Category: Feasible inventions

“Sent from my iPhone” is a message footer which carries all sorts of implications.

Today’s invention is a software application which detects such often-overlooked phrases, senses attachments and automatically issues a warning before one can reply -such as:

“X seems to be using a handheld device, are you sure you want to send them that 15MB document?”

This could be uprated to make the sending of messages specifically aware of the machine or device in use by each of the recipients, in order to optimise the content for their screen, connection speed, etc.

For buyers and hirers of expensive vehicles, spotting even small imperfections in a car’s bodywork is important.

Today’s invention is an image processing technique which can help.

A quick set of digital photographs can be taken of the panels of a car and loaded onto a laptop. These need to be taken on a dry day and preferably in a dark garage -to avoid too many high-contrast reflections.

Applying a contrasting colour (via a buckefill tool, set at the right threshold level) to these images can easily highlight glitches in the paintwork.

Instead of the perfect lines intended by the designer/manufacturer, any discontinuities will show up clearly enough for the discussion about pricing implications (or liability) to take place sensibly.

How annoying is it when you need to join together a vast bunch of papers and yet you can’t find the giant office stapler?

Today’s invention is a modified conventional stapler. It has a streamlined staple head and base (blue) which are attached to a vertical, graduated support (grey).

The head and base are stabbed sideways into the sheaf of papers at position a) and a (red) staple inserted. Then the head is moved down a notch and reinserted at position b)…etc.

In this way, many sheets are held together permanently (without having to dig out a giant bullclip).

When I want to send a very similar email to several people, I find it annoying to have to grab the most recently-sent copy and re-edit it each time.

Today’s invention is an email program enhancement (ie hack) which I haven’t been able to find anywhere.

It is simply the ability to flag a draft email so that when the currently-being-edited version is sent, the original draft on which it was based remains, unedited, in the Drafts folder (at least until unflagged).

Binge drinking is a £billion problem in the UK.

Today’s invention is a way to slow the pace of boozing by introducing a social gaming element.

Many bars now have drinks vending machines instead of bartenders. I suggest building a vending machine which will only allow you to pay for your selection if you can move a loop of wire from one end of a ‘steadiness tester‘ circuit to the other without causing it to buzz.

Surrounded by ‘supporters’ and with a couple of beers aboard, this might be surprisingly difficult. It would certainly slow the rate at which alcohol could be consumed in a reasonably fun way.

Having a version in which the machine moved one end of the wire relative to the other before each ‘serving’ would also randomise the wire shape and add to the challenge. Betting on each outcome, as in a normal pub fruit machine, might also be incorporated into the machine.

When taking apart a tumble drier last week I became aware of a nagging doubt that I hadn’t actually unplugged the machine.

Today’s invention is a way to help ensure that one doesn’t start messing with the insides of a domestic appliance without the power being disconnected.

It takes the form of a very long bolt which runs from front to back of the machine (an industry-standard distance). This has a threaded section (orange) and a flat, unthreaded section (yellow) on which the following cautionary message appears: “Are you sure the power is disconnected?”

Complete removal of this bolt would be required before the backplate could be opened, which would give the repairer ample time to consider his/actions.

About 2% of people suffer from face-blindness (prosopagnosia) to some degree.

Today’s invention is a simple re-use of technology in order to help them.

There are several software applications now available which can run on a cellphone and reliably distinguish between a dozen or so faces.

Face-blind people could ask friends and family to take some sample cellphone shots of their faces and record their names.

When the cellphone camera later imaged an individual, the recorded name would be ‘spoken’ to the face-blind user, via a discreet earpiece.

I’ve been scared lately by cars driving at night with defective lamps (and who hasn’t found themselves with a malfunctioning vehicle lamp on occasion?)

Today’s invention is a way to ensure a safe journey home, even if one’s vehicle lights have completely failed.

This takes the form of a strip of lamps secured to each of the underside of bonnet and boot lids.

Both front and rear units contain a small camera which can easily detect which lamp or lamps are off and substitute for them, using a bank of lights (including simulated indicators) which have their own, autonomous power supply and which spring up when needed.

Substituting for the damaged lights only, minimises the visual confusion of other road users and enables a cautious trip home.

Handguns are frequently equipped these days with a glorified laser pointer: so that even those users of firearms who can’t aim, can’t miss.

Today’s invention is a peaceful adaptation of this technology.

A point-and-shoot or cellphone camera is equipped with a small laser pointer. This has a beam splitter which sends a spot of light to show where each of the four corners of the image will be.

A user can thus compose their shot without having to inspect a display. When the shutter release is pressed, the dots are extinguished.

Pictures can therefore be taken without drawing attention to the photographer and the battery drain associated with running a large display screen is also massively reduced.

The Kindle e-reader device is equipped with an impressive, high resolution e-ink display -which when ‘on’ uses almost no energy.

Today’s invention is a service based on reusing this technology.

Artists could upload digital versions of eg their pencil drawings. These would then be available to Kindle owners as screensavers, for a small fee.

The Kindle is thin and light enough to be slotted into a purpose-designed frame (also available from the big A). Drawings could thus be displayed as domestic adornments when the reader was not otherwise in use.