The ink is coated onto metal sheets as thin as aluminum foil with a printing-press-like device. The sheets are lighter, inexpensive and as efficient as traditional solar panels. The editors of PopSci believe that eventually every commercial rooftop could be carpeted with PowerSheet solar cells.

"The Best of What's New awards honor those innovations that are truly going to make a difference in the way we live today and in the future," says Mark Jannot, editor in chief of Popular Science.

"The Innovation of the Year distinction goes to the Nanosolar PowerSheet because of the magnitude of its potential impact. Nanosolar could bring inexpensive, environmentally friendly solar power not only to buildings throughout the United States, but to countries where even electricity is a luxury. It really is the game-changer the solar industry has been seeking for decades."

Every year, the editors of Popular Science review thousands of new products and technologies in pursuit of the 100 breakthroughs that merit the magazine's highest honor, a Best of What's New award.

Appearing in the much- anticipated December issue of Popular Science -- the most widely read issue of the year -- Best of What's New celebrates the 100 most ingenious products, ideas and technologies across the 10 main categories that Popular Science and its readers are passionate about, from Personal Health to Home Tech, Aviation and Space to Auto Tech.

In addition to the Innovation of the Year, topping each Best of What's New category is one Grand Award winner, a product or technology that represents a significant leap over existing technologies in its industry.

These winners are based on the significance of the innovation, the quality of the design and the finished product, the originality of thought, and the ambition and scope of the overall project.

The full list, descriptions and images of all Best of What's New winners are in the December issue of Popular Science and online at www.popsci.com/bown2007.

The 2007 Grand Award winners of the Popular Science Best of What's New awards are:

AUTOMOTIVE: 2008 AUDI R8 - Audi made the 2008 R8 with a little help from the family. The R8 incorporates suspension and engine innovations from the Lamborghini Gallardo, its corporate cousin, while costing a more Porsche-like $109,000 and still going 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds, making it a pretty sweet ride.

COMPUTING: MERAKI MINI - The Meraki Mini wireless router lets a city block, or even an entire village, share the same Web connection. One Mini will create a Wi-Fi network around a wired Internet connection. But add a second within 150 feet, and it picks up and amplifies the wireless signal, creating a seamless network that spans nearly double the original area. Add more Minis, and the network can blanket acres.

GADGETS: APPLE iPHONE - Apple rethought the way we interact with mobile devices and created a masterpiece. The iPhone blows any PDA, cellphone or smartphone out of the water. Equipped with a 3.5-inch touchscreen, YouTube interface, movie player and iTunes downloads, it makes the competition look downright primitive.

HOME ENTERTAINMENT: PIONEER ELITE KURO PRO-1150HDv - Pioneer completely redesigned its plasma technology with the Kuro to produce the sharpest, most vivid picture you'll find on any TV. The biggest challenge for any flat-panel technology is producing black, which creates the contrast. The Kuro has significantly deeper black levels (80 percent deeper than before), which ultimately lead to richer colors and sharper details.

PERSONAL HEALTH: AQUEA SCIENTIFIC WASH-ON - Overexposure to the sun is the leading cause of skin cancer, yet many Americans do not use sunscreen. They do shower, however, which is where Wash-On comes in. It delivers SPF-15 protection via soap and facial cleanser every time you wash up. Wash-On doesn't mean you can take the sunblock out of your beach bag, but it does act as a first layer of protection against the sun's harmful rays, helping those who never think to apply sunscreen.

AVIATION AND SPACE: CNES COROT - Man took one giant step closer to finding life on other planets with the launch of COROT (Convection Rotation and Planetary Transits), the first dedicated planet-hunting space telescope, and the first telescope able to spot small, Earth-size planets.

ENGINEERING: CHICAGO SPIRE In 2011, when the Chicago Spire is completed, residents near of its 150 floors will be able to see the curvature of the earth and have the distinction of living in the tallest residential tower in the world. The seven-sided corkscrew design will reduce umbrella-busting wind gusts at street level by directing most of the wind upward along the channels. The Spire is also aiming to earn "gold" certification from the U.S. Green Building Council upon completion.

HOME TECH: CUB CADET l1050 ZERO TURN TRACTOR - The latest Cub Cadet tractor combines the maneuverability of a professional zero-turn mover with the easy drivability of a traditional lawn tractor. This new tractor introduces the average homeowner to the beauty of zero-radius turning, which makes mowing the lawn kind of fun.

RECREATION: ELLSWORTH HANDCRAFTED BICYCLES "THE RIDE" - Based on a 1490s sketch by Leonardo da Vinci, The Ride's rear hub mimics an infinite number of gears, rather than the mere 21 offered by the usual chain-yanking transmission. Riders can always find the perfect gear ratio, whether starting from a stop or speeding down a hill.

GREEN TECH: NANOSOLAR POWERSHEET INNOVATION OF THE YEAR - With funding from Google's founders and the U.S. Department of Energy, Nanosolar's first commercial solar cells rolled off the presses this year. Cost has always been one of solar energy's biggest drawbacks, but the PowerSheet is made of ink, rather than silicon, which results in a sheet that's lighter, less expensive and as efficient as traditional solar panels.

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- All About Solar Energy at SolarDaily.com

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