Howzabout…

The monetary difference between a family’s ability to make ongoing home payments versus ending up in foreclosure is generally not that large a sum.

The Problem
The lengths people go to in an effort to keep from losing their homes very often digs such a deep hole for them, bankruptcy is just the beginning of their woes. Ruined credit and the additional stresses placed on relationships will further undermine this cross section of the population to the detriment of all.

The Opportunity
If private citizens invested in one another by subsidizing the difference between a manageable mortgage payment and the inflated one, we could stabilize the American housing market.

The Insight
People interested in investment opportunities rarely have an emotional stake in what their dollars will ultimate go towards once they have been committed to the market. Given the chance (and a fair ROI), many average Americans would prefer their contributions go towards the betterment of their compatriots’ quality of life.

The Execution
Banks would issue some form of provisional bridge loan for the difference between the pre-ARM maturity amount and the adjusted rate which would be purchased by individuals looking to invest in real estate without prohibitively large start-up costs. A profit sharing arrangement for the ultimate sale of the home that would be sequentially paid down with an option of a buy out plan at a fair interest rate allows both parties to gain.

The Selling Point
This fundamental variation on the “Buy American” sentiment provides participants the knowledge that their aid keeps a family’s life from crumbling over a few hundred dollars a month. From less altruistic perspective, pulling together to help your neighbors potentially buoys your home’s value as well.

The Incidental Benefits
Banks make for poor property managers and only undermine their own positions as homes sit empty, degrading all the while. Meanwhile the affordable housing market will be affected by a trickle down as displaced families begin to compete for lower rents. Opportunistic landlords will force the poorest of our nation into even more tight quarters by pricing them out in favor of those scrambling for a place to move. This approach would mitigate this process immensely.

The Problem
Refrigerators and stoves require time and energy to alter their internal temperatures to desired levels. The overall design of these household appliances has remand largely the same for decades. Their common configuration allows a dramatic shift of temperature every time the door is opened, the duration the room’s air is allowed to mix greatly influencing the amount of additional energy that must be expended to return the temperature to operating levels.

The Opportunity
Create alternate mechanisms to allow using the appliance without fully compromising the containment of the treated interior space.

The Insight
Opening a gaping hole into an environment simple because that is the way it has always been done is senseless. We can treat the heated/cooled air with more reverence if we view it as an actual resource versus a commodity with no associated cost.

The Execution
Have the door of a refrigerator open in two stages: one that gives access to the most commonly used items that are held on the door itself, and a second that gives access to the larger interior compartments. A clear divider between the two would allow for the location of an item or provide the time one needs to decide what is desired.

Have the door of an oven be supplemented with a sliding drawer(s) that bring the food and rack outside of the cooking area, but in such a way that the seal is not compromised. The preheating would be done with the drawer closed, which would keep the metal coking surface form leaching heat, and then the food can be placed in without much of the fuss that is often associated from handling unwieldy raw food around exceeding hot metal.

The Selling Point
Save energy; lower bills; do your part.

Dear Mr. Dyson,

I have a simple request: please do for the lawns of the world what you have already done for its rugs and carpets. Thank you in advance for your considered attention. You are the man.

Most sincerely,
Ken Head

+ + + + +

Vacuum cleaners have lights, and lawnmowers have bags. That’s the way it has always been, so there must be a good reason, right? (Can you even imagine a drawing of a lawnmower without a bag? Preposterous! That would be like a camel without its hump.)

As it turns out, about as many of us have need to remove grass clippings from our yards as we do to clean our rugs in the dark, and yet the counter productive bag attachment remains a fixture in the world of lawncare.

Homeowners have been trained by decades of design stagnation to believe that the lawnmower is as good as it is ever going to get, and so grumbling over how horsey it is to use has all but vanished. But if average weekend warriors understood how terribly the current design is flawed, they would be appalled by the needlessly poor treatment their lawns suffer at their own hands.

