Top 3

Here are the Top 3 ideas we need to research:

1.  Battery Powered Heated Coffee Cup

2. Electronic, Programmable Flash Cards

3. Pomegranate Peeler

Anything else?

Let's start doing research for all three.

Shark

The Coffee Cup

Time to get down and dirty to see what we can dig up on this potential product.

Sounds good, let's get going on the research.

Mark the Shark

Electronic flash cards

Develop a device that is similar to a palm pilot that can be used as flash cards.  This would consist of a key board and nothing else, it would be use for kids study who use flash cards but instead of paper it is electronic.  Then there could be a "quiz" function that takes your eFlashcards and randomizes them and then quizzes you.  You would not have to file them or lose them, everything could be saved on it.

On the shopping aid...

So there is a company, Mobile Discovery, that has a new technology - 2D bar codes.  I think if we can come up with a new application of this technology such as a handheld device that can be used in grocery stores that once you scan one of these 2D bar codes you will have pairing suggestions, recipe options, and other similar food/products that people bought.  Here is their website -http://www.mobilediscovery.com, they are currently doing a test trial at Case.  I think if we can jump on the front end of this technology we will be able to leverage the Case trials to come up with both an application for grocery stores and to develop a new product that will help differentiate stores from one another. 

We can talk about this more, but right now this seems like the best idea we have.

M

Doggy Clean Up Vacuum

What about a dog poop vacuum?

Pomegranate Peeler

What about a Pomegranate peeler?

Financial Crisis

I still think a great opportunity lies in creating a product that will either help people through the financial crisis or something that will help be be smarter with their money.  I definitely think we should dive further into this category of ideas.  

We need to start finding a central theme that we can rally behind and get enthusiastic about, this will help us start small and create a "WOW" product.

Keep up the great work guys...

Mark The Shark

Back to an Alarm Clock Idea

What about an alarm clock that already has many options for sounds but rather than you choosing the sound, it is done randomly.  I find that I get used to my alarm clock and that it sometimes gets harder and harder to get up.  I find it easier to get up when the sound is something that I have not heard before or in a long while.

A way to Wash and Reuse Zip Lock Baggies

How about we come up with a way to wash, dry, and store plastic zip lock bags to encourage people to reuse them rather than throwing them away.

Trash Can, Recycle Bin, Can Crusher, Compost Bin in One

Ok, I know we have talked about it but I don't know what you guys think, so here is the idea again.

I propose a CHEAPer alternative to a combination trash/recycle/can crusher/composting bin all in one.  I have found recycle/can crusher combos for around $115.  I think we can design a very good looking one for a fraction of the price, given we design it well.  I am imagining it as so, it would either be a stacking sort of arrangement or a side-by-side arrangement with the composting bin on the bottom.  The bottom would be like a shelf that could slide out (similar to the rubbermaid stacking shelf drawers).  Then the trash can and recycle bins would be on top of the bottom shelf.  We could even attach a can crusher to make the recycling bin hold more cans.  

First iteration of course.

Let me know what you think...

NEW IDEAS ONLY

Please put your new ideas here....

Clean Toilet

When i was talking with Prof Osborne he told me to consider on this idea. An antibacteiral solution that is sprayed automatically on the commode after the person gets up. I know at present there are papers and other stuff that is used. Even then the question of hygiene still exists . The user in this case will not be household people but then it could be schools, collages, airports, government offices, corporate blds etc.
in this case the antibacterial soln already exists, we just need to find a method how will the soln be sprayed automatically and how will it either dry up or vapourize up before any other person enters.

- Kirtishankar -

Baby Seducer

New Idea:

A toy or antyhing that hangs over small kids bed, and that starts moving or starts playing some good music whenever the baby starts crying. The device would respond whenever the babay starts crying.

Normally mothers have to wake up and put the baby to sleep before going back to sleep again. This can be manufactured at a cheap cost and would work on 2 AA batteries.

