What gadget do you wish existed - serious answers only please!

[witch]

My daughter will soon be going into her final year of her Product Design Engineering Degree and is currently searching for a subject for her final project.

She needs to design and manufacture something...useful..

This could be absolutely anything really. Preferably some sort of gadget or useful object.

So...have you ever thought "I am surprised that with all the new technology, they have never thought of making X" or " why can't I get Y"

 

Past designs by students include - the pop-up tent, a folding scooter, and a light that reacts to sound.

 

Please ask around - she needs as many ideas to investigate as possible - but please make them at least vaguely make-able

[laserblazer]

A grass-cutting press, that compacts the grass into an ultra-small block that could possibly be recycled or used as animal feed. Maybe it would also extract liquid fertilizer?

[laserblazer]

I know you asked for serious suggestions and this may be a bit frivolous but I often look out on the playground and think "if only we could harness all that energy". Perhaps it is feasible, in Africa they have playground equipment that pumps water.

 

[witch]

A little bit "big" for her, I think.

 

She is looking for something that she can actually design and make in a few months!

[Trapper]

One day this will be a reality - in fact it's pretty close already:

 

Global - Earth: Final Conflict Wiki

[FN-GM]

A paint brush that has some kind of guard on. Make life easier when doing edges so not to touch the skirting boards etc.

[abillybob]

I know it sounds a bit silly but some sort of screen mirror that allows you to view the back of your head maybe using a camera of some sort. I cut my own hair to save on money and always have to ask someone to do the back as I can't see properly to do so. It may sound stupid but would come in useful!

[dhicks]

So...have you ever thought "I am surprised that with all the new technology, they have never thought of making X" or " why can't I get Y"

 

Proximity sensor / image recognition device for attaching to the sides of lorries to provide a view to the driver of any cyclists around. Probably aim to interface with a tablet in the driver's cab. Something Raspberry Pi based, with a camera, would probably do it, you just need to figure out how to attach it to the lorry (I'm thinking strong magnets), how to power it (might need an attachement to attach to the battery) and how to network it (possibly Bluetooth). Borris Johnson has hinted at mandatory cycle safty devices on lorries in the congestion zone, so there might soon be a market for such a device.

[witch]

@FN-GM You can buy paint guards but they are separate from the brush - I will pass your idea on @abillybob Just get a standard dressing table mirror with the three panels - you can see the back of your head quite easily with one of those - but I will pass your idea on to see if she can come up with a more "tech" solution

[FN-GM]

But they are rubbish they fall off all the time.

[witch]

But they are rubbish they fall off all the time.

K - she'll look into it

[johnat1121]

A "you left the fridge door open alarm", some of my family members have alsymers and they leave the door open all the time and then they're food spoils, like a simple magnetic sensor and a voice says you've left your fridge open. The only real solutions out there at the moment all rely on Arduinos, relays and unstable code.

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Gonna come back to the remote kettle idea that was suggested (and implemented) some time ago on here. I want an app that can tell my kettle to start a boil before i get home, or before i get up of the sofa.

[witch]

A "you left the fridge door open alarm", some of my family members have alsymers and they leave the door open all the time and then they're food spoils, like a simple magnetic sensor and a voice says you've left your fridge open. The only real solutions out there at the moment all rely on Arduinos, relays and unstable code.

Sadly for her - this already exists. You can even build your own here? Fridge Door Detector Alarm

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Gonna come back to the remote kettle idea that was suggested (and implemented) some time ago on here. I want an app that can tell my kettle to start a boil before i get home, or before i get up of the sofa.

Sounds good but an app isn't really something she is able to do - she needs to design and build something physical

[tomgrindle]

@dhicks ... something similar to this has already being tested on buses around Bristol. Not quite a camera, but a warning device. The company are about to take it to haulage companies as well. As a bus/coach driver myself, having another screen to look at would reduce concentration on the road.

 

CycleEye device that alerts drivers to cyclists in blind spots tested on Bristol buses | Bristol Post

[Andrew_C]

Possibly too complex, and I probably should have patented it...