The Problem
Grass clippings contain nutrients that are constantly needed by the plant, and yet much time, effort and energy is spent removing them. These remnants that could/should be reprocessed back into the natural turf ecology are instead most often sent into landfills to leech into unwanted locations. Nitrogen pollution is perhaps the most well-known environmental issue, but their are others. The secondary effect is that additional fertilizers are now required to reach needed levels within the soil, which in turn is a significant source of water pollution.

The Opportunity
Reengineering the lawnmower to more cleanly and evenly cut grass blades will improve overall health and appearances by reducing plant tissue damage, while moving away from collection bags will address a fundamental flaw with the current approach.

The Insight
The cyclone effect that is created by a spinning mower blade could almost certainly be harnessed more fully to stand the grass blades upright for trimming as well as aid in the mulching process.

The Execution
All bets are off here. We can only wait and see what the future might hold, but I personally hope that one day an entire industry will once again take a dramatic leap forward like what followed the release of the G Force. Of course the reel mower design is far superior in most every instance, so figuring a practical way to shift to that design would be an amazing start….

The Selling Point
The time has come for a cooler push mower. Zero turning radius is nice, but most folks can’t justify the expense of a riding mower. If the results are superior and the ease of use is better, people will want to own an outdoor Dyson.

The Incidental Benefits
An educational program could be established regarding proper lawncare techniques by creating informed consumers. Known issues like underserviced blades could be addressed with innovative programs like swapping dull used ones for recycled, professionally sharpened ones, further enhancing results and increasing vendor/client interaction. And the mower isn’t the only piece of equipment in need of help, as any suburbanite will tell you if you can hear them over the drone of those annoyingly loud, smoke-spewing, gas-guzzling leafblowers.

Many product improvements that catch on come from simplifying a task that is well known to be annoying. Getting the grout between shower tiles clean definitely falls into this category. Currently the caustic chemicals that are primarily used for this purpose are not meant to be breathed in, and yet by their very nature they are sprayed into a fine mist in a confined space!

The Problem
It is difficult to track progress when spraying a clear liquid onto a shower wall; the active ingredient doesn’t stay where it needs to be, instead running down the tiles; and it creates an inhospitable environment which doesn’t allow the time to do a proper job of thoroughly cleaning. These facts cause many to put off tackling this distasteful chore, which only compounds these challenges.

The Opportunity
With a few modifications to the application process of existing products, a process could be developed that does not require the cleaner to be suspended in the air, is much easier to use, and enhances effectiveness by prolonging surface contact.

The Insight
Damp paper/cloth sticks to vertical surfaces, whether wet with plain water or a cleaning product.

The Execution
A fabric similar to disposable industrial rags or heavy duty paper towels could be impregnated with tile cleaner and packaged in large sheets shrink wrapped in boxes, not unlike one-time use wash cloths for baby baths or face cleansing. Once wet, they are simply slapped into place and left to work for however long is necessary. Pieces could be cut to size for difficult to treat areas around fixtures. The same approach could be used on glass doors as well.

The Selling Point
Showers are already coated with water once as we are finishing with them. Consumers need not wait until the weekend to clean their showers, instead they could just do a section each day with hardly any more effort than unfolding a napkin. Various strengths could be marketed depending on the extent of the soap scum or mildew.

The Incidental Benefits
Once the towelette has served to apply the active ingredients, it could then be used to scrub the surfaces in the shower, and even used to wipe down other bathroom surfaces before being disposed. Packing waste would be dramatically reduced by this approach, and the materials used could be recyclable.

ANOTHER OFFICIAL CORPORATE RESPONSE or “What We Are Up Against”
From: Clorox Consumer Services
Subject: Reference Number: 4676867

Dear Mr. Daniels,

Thank you for contacting the Clorox Company. We always appreciate hearing from our consumers.

I understand you would like to submit an idea for our review. It is the policy of The Clorox Company and its subsidiaries not to accept any idea submission under an obligation of confidentiality. Before we can review your idea, I must ask you to sign our standard non-confidential disclosure agreement form. Although this form waives any confidential relationship, it specifically provides that you would retain all patent rights you have or may acquire in your idea.

