Inventor Spot - Inventions, Innovations, and Interesting Ideas for the Inventor in All of Us

Transportable Solar Power to Solve Electric Vehicle Range Problems

George Delozier — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:02:14 -0800

Solar energy has slowly but steadily become the go to resource for electric vehicles that need some extra range. The only real problem with this is the slow speed and low amount of power an easily transportable panel suffers from. A new kind of portable charging station may solve both of these problems in no time flat.

Quincy Hotel: Urban All Inclusive Hotel Gets Singapore Talking

Beth Hodgson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:48:35 -0800

When we think of "all inclusive" hotels, we automatically assume that it's a resort in the Dominican Republic or Mexico, sitting on or near a beach, where the food is often sub-par and the domestic beer and tropical drinks flow freely. Although most all inclusive hotels in the world are this popular style, one Singapore hotel is trying to transform the meaning of "all inclusive".

Measuring Time With A Sleek & Modern Watch: The Ora Designer Timepiece

Fashion Finds — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 19:09:16 -0800

Watches act as a major statement piece for men and women; but men in particular seem to have a love for watches that are aesthetically appealing and incorporate neat features and gadgets. The Ora Watch puts a spin on timepieces, and that's a statement you can almost take literally.

Ridgeblade® Wind Power Generator Wins Dutch Postcode Lottery Green Award

Myra Per-Lee — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:59:30 -0800

Ridgeblade® is the kind of invention that looks so obvious, so natural, and so simple, anyone could have invented it. In all that's been dedicated to the exploration of wind energy, no one saw this elegant, natural, and efficient solution to "micro-wind" or home energy creation.

Nintendo Isn't Kidding With The 'Baby And Me For Wii' Doll Controller

Steve Levenstein — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:01:00 -0800

"Baby and Me for Wii", set for release this December in Australia, is the latest and perhaps the strangest application yet for Nintendo's popular Wii game console. "Bring your baby to life with your Wii remote"... and with that, let the creepiness begin!

Junaio Adds 3D & AR To Location-Based Social Network

Ron Callari — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:29:21 -0800

When Rod Serling first uttered, "there is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity...this is the dimension of imagination," he might have been giving us a prescient glimpse into the future of Junaio.

Down The Pike: Immune Response Triggers For HIV And Prostate Cancer

Boomer Babe — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 15:59:38 -0800

Attempts to trick human immune systems into fighting HIV and prostate cancer cells have had little success, mainly because the these cells keep managing to elude recognition as "bad" cells. But a new study, conducted by researchers at Yale University, may change that direction in the not-too-distant future.

It's A Mattress Made In Heaven When Simmons Gets In Bed With Panasonic

Steve Levenstein — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 11:01:06 -0800

Mattress maker Simmons and electronics giant Panasonic are set to split the sheets, begetting what might just be the world's most expensive bed. Eleven thousand dollars gets you more than just a mattress, however... MUCH more.

Zippered Booty Shorts: Time To Stop The Zippered Fashion Trend?

Fashion Finds — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:28:45 -0800

Zippers were a hot trend this summer, and going into fall it's one that doesn't show signs of stopping. However, there's one zippered style (and most of us should be in agreement about this one) that really and truly should.

Walkstation: Transforming American Workplaces From Sedentary To Active!

Beth Hodgson — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:19:32 -0800

With exercise and employee well-being becoming a greater focus in many workplaces, a new company has released something that allows those who typically work at a computer to multi-task in a way that's for their own greater good, and that of the company that they work for. This concept isn't a business idea per say - but it's definitely worth mentioning because it might just set a new trend for workspaces of the future.

Sanyo Eneloopy Battery Checker Nose When To Recharge

Steve Levenstein — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:01:00 -0800

Meet 'Eneloopy', Sanyo's cute canine battery checker! Eneloopy's LED nose lights up in a range of colors corresponding to how much power is left in your batteries. Bow, er, wow!

Sony Playstation PS3 Coffee Table Is A Winning Design

Steve Levenstein — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:01:00 -0800

French designer Stephane Perruchon was very impressed by his new Sony Playstation PS3 and, especially, its ergonomic controllers. Following what must have been a a caffeine-fueled all-nighter, he decided to create this eye-catching PS3 coffee table.

The Droid "Cash For Clunkers" Deal For iPhones

Ron Callari — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 07:05:14 -0800

With the heightened buying frenzy surrounding the launch of Google's new smartphone, the Droid, it was no surprise that someone would piggyback off of the hype! While Google conducts its first-time TV advertising, Flipswap, a trade-in service aggressively jumped into the foray with a unique offer to swap cash for your old 'clunky' iPhones. ( Where was the Administration on this one?)

