Since this is National Novel Writing Month ( Thread here ), I’ve been thinking about ideas that I just can’t quite bring to fruition. Not because I’m an idiot, but more for lack of the specific skill set required to make it happen. I have a couple of invention ideas kicking around, two or three short stories and a novelette, an idea for a new computer game…and a few other tidbits here and there. But I just lack the knowledge to actually make it work. Writing for example. Sure I have a basic outline of the plot and characters, but there is a lot more needed to make an actual story from that. But since I don’t know what I don’t know…I can start a short story but always have difficult making it read on paper the way it sounds in my head. There are probably classes I could take, or online tutorials that would help me with that, but I don’t really have that type of free time. Plus, let’s face it…even once I get it written it’s a long step from there to getting it published.
Same with some of my invention ideas. Mostly I’m good at taking existing technology and putting it together in different ways…it’s actually similar to what I do in my day to day job. But while I probably have enough detail to get a patent for one or two of them, we’ve had countless threads about how difficult it is as an individual to get a patent. And my company doesn’t really have any vested interest in the types of technology I have in mind. So it just sits on my mental drawing board and waits for me to see someone else come up with it and make a mint.
So what about you other dopers? What sorts of ideas do you have that you’re just not quite good enough to get done? Or just don’t have the time to pursue? Or can get it done but then have no way of doing anything with it?
I’ll throw my computer game idea out there as an example. I enjoy a good Real Time Strategy game now and then. But since I tend to just play the single player stuff and not the built in campaigns I’m always disappointed at how fast they go. You get your guys moving, collect resources…rush to advance as far as you can as fast as you can, then try to wipe the other player out. Most RTS games are a variant on “Conquer the World” or “Conquer the Galaxy”, which is really the same thing in a different map environment. So I thought…“Why not do both…start from the Bronze Age or whatever…conquer your world…then have the game move on to a Conquer the galaxy type of play” So I kicked the idea around for a few days and came up with I think 5 different types of beings, with 4 or 5 various groups within each of those. So you have multiple ‘races’ to play and different ways of playing each race. All with a different technology base and evolution. But I’m not an actual game developer…I can’t really do anything more with it. I’m also not any sort of artist…so I can’t draw what any of these things look like. I know in my head what they look like, but that’s about as far as I can get. Sure I can spend some more time and flesh this out so that I go through each age and think of advances and technologies for each one…but why? I have other things I need to spend my time on. So the file gathers cyber dust on my memory stick until I eventually forget about it.
Anyone else care to share?
I am deeply, completely, tragically craft-disabled. The following is the saga of my latest attempt, from weekend before last, and is 100% true (unfortunately):
I bought three new sheer curtains for the three windows in my bedroom. They were over-long, but in theory all that was required was to trim and hem them. Knowing that I could not possibly successfully sew them, I bought iron-on hem tape. Simple, right?
The first one I thought I cut straight but then I hung it up to check and found I had cut it at an angle and it was still dragging on the ground at one end but was too short on the other end. At this point the project is ruined because I only have three curtains for the three windows, so having ruined one means there’s not enough to use. But by God, I’m going to figure out how to do this, so I press on.
The second I cut successfully, put on the ironing board, applied the iron-on hem tape, and ironed up the hem. What I didn’t realize is that sheer fabric does not keep the adhesive from the tape away from the surface you’re ironing on, in this case the ironing board cover. That’s right: I had glued the curtain to the ironing board. I had to rip it off, which ripped holes all along the hem of the second curtain, wrecking it.
The third one I managed to trim successfully and iron-hem successfully, interposing waxed paper between the sheer fabric/adhesive tape and the ironing board, which waxed paper I then carefully peeled off. So I hung the curtain up, only to find that I had forgotten to check which was the front of the curtain and which was the back and I had ironed the hem up the front side of the curtain.
Three for three in ruining the curtains, I threw them and the fabric tape in the trash and opened a beer. When I get feelling smart or smug, I will remind myself of this.
I have this concept for a clothing label called Apples and Pears. Basically, each garment is made in two styles, one for apple shaped women (bigger around the waist) and one for pear shaped women (bigger around the hips). I’d offer just the basics - t-shirt (short and long sleeve), blouses, trousers, jeans.
So when you placed an order for a tshirt, you’d order a size 12A (if you’re an apple) or a 12P (if you’re a pear).
But I really don’t know how to take it any further so it’ll always stay a vision in my head.