Again, thank you for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Elise Brown
Consumer Response Representative
Consumer Services

If you have additional questions or comments, please click here

Some living spaces are so tight they require sparse accommodations. But you wouldn’t have to live in a studio apartment to appreciate having a little place to set aside your glasses and book before dozing off that didn’t take away from usable floor space.

The Problem
Some bedrooms simply don’t have the space for a bedside table, especially if there are two people. If a bed is pushed against a wall there is currently no practical way to have a table on that side.

The Opportunity
Create an aftermarket tabletop that doesn’t take up much space but still allows folks to have a few choice items close at hand.

The Insight
A bed frame is a secure, generic and convenient base for just such a device.

The Execution
Simply attach an articulated arm of some sort (a la an architect/gooseneck desk lamp) to a mounting bracket and attach a flat surface with various features. For example, an alarm clock’s power cord could be routed down the neck, a reading light could be incorporated, and there could be spots for writing implements and television remotes.

The Selling Point
From dorm rooms, to tiny apartments, to cramped guest rooms this approach allows for functionality and a “cool” factor that addresses an actual need that is easy to recognize and is not currently being addressed.

The Incidental Benefits
If a market developed for this approach, there could be a whole line of products designed for students and urbanites such as ironing boards, folding tables (beds are already a common staging ground for laundry), or even additional temporary desk space in a pinch. Conceivably a fully functional workspace could fold up and drop behind the headboard in similar fashion to certain airplane tray tables.

The general concept is for a fantasy novel along the lines of an alternate history; the premise is that you can take a modern day encyclopedia back in time, give it to one person and see what ensues. (This idea owes a very large debt to Orson Scott Card’s PASTWATCH: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus. A terrific read from a fantastic writer; one of my all-time faves. And, of course, I would be remiss not to give a nod to Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future: Part II).

What I find intriguing (and fun) is to deliberate over who would best use such terrific knowledge in a responsible way and would seek to help humanity rather than simply advance them self. Of course one must account for the fact that simply being intelligent enough to appreciate what they had wouldn’t necessarily mean they would be able to act on it. Access to resources and having a certain amount of influence would seem to be basic prerequisites to successfully leveraging such a resource. For example, if you go back too far, then the means to do much about the technical side of things would perhaps be overly limiting. (If the Bene Gesserit taught us anything though, it was that a well-laid plan may take a while to execute!)

I believe this falls more into the category of “imaginings” (thanks Alexis) than the more self-important “concepts.” My personal first impulse was Thomas Jefferson, but he was pretty arrogant and might have been prone to forging ahead a bit recklessly for achievement during his lifetime. For now my vote is Ben Franklin.

I would like to hear other suggestions as I know my perspective is ridiculously Western and obvious. Regardless, I think it could make for some interesting discussions.

Golf course owners are constantly looking for ways to speed play, but a cart carrying two people can only go but so fast. By creating single-person carts this limitation would be overcome, but this idea is good on paper alone because it eliminates the all-important factor of socialization between players.

The Problem
One vehicle carrying people to disparate locations after every golf shot slows play.

The Opportunity
Individuals that go directly to their ball without leaving the fairway for the cart path would play the hole at optimal speed.

The Insight
By creating some sort of localized audio/visual network between the golf carts of players in the same group the socialization aspect of golfing could actually be enhanced since it would change the dynamic from two groups of two to one group of four (or whatever the combination).

The Execution
Bring modern telecommunications into the world of the golf cart fleet. Hands-free audio on specific frequencies seems the logical first step.

The Selling Point
Early adopters of this paradigm shift would make a golf course newsworthy and the faster play would allow for more rounds to be played.

The Incidental Benefits
Single player carts would cost less to power and would do less harm to the playing surface. Additionally, the fun factor of driving is now extended to each player.

Children enjoy the experience of being inside of a tent, but instances of camping are rare even in families of outdoor enthusiasts. What is not rare is the universal struggle to get young children to go to bed. Combining these two facts makes for a wonderfully simple product that every kid would love.

The Problem
Homemade forts and tents are rarely sturdy enough to last and are generally not as cool as they could be.

