The first inspiration: If a catbox could be made to shake, would it automatically cover the crap? Common sense says, heavy stuff falls right? So the litter, as it’s thrown side to side, would fly on top, and, presto, Sea of Tranquility. Makes for a funny image (which I’d draw if I had time) of Read More …
“Saw” this idea while walking in Philadelphia. Man was using a cane. But for some reason I got this image of a combo cane and baseball bat. Probably because a hint of spring was in the air, and I was thinking, wouldn’t it be nice to play a little baseball? Then, I thought, could also Read More …
It’s happened to me, it’s happened to my wife, maybe it’s happened to a lot of people. You take the pot off the stove and forget to turn the burner off. Generally, it’s no big deal … there’s nothing to catch fire. But wouldn’t it be safer to have burners that sense, “Hey, yo, there’s Read More …
Inventions have intentions, and so can things. Or at least they can so succinctly personify an idea, they seem alive. Those are the ideas that catch on, that stick the most. They’re pared to such a level of simplicity, of elegance, they seem to embody one thought. Of course, we might disagree on what that Read More …
Finished reading Made to Stick and enjoyed its many valuable insights about “Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die,” as the subtitle says. I hope to write at length about some notions like how objects can have intentions, and how smart the section was on remembering to appeal to people’s more noble sides, the impulses higher Read More …
Car horns bleat, the blare, they say, “Yo, brasspipe, wake up, wise up, get the pell-mell out of my way!” But sometimes you just want to nudge somebody politely, genteelly, slightly: “Uh, excuse me, but that light’s been green for several minutes.” “Sorry, but could you roll down your window, so I could ask you Read More …
Everybody loves the color of autumn leaves. So why not bioengineer lawns that turn colors in the fall? Foliage Fescue. Rainbow Rye. Kentucky Red-White-and-Bluegrass.
Naps happen, right? You’re watching the presidential debates in your recliner and z-z-z’s replace the drone of mes, mys and Is. Your Handy-Dandy Smart Recliner slowly flattens into its most comfy sleep position. How? Recognizes the three signals of sleep: snoring, dead-fish posture and closed eyeballs, and adjusts accordingly. When you snap out of it Read More …
Finicky Koko turns up her nose at all sorts of canned cat food. It’s unpredictable. Tough to track what she likes and doesn’t. Now we humans often liven up our food with sauces and dressings and cheese. So why not toppings for cats? Rancid Carcass Remoulade. Wild Chipmunk Salsa. Minced-Up Mice Marinara. Grated Meowzerrella. A glop on top, Read More …
Anybody who’s played Sudoku probably hates the eventual drudgery (at least with the hardest puzzles) of writing in lots of little numbers. Either the ones that COULD be in that square, or the ones that CAN’T. Suppose instead you had a rubber stamp with tiny numbers. You’d lightly stamp the squares with fast-drying erasable ink, so fast-drying Read More …
I’d like to sell some puzzle books I’m creating, say at the local airport. But I can’t afford a regular cart. So how about a mini-one? Basically, it would be a portable store, wirelessly ready to accept credit cards, print receipts, store change (that’s in my pockets). Design it all up, and you’ve got yourself Read More …
At the risk (no, certainly) of possibly being tasteless, the Minneapolis bridge collapse made me think: Could cars be designed to be bridge-collapse-resistant? It was amazing how many motorists survived. Does that mean cars, unintentionally, are made to withstand falls? If so, what could enhancements do? Have bigger tires, better shocks, ceiling airbags, sunroofs that Read More …
Could have a whole line of merchandise that proclaims excuses. We’ve seen ones like “My grandma went to DisneyWorld and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.” … And bumper stickers like “My other car’s a Rolls.” Somehow I don’t think, “I was born this way. What’s your excuse?” really works. But how about “I put this Read More …
Here’s a copy of my second post for inventorspot.com, “Biking for Better Biceps: Brain Rep 2.” Although hill-climbing can be a workout for your arms, most bike-riding does little for your upper bod. I realized this while lugging a watermelon in a bag back from a parking-lot produce market. Really added to the exercise. Could there Read More …
Here’s a great idea touted on a cool website: Neato.com. The curved barbecue grills better, fits better on a plate, and looks cool too. Makes me wonder: What else would be better curved? Golf clubs that come preshaped for wrapping around a tree? … knives for cutting around the cores and pits of apples, pineapples Read More …