# Ingenious product design **URL:** \ **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:** 4
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/61 "2023-09-05T14:42:48Z")
A circle instead of a square would achieve the same results. And be easier to build and maintain. Not as cool though. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/62 "2023-09-05T14:51:00Z")
Sint Maarten has a causeway bridge over Simpson Bay with a “swing section” in the middle that rotates to allow ship traffic through. The swing section was constructed in Norway and delivered by ship. [![](https://blueoceanvillas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/causeway-bridge-st-maarten-blog-blueoceanvillas-01.jpg) ](https://blueoceanvillas.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/causeway-bridge-st-maarten-blog-blueoceanvillas-01.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/63 "2023-09-05T14:54:56Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > A circle instead of a square would achieve the same results. And be easier to build and maintain. Not as cool though. They were trying to emulate this: [![](https://www.math.uh.edu/~jmorgan/trinity_talk/square_wheel.jpg) ](https://www.math.uh.edu/~jmorgan/trinity_talk/square_wheel.jpg) Plus I think the designers genuinely enjoyed the complexity of the math(s) involved. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/64 "2023-09-05T14:55:43Z")
[Here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Rolling_Bridge_opening_and_closing_(600px,_5x_speed).ogv) is video of another rolling bridge, this time near Paddington Station, London. And [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Falkirk_Wheel_Timelapse,_Scotland_-_Diliff.webm) is a boat lift in Scotland, to move boats between two canals. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/65 "2023-09-05T15:06:11Z")
Sure, it’s cool and all, but there a point to it? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/66 "2023-09-05T15:12:40Z")
Because it’s neat. Have you watched that video? It’s essentially a functional art exhibit. That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/67 "2023-09-05T15:15:52Z")
The video (of the bicycle with square wheels) is useful as a demonstration of the mathematics. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/68 "2023-09-05T15:19:08Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Because it’s neat. > Have you watched that video? It’s essentially a functional art exhibit. That’s it. OK, I thought there was an engineering need for it. Form follows function, or function follows form. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/69 "2023-09-05T15:36:54Z")
So was just thinking this morning about the microwave UI design where the default behavior of the start button is to run for 30 or 60 seconds (and you can press it again to add another 30/60s). This is so useful, it basically makes most interactions with the microwave require exactly one button press, I am irritated it didn’t become the default behavior for all microwaves (is there some patent issue at play where someone has a a patent on “a microwave start button that runs for a fixed time when press without prior commands being entered”?) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/70 "2023-09-05T15:49:56Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > So was just thinking this morning about the microwave UI design where the default behavior of the start button is to run for 30 or 60 seconds (and you can press it again to add another 30/60s). I’ve never seen that. My microwave – like most, I think – does nothing when you press the start button unless you’ve told it what to do (i.e.- amount of time, and possibly a power setting). It does have various single-button presets, the most useful of which is a “Quick Minute” button that sets the timer for one minute and increments the timer by another minute for each press. But none of those presets do anything until you press “start”. That makes sense to me. I think a “Start” button that does something mysterious with no other settings is not very intuitive. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/71 "2023-09-05T15:59:45Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > And [this](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Falkirk_Wheel_Timelapse,_Scotland_-_Diliff.webm) is a boat lift in Scotland, to move boats between two canals. Thanks for posting that, I couldn’t find it with a quick search. I remember seeing that on some TV show. There was also a “train tracks” method where the boat sailed up into a bin on tracks and was hauled up the hill to the next canal. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/72 "2023-09-05T16:09:22Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I’ve never seen that. My microwave – like most, I think – does nothing when you press the start button mine does that too … press start and you get 30sec of radiation thereapy … and multiples … as the above poster mentioned, that botton does about 90% of all work on the microwave … and the other 15 or so are never getting used … (neither on ours nor on other peoples MWs, it seems) ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/73 "2023-09-05T16:14:13Z")
My frigidaire microwave has the “press start for 30 seconds”, that you can repeat as needed. Like @griffin1977 notes, it’s extremely useful; it’s the option I use the most. It also has options to press 1 or 2 or 3 and it autostarts (after a few seconds) for 1/2/3 minutes; no Start is required for this. It’s almost like the manufacturer put some thought into the interface. Now I just wish I could change the beeping into something less annoying. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/74 "2023-09-05T17:07:11Z")
> [@JohnGalt](#): > > Now I just wish I could change the beeping into something less annoying. On some of them, you can hold down a button (0? 1?) to do that. When I got mine, I silenced it (with a sound toggle button on the front). A few months later, I started getting annoyed that I couldn’t tell when it was done and it was harder to use without hearing a beep when I pushed a button, so I turned the beeping back on. Then I remembered why I turned it off. It’s the kind that will keep beeping every few seconds until you open the door. That makes it really annoying when you want to leave something in there for a few minutes. I really this microwave. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/75 "2023-09-05T18:33:51Z")
I’m going to give a shout out to Aldi’s packaged products. One of their design choices is to put large UPC codes in a variety of locations on the package. It really increases the efficiency of their checkout operation without increasing costs elsewhere. It struck me once while I was checking out at a Trader Joe’s, the poor checker would pickup a product, look at the package to find the small UPC, try and fail to scan the UPC, then take a second stab at it before the item was successfully scanned. In the time it took him to ring up one item, an Aldi checker would do four or more, and the TJs was jam packed with substantial lines at every register. You may not like Aldi’s more DIY format, but their checkers sure get through a cart full of groceries like nobody’s business. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/76 "2023-09-05T21:51:55Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I would _think_ (but have no idea) that a bridge like this would have less routine maintenance requirements It did mention that with the manual crank you can feel problems developing, where as a motor would just power through it until it got to the point where shit breaks. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/77 "2023-09-05T22:36:01Z")
In the best design I’ve seen: [Start/+30] with no other buttons being pressed will start it with 30 seconds on the clock. [Start/+30], pushed while it’s already running, will increase the current time by 30 seconds. If it’s stopped, then [Start/+30] leaves the time the same, but restarts it. From scratch, any of the number buttons will start it with that many minutes on the clock. So, if you want to put something in for 30 seconds, you just press “start”. If you want to put something in for 2 minutes, you just press “2”. If you want to put something in for 4 minutes, 30 seconds, you press 4 (at which point it starts running), and then press start (to add 30 more seconds onto it). So any time from 0 to 9:30 in 30-second intervals can be done with at most two buttons. And if you really need some other time, you can still press [Cook] and then enter the exact time, and then [Start]. ---
**Author:** ![dougrb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/76d3ee/32.png) [@dougrb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougrb)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/78 "2023-09-05T23:11:46Z")
On my microwave pushing 1-6 will give you that many minutes and start will add 30 seconds, but 7,8,9 nope. The 1-6 buttons are labeled express cook. Someone decided that anything over 6 minutes is too slow to qualify for express. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/79 "2023-09-05T23:15:56Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever used my microwave for more than six minutes at a time. Very occasionally, the overall time is more, but there’s usually a couple of shorter periods separated by stirring the dish. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2023, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159/80 "2023-09-05T23:32:21Z")
Hm, true, I never had occasion to test it for more than 2 or 3 minutes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ingenious-product-design/989159.md?page=5)