The Opportunity
Create a simple collection of tent poles that allow a child to sleep in a tent without ever leaving their bedroom.

The Insight
Kids already create their own tents by somehow raising their bedsheets into the air. The problem is that this defeats the practical purpose of the sheets and is unlikely to hold up even over night.

The Execution
Create a network of “ribs” that would arc over a bed and would have simple mechanisms for securing a spare bed sheet overhead. A base support of some sort could be inserted between the mattress and foundation. There are many opportunities for add-ons like pouches, reading lights and shelves which could span the space between the support poles.

The Selling Point
Making it cool for a kid to go to bed would be invaluable to weary parents.

The Incidental Benefits
A natural extension of this bedroom activity would be to go into the backyard and beyond to try the “real thing.”

Kids may not like getting hurt, but they certainly do enjoy sporting a bandage or two (or three!) afterwards.

The Problem
Children are often emotionally more upset than physically hurt by small nicks and cuts.

The Opportunity
Distracting a child from a possible crying fit with a constructive and fun activity.

The Insight
Arts and crafts are enjoyable and encourage original thought and the impulse to create. Parents are always on the look out for opportunities to interact with their children in ways that are thought provoking, and they certainly want to see their hurting children feel better as quickly as possible.

The Execution
The spongy material used to manufacture plastic bandages could be sold in sheets that have a backing with shape templates printed on them. The outlined shapes (from butterflies to lightening bolts) could be cut out exactly by a child or parent, or they could create their own unique shapes. Colors could be layered since each sheet in the package would have a sticky backing. A separate sheet of sterilized gauze squares would be included.

The Selling Point
Certain areas are hard to attach a precut bandage to, and this would allow for customized bandages. The fun factor of the creating your own bandage is appealing to a kid, and the opportunity to alleviate the stress of a child in an interactive way that allows a parent to spend time with their little one is invaluable. Various packages could be geared towards different sexes and age groups. Character tie-ins would abound, and these interactive kits would create a need for replacement faster than normal.

The Incidental Benefits
This model would be appropriate for adults as well and would tap into an area where the buying public already is “customizing” pre-cut bandages.

03/05/2008
FIRST OFFICIAL CORPORATE RESPONSE or “What We Are Up Against”

Re: Band-Aid® Website: Thank you for contacting the Information Center.

Thank you for contacting the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies, Inc. Information Center. It is always important to hear from our consumers, and we appreciate the time you have taken to contact us.

Our company relies upon our Research and Development Department as well as our advertising agencies to evaluate and develop new products, product improvements, advertising and promotional campaigns on a continual basis.

We also receive many unsolicited ideas from outside the company. Because we wish to prevent any possible misunderstanding regarding unsolicited suggestions from individuals outside the company, we have adopted a policy of reviewing only United States Issued Patents or official patent publications. In addition, these patented ideas must fall within areas of strategic interests to our company. We cannot accept for review unpatented ideas, advertising slogans or promotional programs, unpublished patent applications, prototypes or models. This policy serves to protect you and your idea.‹

We regret that we will not review or return any unsolicited materials you have already sent us.

Thank you for thinking of Johnson & Johnson.

When a used book is purchased, often times there will be a name written in the front. At some point that individual and the book were separated, but how and why is an unknown that is not paid any attention.

But what if it were? Might there not be something to learn about authors’ abilities to influence their readers? Are their commonalities between the folks that would own such a book that would provide insight into the work’s significance?

Perhaps as an exercise in literary scholarship this effort would bear no fruit, but the potential for a great story is there nonetheless. Documenting the search for a past book owner might reveal a trail with unexpected twists and turns that would be entertaining enough to warrant the attempt. Imagine a knock on the door in the upper northwest at a home where an elderly woman is surprised to learn her book was bought and inspired a young writer in SoHo 60 years after her parents donated it to a book drive without her permission.

The possibilities are as limitless as the plots that fill the pages of the world’s libraries, and I believe the stories are potentially as intriguing as most plucked from imagination.