 

A RFID / GPS wristband for theme parks.

 

Load with a child's identity, food credit, dietary restrictions, ride restrictions, and any other useful info. Set the child loose at the start of the day, and parents relax in the knowledge that the child can't leave the park without them, has no money to loose, and that they can track them at will from kiosks when they need to find them at going home time.

 

The exit gates are programmed only to allow egress of kids if they are with the correct parents. Wrist bands only removable by cutting which disables them. Used bands returned either at the gate, or by post for unused credit to be refunded.

[mac_shinobi]

A paint brush that has some kind of guard on. Make life easier when doing edges so not to touch the skirting boards etc.

 

A little Robot similar to the window washer ones but to be used for painting walls and self cleans the brushes and the tubes inside so that if you want to use a different colour of paint or type of paint etc ie gloss etc that it doesnt get the paints mixed up ?

[sonofsanta]

I've often thought I should make this and make my millions, but I know I'll never get round to it.

 

A sticky speaker to attach to your TV remote and a sticky button to attach to your telly. Press the button and the remote will whistle/beep/whatever noise helps you locate it. Future development would obviously be to licence to the TV companies to be integrated, which would make the battery situation easier.

 

Could also do it with a simple RFID tag on the remote (so no power needed) and some sort of magic wand that you could wave around, that beeps when it gets close to a tag. No need to limit this to remotes either, of course; just a series of tags, and a magic wand device that is brightly coloured, is wall-mountable and whistles back when you whistle at it - cos of course, you need a way to find the magic wand (this is why a sticky button on the TV is the better option there, cos it's pretty difficult to lose a 42" flatscreen).

[mac_shinobi]

Gonna come back to the remote kettle idea that was suggested (and implemented) some time ago on here. I want an app that can tell my kettle to start a boil before i get home, or before i get up of the sofa.

 

A network kettle that has a web server on it so you can get to a web GUI to control it ie what time to boil or even access it via your mobile phone so you can get it to boil before you get home etc ??

 

Although may need to some how connect it to a water source so as to ensure it does not run out of water and maybe even have an in built water filter

Edited June 9, 2014 by mac_shinobi

[FN-GM]

Another thing I would like to see. Clips that can hold a switch into a rack so you don't have to hold it into position and screw it in at the same time.

[creese]

A paint brush that has some kind of guard on. Make life easier when doing edges so not to touch the skirting boards etc.

 

A certain amount of technology here FrogTape Painter

 

Or this Paint Pad Pro Bumper Pack - TV Discount Store

[sted]

I've often thought I should make this and make my millions, but I know I'll never get round to it.

 

A sticky speaker to attach to your TV remote and a sticky button to attach to your telly. Press the button and the remote will whistle/beep/whatever noise helps you locate it. Future development would obviously be to licence to the TV companies to be integrated, which would make the battery situation easier.

 

Could also do it with a simple RFID tag on the remote (so no power needed) and some sort of magic wand that you could wave around, that beeps when it gets close to a tag. No need to limit this to remotes either, of course; just a series of tags, and a magic wand device that is brightly coloured, is wall-mountable and whistles back when you whistle at it - cos of course, you need a way to find the magic wand (this is why a sticky button on the TV is the better option there, cos it's pretty difficult to lose a 42" flatscreen).

 

couldnt you just attach one of those whistling keyrings?

[sonofsanta]

couldnt you just attach one of those whistling keyrings?

 

Are they a thing? I did not know they were a thing.

 

(I can't whistle though, so no bloomin' use to me.)

[creese]

A little Robot similar to the window washer ones but to be used for painting walls and self cleans the brushes and the tubes inside so that if you want to use a different colour of paint or type of paint etc ie gloss etc that it doesnt get the paints mixed up ?

 

About halfway down the page.. Egypt-Japan University of Science and Technology

[ICTDirect_Dave]

Sounds good but an app isn't really something she is able to do - she needs to design and build something physical

 

My thinking was that she'd have to design a functioning kettle with 3g/wifi capacity and some king of auto control system. The app could be done by anyone