I can visualise a toy with a central movable rotor with tentacle like parts around it that start moving when the baby cries and also starts playing music

- Maximus -

Table Side Burner

I was in a restaurant the other day and was thinking how nice it would be if there was like a burner fixed to the table where you can go and heat food. Food becomes cold after a little while.Instead of asking the waiter to heat it again we could do it ourselves. I know that kids are an issue here... but its a thought.

-Srujana-

A Better Bike Lock

I was thinking about bike thefts today and how even when you lock up part of your bike people steal tires and such. I was thinking of a bike lock that would lock the frame and both tires with just one key or something. Basically apply locking your car doors to a bike

-Dominic-

An Electric Coffee Cup

i was wondering whether we can think of a rechargable battery or something which would make the coffee in the mug to stay hot for a longer period....in the sense these coffee mugs hold heat for a specific amount of time...say an hour maximum...although dis varies depending on the external weather as well as the quality of the mug...we should start talking about this in the next meeting.may be we could design a small battery which is rechargable and which would keep the coffee hot for an increased period of time.Also since electronics are pretty cheap dis is an economically feasible product.Also since it is rechargable it does not produce any waste to the environment and hence is partly environmentally friendly....

-Manjula-

A New Air Freshener for Cars

A new idea I had was a different type of air freshener for your car. Today most fresheners are either shapes hung from the mirror, tins that you put on the floor or cup holder, or a spray. I'm thinking you place the scent in the air filter in the car itself. Cars typically have an internal cabin filter that is replaced every 15 to 20 thousand miles. Maybe we could dip the filter or spray the filter with a scent that lasts the entire life of the filter. The scent would be distributed through the air vents in the car. 

- Steve -

The Smart Charger

Ok, so I have been looking into the "smart charger" idea and learning about how chargers work.  There does not seem to be exactly what I am talking about on the market yet, however I do not know exactly how we would propose to do this, I have some ideas based on both the "Intelligent charger" and the "Timer-based charger."  Here is a link to what I was looking at:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_charger

I would like to know what you guys think.

I am going to try to start a new thread for each idea I have seen so far in the comments, let's try to keep these comments with the right original post for easy reference and access.

I will have a thread just for new ideas, only post new ideas there don't worry about assessing them until they have their own thread.

Thanks

Ideas are needed

Please spend an hour or two tonight coming up with ideas.  We are not meeting, so I expect you all to take the time needed tonight (during the time you would have been in our meeting) to come up with good ideas.  Once we have a few ideas we will need to evaluate them before Thursday.

Shark

The Grocery Store Product

I think the in store helper is a great idea and I think we are getting some traction for it, but let's not focus too much on this one idea when there are so many more out there.  Can someone volunteer to do some initial research on this idea to see what's been patented and what has not, also to find out what the possible capabilities are.  

On another note,

I spoke with Gorilla this morning and he gave me some good ideas of where we can go to get inspired.  He strongly recommends we take a trip to Target or Wal-mart to see what is not on the shelves and what we would like to see on them.  

I am proposing no meeting on Tuesday as long as two things happen.  The first is that everyone uses the blog, only Steve, Dominic and Myself have been blogging.  THe second in that everyone try to make it to a box store to see what is missing from the shelves.  I want to make sure everyone is contributing, and that we have no freeloaders - the Gorilla does not tolerate freeloaders.  

Let me know what you all think, but let me reiterate TWO THINGS MUST HAPPEN

1. THE BLOG NEEDS TO BE USED AND PEOPLE NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY COMING UP WITH NEW IDEAS.

2. EVERYONE NEEDS TO VISIT A BOX STORE TO DO SOME FIELD RESEARCH.

Mark the Shark

Smart Charger

How about a charger that knows when the device you are charging is fully charged, thus reducing power consumption by fully charged cell phone, computers, cameras, etc.

Here we go...

Ok guys, I think this might be a powerful tool for us to begin to develop a great idea that will certainly be a "wow" for all.

Make sure you guys check and post daily so we can count these posts as meetings.

Mark