Describes many inventions that are part of our lives, with pictures, diagrams and discussion of how they work.

Includes and bibliographical references (p. [234]-247) and index.

Live : introduction -- Smoke detector -- High-tech toilet -- Floating bed -- HDTV -- Gas boiler -- Wind turbine -- Recycling -- Bioplastic -- Hydroponics -- Supermarket -- Dry shampoo -- Artificial retina -- Timepieces -- Connect : introduction -- Laptop for all -- Mouse -- Wi-Fi toy -- E-book -- Bluetooth -- Petcam -- Head up -- Convergence -- E-voting -- Supercomputer -- Seti@home -- Play : introduction -- Games console -- Simulators -- Second life -- Under scan -- Weird music -- Roller coaster -- X-sports -- Flybar -- Gekkomat -- Bodyflight -- Hawk-eye -- Robots -- Lego mindstorms -- Cube world -- Move : introduction -- Formula 1 -- Converter -- Robot car -- Road -- Catseyes -- VentureOne -- Segway PT -- ULTra -- Water craft -- FLIP ship -- Jet ski -- SailRocket -- Glider -- Silent flight -- Aerobatics -- Helicopter -- Sneakers -- Escalator -- Explore : introduction -- Vomit comet -- Mars rover -- Space probes -- Solar sail -- SpaceShipOne -- Telescope -- Space stations -- Explorers -- Oil rig -- Binoculars -- Night vision -- Microscope -- Weather balloon -- Atlas -- Neutrino tank -- Fusion reactor -- Construct : introduction -- Concrete -- Building blocks -- Drill -- Millau Viaduct -- Grand designs -- Eden Project -- Falkirk Wheel -- Skywalk -- Big builds -- Mass damper -- Power tower -- Stadium roof -- Micro machines -- Laser -- Protect : introduction -- Money -- Biometric ID -- Airport security -- Spy -- DataDot -- Stealth -- Ejector seat -- Kevlar -- Hard wear -- Rebreather -- Fire extinguisher -- Eyewear -- LifeStraw -- Shelters -- Lighthouse -- Tsunami alert -- Flood barrier -- What's next.