# Ingenious product design
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [August 26, 2023, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159 "2023-08-26T22:11:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2023, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/1 "2023-08-26T22:11:32Z")
We have a thread on stupid product design. Let’s look for the positive in the world. Since IANAP(lumber), I thought this shut off valve that can be installed on a pressurized water line is pretty cool (not cheap). What’s yours?
Youtube(4:00)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBfqJ8ugUQ0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBfqJ8ugUQ0)
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### Author:  [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2023, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/2 "2023-08-26T23:21:26Z")
News for that guy (not sure if he is a plumber either): if you don’t have a local shutoff valve, you shut off the whole house until you can install one in the area you’re working on. If you have the kind of water jet showing in the first few seconds of that video, then you’re an idiot.
Not to say that the product isn’t useful, it probably is. But come on.
Also, that thing is hella expensive compared to a regular shutoff valve (which you mentioned, but actual numbers make the point better). The cheapest one (a “complete kit”) that I could find on Amazon was $250. I found a “starter kit” somewhere else for around $110. I don’t know what the difference is between the two. A normal shutoff valve for bathroom or kitchen is under $20.
edited to add: sorry to jump on the first thing cited as ingenious, it may be ingenious design, but it has its drawbacks too.
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### Author:  [@3AxisCtrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3AxisCtrl)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2023, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/3 "2023-08-27T01:24:37Z")
One candidate is the [auto-darkening welding helmet](https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/how-it-works/how-do-auto-darkening-welding-helmets-work-and-how-dark-should-my-welding).
Having used the old-fashioned “passive” version, this device brings to mind Arthur C Clarke’s famous quote: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic”.
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### Author:  [@Hatchie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hatchie)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2023, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/4 "2023-08-27T01:43:20Z")
Greatest innovation of the 21st century so far: the slow-close toilet seat.
It’s a miracle! How does it work? Magic.
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### Author:  [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2023, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/5 "2023-08-27T01:52:03Z")
> [@3AxisCtrl](#):
>
> One candidate is the [auto-darkening welding helmet](https://www.cwbgroup.org/association/how-it-works/how-do-auto-darkening-welding-helmets-work-and-how-dark-should-my-welding)
I couldn’t believe it when I first got one. I felt like it was a miracle.
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### Author:  [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2023, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/6 "2023-08-27T02:20:02Z")
I once had a key made that had a little light attached to it, fit flush with the metal part in the back. Made opening my door late at night so convenient. Then I changed my locks and couldn’t find a place that did the key lights.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2023, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/7 "2023-08-27T02:48:57Z")
> **[KeyLights SC1 RED KEYLIGHT Blank - Flood Lighting - Amazon.com](https://www.amazon.com/KeyLights-SC1-RED-KEYLIGHT-Blank/dp/B000LNWVY4)**
>
> Giant HQ KeyLights LED Light Key - Key blanks with powerful LED lights built into the base of the key. Convenient to simultaneously operate a light and key with only 1-hand. Available in 4 bright colors with matching lights. It's like having a mini...
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2023, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/8 "2023-08-27T14:21:05Z")
> [@Hatchie](#):
>
> Greatest innovation of the 21st century so far: the slow-close toilet seat
Has to have the built in night light though. It’s great at 3 in the morning.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [August 27, 2023, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/9 "2023-08-27T23:59:14Z")
I’m guessing the slow-close toilet seats are based on magnets, or more specifically, eddy-current brakes. Though they might be based on hydraulic drag, for a similar effect.
My nomination is the Sawstop, table saws with a built-in sensor to tell if the blade is touching flesh, and brakes to stop and retract it before it can do more than a minor nick. Though stopping the blade that quickly takes its toll on the device: The repair job after it’s triggered costs nearly as much as a new saw. Still cheaper than a finger, though.
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### Author:  [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2023, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/10 "2023-08-28T00:08:15Z")
I assume they still have these:
The rear view mirror in your car. The kind you flip the tab to keep from being blinded by the mook behind you with his high beams on.
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### Author:  [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2023, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/11 "2023-08-28T00:33:31Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> My nomination is the Sawstop
When that first came out they had a video of it barely scratching a hot dog. Pretty amazing.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2023, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/12 "2023-08-28T01:42:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> My nomination is the Sawstop, table saws with a built-in sensor to tell if the blade is touching flesh, and brakes to stop and retract it before it can do more than a minor nick
I occasionally cut aluminum on my table saw. I wonder if the sawstop interferes with that?
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### Author:  [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2023, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/13 "2023-08-31T06:19:28Z")
This vintage Sunbeam toaster that lowers and raises the bread automatically, which is done using the thermal expansion and contraction of its own heating elements. [As explained by the Technology Connections Youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OfxlSG6q5Y).
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2023, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/14 "2023-08-31T08:24:48Z")
I think you can either disable the sawstop temporarily (like you press an override button and it turns off the sensor for that session only, but you can of course still cut yourself after you disable it), or (not so sure about this) you can cut conductive materials as long as you isolate the blade from the ground path by wearing insulated rubber gloves.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2023, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/15 "2023-08-31T12:41:14Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> cut conductive materials as long as you isolate the blade from the ground path by wearing insulated rubber gloves
My 40 year old Craftsman table saw has a cast iron table, so I don’t think that’s possible. The video’s I’ve seen of the Saw Stop shows a metal table as well. Maybe it can’t cut conductive materials. But that’s not it’s main purpose anyway.
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### Author:  [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2023, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/16 "2023-08-31T12:49:29Z")
> [@dougrb](#):
>
> We have a thread on stupid product design.
This doesn’t seem to me to be a “stupid product design”. On the contrary, it appears to be very useful in certain situations. On the other hand, you wouldn’t want me working on your plumbing (tsunami!), either, so I’m probably a poor judge. So, why the “stupid design” designation?
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2023, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/17 "2023-08-31T14:00:33Z")
If you wear gloves, the Sawstop will only trigger when it has cut through the glove and made an electrical circuit by touching your skin. You can cut metal on it by using the bypass function, which temporarily disables the safety.
> **[Frequently Answered Questions | SawStop](https://www.sawstop.com/why-sawstop/faqs/)**
>
> Find answers to Sawstop FAQs, manuals, parts and more.
I think it must be using capacitance rather than grounding.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2023, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/18 "2023-08-31T14:02:37Z")
> [@Jasmine](#):
>
> So, why the “stupid design” designation?
I think you’ve misread the OP. This is the not-stupid design thread.
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### Author:  [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2023, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/19 "2023-08-31T14:08:58Z")
I thought he said he took the example from a “stupid design thread”. My bad.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2023, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/20 "2023-08-31T19:40:25Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> You can cut metal on it by using the bypass function, which temporarily disables the safety.
I don’t plan on buying one, but nice to know they’ve thought it out.
Thanks for posting.
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