Inventions

26 Apr 2009

Davej's thread "useful/useless", made me go on a tangent slightly and made me think. Has something been invented where you have thought about inventing it? I'll explain by giving a couple of examples:
Road maps:
Before sat navs were invented, or at least became popular, I often thought 'is there not a way to get directions to a place without having to read a map and drive at the same time?'. I thought and thought but couldn't come up with a way. Then kapoof! Sat navs were invented.
Nintendo Wii
Whenever the news came on or a documentary, or similar, came on the TV about kids becoming overweight and computer games was one of the many causes of it. It got me thinking about inventing a computer game where it's more "active". Low and behold - Wii's were invented.
Has this ever happened to anyone else or are you having thoughts now about ways and means round things?
Miss Cream xxx

26 Apr 2009

Being totally computer illiterate, I'm bemused as to why computer peripheral hardware doesn't come with drivers already installed - what's that all about?
Also - I think someone should invent a very rudimentary form of sign-languge for people in care homes who have difficulty communicating - I've seen carers with their mouths right next to a deaf person's ear, screaming "DO YOU WANT A CUP OF TEA" and another lady very distressed because she needed the toilet and didn't have a voice to say so.

26 Apr 2009

And signs in cars that say 'Oops', 'Sorry!' or 'Don't overtake me - speed trap ahead' or even 'Don't overtake me - funeral cortege ahead'. Maybe a scrolling sign you can type messages into like they used to have in post offices (although obviously not whilst driving rolleyes

)

27 Apr 2009

And - a machine, maybe in the gym, where non-swimmers can learn the swimming moves without risk of drowning, before they actually get into the water.
You would lie down on your front, and things would be attached at various points on your body, and you would follow a screen infront that would show if you were doing enough to stay afloat.
When you're totally confident, you can enter the water and Bob's your uncle!

27 Apr 2009

Quote by fluff_n_stuff
And signs in cars that say 'Oops', 'Sorry!' or 'Don't overtake me - speed trap ahead' or even 'Don't overtake me - funeral cortege ahead'. Maybe a scrolling sign you can type messages into like they used to have in post offices (although obviously not whilst driving )

They exist- I almost bought one at a service station in Germany about 10 years ago. :twisted:
Just after my eldest was born, fed up with having to wake her up to get her from car to pram & back, I came up with a cunning idea to make a car seat which clipped into a buggy frame. About 7/8 years later, I saw my first one- and now they're everywhere.
That's the one I'll always kick myself for not patenting & developing. :doh:

28 Apr 2009

Quote by Witchy
And signs in cars that say 'Oops', 'Sorry!' or 'Don't overtake me - speed trap ahead' or even 'Don't overtake me - funeral cortege ahead'. Maybe a scrolling sign you can type messages into like they used to have in post offices (although obviously not whilst driving )

They exist- I almost bought one at a service station in Germany about 10 years ago. :twisted:
Just after my eldest was born, fed up with having to wake her up to get her from car to pram & back, I came up with a cunning idea to make a car seat which clipped into a buggy frame. About 7/8 years later, I saw my first one- and now they're everywhere.
That's the one I'll always kick myself for not patenting & developing. :doh:My son came up with a brill idea for another product never been seen on the market before :shock:
When he checked at the patent office it was patented in 1934 but never developed untill now ?
and its everywhere :shock:
who marketed it .......the yanks of course
steve

29 Apr 2009

When I got married years ago I thought about going into business as a "wedding undertaker". Much like a funeral one, just a different colour scheme. I never did anything about it and I believe its quite commonplace now.

29 Apr 2009

Quote by Cherrytree
And - a machine, maybe in the gym, where non-swimmers can learn the swimming moves without risk of drowning, before they actually get into the water.
You would lie down on your front, and things would be attached at various points on your body, and you would follow a screen infront that would show if you were doing enough to stay afloat.
When you're totally confident, you can enter the water and Bob's your uncle!

My kids kinda did this in shops when they were young and couldn't have what they wanted, looked and sounded like they were drowning what with the thrashing around. I'll admit I didn't think of the potential of taking it to the next level at the time, I just wandered off and hoped they would get up and follow.

29 Apr 2009

Quote by creampie123
Has something been invented where you have thought about inventing it?

Yes!

For a few years I thought about inventing a little pair of flat shoes that you pop in your handbag, so when you come out of a pub/club in total agony, tottering on stillettos, you can change into flat handbag shoes and get home more comfortable!!
Oh me and my imagination :rose: have been on Dragons Den and everything :happy: (even shagged Theo thingumy :cool: ) I done great on there, gave a fab presentation, my speech didn't go like I've got a mouthful of dry cream crackers, like it usually does when I have to talk to strangers (Interview mouth confused

bluddy orrible it is!). I dazzled them and we all became best friends afterwards and lived happily ever after biggrin

Someone must've heard me talking, cos along came "Tipsy Feet" mad

I coulda been a millionaire!!! lol

29 Apr 2009

I'd like to think that Nokia and the like got their ideas when they saw me and my brother with two plastic cups on the end of a very long piece of string, but it's doubtfull, so no, I've nearly invented, fuck all.
sad

29 Apr 2009

Quote by davej
I'd like to think that Nokia and the like got their ideas when they saw me and my brother with two plastic cups on the end of a very long piece of string, but it's doubtfull, so no, I've nearly invented, fuck all.

Hmmmm Good point Dave :undecided:
I should be getting royalties for walking round on a couple of baked bean tins with string. Pay a fortune in toy shops these days. Nowts changed from my design, just that they don't have Heinz written down the sides confused

and flies don't follow you :undecided:

29 Apr 2009

Quote by Missy
I'd like to think that Nokia and the like got their ideas when they saw me and my brother with two plastic cups on the end of a very long piece of string, but it's doubtfull, so no, I've nearly invented, fuck all.

Hmmmm Good point Dave :undecided:
I should be getting royalties for walking round on a couple of baked bean tins with string. Pay a fortune in toy shops these days. Nowts changed from my design, just that they don't have Heinz written down the sides

Nope still much the same last ones I saw, plastic cup / bucket things instead of the bean tin and a risk assessment form for 'playing at height'