I’ve been trying to develop something very similar to Micro CHP (combined heat and power) for several years, but frankly don’t have the proper engineering background necessary for what I have in mind - An affordable home furnace size (or smaller) device that provides power and heat to a single family home with minimal fuss, waste, and emissions but is not just a standard generator running on LP or natural gas.
Yeah, it’s probably not the kind of thing that one invents in the basement, but I really want one!
I haven’t done it yet simply because of how much hassle it would be to toss out an entire batch of ice cream if it sucks. However, I’m still irrationally convinced that it would be incredibly tasty.
I want to start a business that installs cell phone jammers in certain buildings (hospitals, theaters, etc.). They’d have a certain radius and if you receive a call within that radius, it goes straight to your voicemail. No outgoing calls within the radius, either. I guess, ideally, you would get notified about your calls/voicemails after you leave the zone of effectiveness. Put a disclaimer on the back of the ticket/entrance door that you have these devices and voila!
Another one, and this is my huge multi-billion dollar idea here, is an idea to increase the surface tension of water…specifically…toilet water. Essentially, you’d be taking a crap into very very weak Jell-o. You could match the color to you decor, it (the water) wouldn’t spray when it flushes, and no more of that single drop at your turd cutter when you stock the pond (enough euphemisms for you?). Restaurants and hospitals would probably be early adopters.
I’d also like to exchange the streetlights that we all know and love for LED lights.
Unfortunately, I just don’t have the knowledge to create any kind of working prototype and I’d love to because they’re both little pipe dreams for me that would make life that much more enjoyable.
Ummm…you do know that lots of hospitals actually have the doctors carry cell phones now, right? And even the ones that still use pagers would have their signals get blocked. As might EMTs, firefighters, etc… that rely on a paging system to notify them of emergencies.
Here’s mine. Someone will raid this idea and make themselves into multi-millionnaires, and good luck to them. My idea is a new fast food restaurant chain called Pizza Cake. It only sells two things: pizza and cake. Specifically, a good range of pizzas and a good range of cakes. You can go in and order either or both.
The branding and marketing kind of take care of itself because ‘Pizza Cake’ is an appealing, welcoming, friendly sort of name that sounds close to ‘Piece of cake’, and all the launch advertising would play on this weak pun. Just about everyone in the world loves either pizza or cake or both, so the potential market is vast.
A friend and I have kicked around the idea of a USB sex toy that can interface with a software program to ‘move’ in relation to the porn video being watched. Think similiar to that Flesh-light thing they are always advertising, only high tech. Obviously you’d need a program file for each video, so you could practically give the unit away for free and make money off the video programs.
I have no idea how to take that to the next step, which is probably a good thing since I do not want to explain all that to my girlfriend.
I have an idea for a volumetric 3D display that I’m pretty sure will work, and as far as I know, hasn’t been done this way (mine has no moving parts), but I don’t have the funds or the time to develop it.
Several years ago, my brother & I discussed the possibility of plush “love dolls”, after seeing the outrageous price of “Real Dolls”.
A few months ago, this board introduced us to Teddy Babes.
Last week, we visited both the RD & the TB sites. They’ve added a LOT more TB’s (I think
13 total) and the price of them all combined only slightly exceeds that of one RD ($550x13=$7150 to $6999).
This ought to be easily done. There has to be some sort of system you could adapt that would accept the impulse from the “correct” sequence of numbers like a call to your home. Maybe something from an old alarm system. When your “home” is “dialed” the circuit is completed to the e-lock and it opens up.
A worthy idea, but sadly this would result in a lovely bacon-flavoured cold custard.
Adding enough salt to give it a distinctive bacon flavour would also adjust the melting point of the custard itself to the point that it would never freeze solid. sniff
I should’ve known those mad geniuses at the Fat Duck would’ve beaten me to the punch. Sigh. Now I just need to find a way to raise enough funds to afford plane tickets and that tasting menu (all 115 pounds of it… AAARGH).
There’s a fairly elegant solution to that, actually.
Dunno about any other countries, but in Canada the cellular providers are mandated to keep a list of their customers that are part of emergency services and disaster recovery. In the event of a crisis, said customers are allowed priority network access. Even if the network is overwhelmed (like it was during the blackout a couple of years ago), they still get front-of-line access to the next free channel. Plus the list is government-regulated, so not just anyone gets on.
Match up said list to the signal-blocker do-hickey and voila, emergency personnel are still reachable. The inconsiderate yakker who picks up his phone in the middle of a movie to have an argument with his babymama, on the other hand, is not (unless he’s an MD, but I’m sure that’s a fairly small number).
