before pulling their chute and landing. This allows paratroopers to move into enemy territory in a way that's particularly hard to detect. There are even plans to add tiny turbo jets to extend the range.
Why we want it too: I can't say I've ever been skydiving, but it seems like this would open a whole realm of new possibilities for extreme sports. How about skydiving for both distance and accuracy?

 

Where they're spending our tax dollars: Being able to shoot around a corner without the need to jump out into the line of fire Rambo-style seems like a no-brainer, so the Israelis have developed the Cornershot. While the barrel pivots to the left or right as needed, the operator can still see what they're aiming at on a small video screen.
Why we want it too: Certainly, this would be a terrific tool for cops dealing with potential ambushes, although the thought of something like this in the hands of criminals is pretty frightening. Let's just hope it can't pivot all the way around to 180º.

 

Where they're spending our, uh, somebody's tax dollars: If there's one thing the Swiss Army is known for worldwide, it must be its gadget-laden knives that MacGyver often finds indispensable. Now as a follow up, we have the Swiss Military pen, that hides no less than twelve tiny tools from a fork to a nail file. I guess those Swiss soldiers must be pretty well groomed.
Why we want it too: While I suspect that its connections to the Swiss military are pretty tenuous at best, there's no denying that this a pretty cool gadget for anyone. Besides, its stealthy design doesn't look nearly as dorky as having one of those extra-wide red knives dangling from your belt loop. Just don't try getting one through airport security.

— Michael Trei