Launched in 2009, Kickstarter is an innovative website that helps creative people find funding for their projects.  Applicants who have an idea for an art project or new product upload a description and a funding goal.  Anyone who visits the Kickstarter site can then contribute to funding.  If the goal amount is reached, the applicant keeps the money.

In just 2 years, Kickstarter users have funded more than $125 million worth of projects.  The site has challenged how projects get funded and contributed to the independence of artists and inventors.

Read more about Kickstarter and its founders in this PC Magazine article.  This YouTube video tells the story of Scott Wilson and his LunaTik watchband for the iPod Nano (for which he received $942,000 in funding after posting a goal of $15,000).

You can also visit Kickstarter, but don’t be surprised if you find yourself contributing to the funding of a great idea.

Microsoft hasn’t designed the proverbial better mousetrap, but it looks like they’re come up with a better mouse.  The Microsoft Arc Touch wireless mouse with nano transceiver features a unique curved design that accommodates the users hand.  It also folds to make it highly portable.  The Arc Touch mouse conserves energy by turning off when it’s folded flat and not in use, allowing it to run for 6 months on 2 AAA batteries.

Microsoft’s Blue Track technology enables this mouse to perform more accurately on difficult tracking surfaces like carpet, granite and wood.

Find out more about the Arc Touch mouse on Amazon.

2011 was a pretty good year for technology.  Many new gadgets were introduced, including the Kindle Fire, and there were also some notable upgrades like the iPad 2. 

Scientific American has created a gadget guide for 2011 that includes some of the coolest technology of the year.  These may not be the best-selling gadgets, but they are definitely the most innovative.

At the top of the list is the Lytro Light-Field Camera, which is equipped with a special sensor that the color and intensity of the entire light field and not just a single plane of light.  Since the camera captures all of the color, direction and intensity of the light associated with an image, you can focus and re-focus any portion of the digital image. 

One of our favorite devices on the list is Wacom’s Inkling, a digital ballpoint pen that captures a digital version of a drawing as you sketch on a regular piece of paper.

See a slideshow of the entire list on the Scientific American website.