From digital health care to crime-fighting arm wear, 2011 is shaping up to be a big year for breakthrough inventions. Here we look at some of the more interesting devices grabbing headlines.

As in 2010, inventors have been keeping busy this year, creating a wealth of new devices to entice consumers, advance the boundaries of science or help those in need. Here we look at some of the more interesting inventions that have grabbed headlines in 2011.

Magic Wand Printer
Imagine a device you could wave over any surface and print your business information to hand over to a prospective client. That’s the idea behind Swedish engineer Alex Breton’s PrintBrush. Resembling a cell phone, the device is a kind of “printing wand” that can scan images and then print them out via an inkjet nozzle. Small laser sensors detect how fast the device is being moved and its position relative to the rest of the printed image, allowing smooth, accurate printing. The PrintBrush will be available for consumer purchase by next year. (Sources: Popular Science and DesignBoom)

Natural-Feeling Floor Simulator
By simply looking at photos of the famous indoor ski slope in Dubai, it’s hard to tell exactly how difficult it is to maintain that amount of snow in a desert. Disney engineer Daniel M. Joseph has developed a new system to simulate snow for entertainment purposes, using foot traffic to generate the sounds and texture of snow crunching underfoot. Energy produced by a user walking along Joseph’s floor is transmitted through multiple layers of material to simulate that familiar snowy crunch. The floor simulation system has yet to be implemented in a Disney ride, but it can also theoretically simulate other ground textures, such as sand or grass. (Source: Stitch Kingdom)

Medical Mirror
In an effort to create a heart monitor system without the extra prodding of electrodes, MIT Ph.D. candidate Ming-Zher Po, along with the help of MIT grad Daniel McDuff, formulated technology to create a health device called Medical Mirror, which essentially works by tracking and calculating a person’s heart rate through his or her light pattern reflections. A computer monitor with a built-in camera, all situated behind a two-way mirror, is able to detect and record vital signs from a person’s face. “You can imagine everyday when you look into the mirror, not only do you see your physical appearance; you also get a snapshot of your health or physiological information,” Po explains in a demonstration below. (Source: Popular Science)

Crime-Fighting Armored Glove
Camera man David Brown has spent the last seven years developing a tool that will make police officers resemble Mega Man: the BodyGuard armored glove. The BodyGuard is made of lightweight, breathable material that covers the entirety of the forearm and the hand. Coated in ballistic nylon, it features a stun gun, a laser-guided HD video camera and a flashlight. Brown created the prototype after realizing that in certain dangerous situations, a police officer or prison guard could drop a weapon even if armed. And fresh from his cameo saving the Gulf of Mexico during the oil spill, Kevin Costner has revealed himself as one of the BodyGuard’s primary financial backers. (Sources: Popular Science and Wired)

Therapeutic Robots for Autism
Another health-related invention making headlines this year: robots designed to help children with autism. Scientists at the University of Hertfordshire have created a child-size humanoid robot named Kaspar, which serves to help autistic children adapt to emotions and physical contact. The child bot features silicon “skin” and human-like hair, and demonstrates a range of facial and vocal expressions that children can associate with emotions, such as smiling when happy and exclaiming “Ouch” when handled roughly. The robots are currently being used for children in London and cost an estimated $2,118. (Sources: The Washington Post and the Associated Press)

The Smart Doorbell
When his mother missed a few parcels from the mail carrier, 13-year-old Laurence Rook of the U.K. became an instant inventor with a solution: a doorbell that calls a resident’s mobile phone when it is pushed. Thanks to the help of an inventor friend, Rook’s Smart Bell features a built-in SIM card with cell phone technology and simulates intercom-like white noise, according to PCMag.com. In solving his mother’s delivery conundrum, Rook also became an unintentional crime fighting inventor, as the doorbell can also be used to scare off burglars under the impression that someone is home. (Sources: NewInventionIdea.org, PC Mag and the Daily Mail)

Martin Jetpack
While jetpack prototypes have been around for at least a few years now, the Martin Jetpack lands on a few “top inventions” lists in 2011 because of its New Zealand flight in May, which demonstrated a record breaking ability to soar to heights reaching an altitude of 5,000 ft. The previous record was 50 ft. The flying machine, which is currently undergoing a safety testing period, is being hailed as a practical device that can one day be used in various industries. “Martin Aircraft has received substantial interest from governments, military and emergency services around the world, along with many in the general aviation sector who are interested in being one of the first to own a jetpack,” the company claims. (Sources: SherWeb, NewInventionIdea.org and Martin JetPack)

Earlier: The 7 Coolest (and Strangest) Inventions of 2010