Bufferin Plus S Cures Headaches Fast - For A Price

Steve Levenstein — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:01:00 -0800

When you've got the mother of all headaches, you want relief and you want it NOW. Bufferin Plus S has been specially formulated to dissolve twice as fast as ordinary pills, thus delivering its four active ingredients to the bloodstream quicker than you can say "not tonight, honey".

Air Filter and Houseplant Have Baby: Andrea Air Filter Is It A Great Holiday Gift Idea?

Gloria Campos — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:35:52 -0800

Looking for an eco-friendly holiday gift? How about a gadget and a plant in one? How about the Andrea air filter?

New Battery Technology Promises Recharge Time Similar to Filling Your Tank

George Delozier — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:55:38 -0800

While many people who have looked into battery electric vehicles are turned away due to range limitations, others are more worried about the long recharge time. In some cases, these vehicles can take up to a full 8 hours to recharge, which is too long for some people to live with. However, a newly developed kind of battery may provide the answer to this problem.

Club Bounce: Long Beach Night Club For The Big And The Beautiful

Beth Hodgson — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:40:14 -0800

Club Bounce is a controversial Long Beach California night club that caters to a niche audience. Some feel it's discriminatory, others feel it actually eliminates discrimination; but everyone who visits has one thing in common, and it's not just their love of bumping and grinding with a vodka tonic in hand.

Toasty Edible Fashion: Wearable Slippers Made From Bread

Fashion Finds — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:18:43 -0800

It seems like these days just about anything you can eat has made its way into the world of fashion, and the latest innovation will keep your feet toasty in more ways than one.

Laundry-Folding Robot Learns On The Job

Steve Levenstein — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:01:00 -0800

Meet 'Foldy', a laundry-folding robot designed by a team at Japan's Keio University. The small, inexpensive robot doesn't just learn how to fold laundry, it remembers its lessons in time for the next load.

Thrustmaster T-Freestyle NW Brings Wii Skateboarding Action for Less

Chris Weiss — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:00:00 -0800

Save a little money this Christmas and get all the skating/snowboarding action from the Thrustmaster T-Freestyle NW.

"Social Awareness" To Replace Social Networking

Ron Callari — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:12:38 -0800

The Internet of Things is fast approaching and with it comes Web 3.0, where "social awareness" will replace "social networking." Soon tweets and status updates will become fully automated and generated by the world around us versus us ever having to touch a keyboard again.

EOps i24R3: The Odd, Little One-Speaker Surround Sound System

Chris Weiss — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Reaching a point where convenience diminishes utility, the EOps i24R3 speaker is an interesting speaker design from Hong Kong that packs an entire surround sound sytem into one, portable package.

Prescription Ice Cream To ReCharge Your Appetite After Chemotherapy

Boomer Babe — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:44:21 -0800

A tasty, easy-to-digest food product that young and old adore, that would help limit the ravaging effects of chemotherapy on the stomach and intestines, is crying to be developed. But just what might that food be?

Nintendo DSi LL Supersizes Your Screen, Picks Your Pocket

Steve Levenstein — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:01:00 -0800

Nintendo just can't enough of a good thing and either can buyers of its popular DS-series portable gaming consoles. The answer, in the form of the big-screen DSi LL, arrives in Japan this November 21 but Americans will have to wait until 2010.

Retweeting In The Wild - Project Retweet Launches

Ron Callari — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:08:42 -0800

November 5: Twitter rolls out Project Retweet to a limited audience. According to their recent blog post, the Twitter echelon wants to see how it will "work in the wild," before offering it up to the Twitterverse.

Eco-Friendly 'Breathing Chair' Puts Your Butt On The Block

Steve Levenstein — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:00:00 -0800

When is a chair not a chair? When you're not sitting in it, it seems. That's the case with the Breathing Chair, an solid effort from Taiwan's Yu-Ying Wu who seems to have been inspired by a block of springy tofu.

Novelty Fashion For Geeky Mothers To Be: The “Loading...Please Wait” Maternity Shirt

Fashion Finds — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:20:21 -0800

Maternity clothing is slowly improving the more time goes on. No longer do mothers have to suffer through fashion mishaps while wearing shirts and dresses that pay them a resemblance to tents. Maternity clothing is becoming more fashion forward, but that's just not for everyone; what about those geeks out there who want to wear their personalities loud and proud throughout their pregnancies without having to disguise themselves as fashionable women?

The Recruitment Genome Project: So Long Resumes, Hello DNA!

Beth Hodgson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:09:46 -0800

What would you think if you were hired for a job, not because of your skills, your sunny personality, or even (let's just say it) your appearance; because, instead, the company was focusing upon your genes to determine if you're a good match or not? That's exactly what innovative company Arbita is proposing by taking a closer look at how the Human Genome Project could play a role in job recruitment.

Pentax K-x DSLR Camera Shows Off Robotic Colors

Steve Levenstein — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:01:00 -0800

Your photos are in color, so why not your camera? That's the question Pentax is about to answer with their new K-x DSLR cameras, available in a rainbow of shades including a limited edition version sporting Robotic Colors.

Multi-Function Biking: The PUYL Bike Light/Pump

Chris Weiss — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0800

An efficient, multi-functional cycling concept, PUYL provides both light and air, two necessary components for any night cyclist.

Is Leapfish, Search's Missing Link?

Ron Callari — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:23:04 -0800

Many have tried, but it's been over a decade and none have succeeded in out-Googlin' Google. Yet here we go again, with yet another search engine entering stage right trying to capture our "attention-deficit" attention. Repackaging online search as something new infers the Web has evolved. And while real-time and social search have certainly changed the alchemy of search, what does Leapfish know that has eluded Google et al?

World's Most Powerful (and Unnecessary) IPod Speaker

Chris Weiss — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Want to drop several thousand dollars to play your collection of pirated MP3 tracks in high-quality, crystal-clear audio. Read on and find out why you don't.

Pig Lid Pot Cover Gives Home Cooked Meals Great Taste, Good Humor

Steve Levenstein — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:01:35 -0800

The Pig Lid pot cover is a steamer's dream, as everybody "nose". Horrible puns aside, this ingenious Otoshibuta is at once a play on words and a handy way to steam food in an oven-top pan.

How "Mickey Mouse" Is Re-Branding?

Ron Callari — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 07:03:26 -0800

While branding oneself takes time and effort to spin out a new product, re-branding can take several washes to redefine that same brand. Take for example the work United Airlines had to accomplish after breaking someone's guitar. Let alone the number of Twitter apologies issued forth by Chris Brown and Kanye West. But when others do it in reverse and run their good-guy image through a darkside wash cycle, the task might be a little easier. Such is the case with the re-engineering of one Mickey Mouse.

Pouch Necklaces: Fashion And Storage In One Accessory!

Fashion Finds — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:28:09 -0800

The best accessories are multi-purpose; think purses, which look fantastic, and allow you to carry everything but the kitchen sink (or, on the other end of the equation, allow you to barely fit your favorite lipstick) when you're kicking around town during the day or indulging in a night out. Okay, the latest trend in accessories, the pouch necklace, might not be quite so epic, but it does hold a place in history.

Mrs. Brady Turns Entrepreneur With The Flo Club, Teaching Seniors About Technology

Beth Hodgson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:09:53 -0800

Computer and internet use is no longer just for the younger generations; but for those who try to get online later in life, there are greater challenges since they haven't had the lifelong exposure that many that are part of the younger demographic have. An unlikely entrepreneur has stepped forward to provide a service that helps seniors overcome their challenges when using technology, and you know her best as Mrs. Brady.

Anti-Gravity Treadmill Makes Exercise Easier on the Body

Chris Weiss — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800

Whether recovering from a sports injury or suffering from a medical condition, exercise can be painful. The Alter G Anti-Gravity Treadmill creates an environment of weightlessness where you can get the required exercise without feeling as much impact.

Hold On To The Light Bulb While You Climb The Stairs

Toby — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:59:30 -0800

Minimalist and eco-friendly, these cool hallway and stair lights do double-duty as hand rails, so you can see and walk at the same time!

Even The Taliban Are Social Networking

Ron Callari — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:31:40 -0800

Did the "voice of jihad" just get a little louder? Afghan tribalism has origins that date back 1400 years to the early Muslim and Islamic civilizations. With a lifestyle based on jihad and an economy that thrives on opium trade, who would have thought that these warring factions in Afghanistan and Pakistan would ever embrace social media as a means to communicate.

Animal Character Round Mug & Spoon Sets Add Cuteness To Any Kitchen

Steve Levenstein — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Like cute things but demand convenience and quality? Japan has much more to offer than Hello Kitty, as these Animal Character Round Mug & Spoon Sets by Decole show so well.