A three-hour car ride home from a lacrosse tournament doesn’t sound all that bad. However, a three-hour car ride home from a lacrosse tournament with a pile of stinky, sweaty gear in the back of the car may make you think twice about going on that road trip.

This is exactly what happened to the mother of three sports-loving children, Krista Wood, while on her way back from her son’s tournament one evening. With their son fast asleep in the back of the car, husband and wife duo Krista and Chris were left stuck with the unpleasant stench nearly 150 miles away from their final destination.

Coming up with a solution for stinky sports equipment seemed hopeless for Wood. A lot of sports gear is not washable and it’s certainly too expensive to replace every time it gets soaked in sweat. After having tried nearly every spray on the market to rid her son’s lacrosse equipment of the stench, Wood was left feeling defeated with no solution in sight.

But she was determined to conquer the odor. After doing some research on what causes bad odor, she and her husband got to work developing a prototype in their garage. After nearly a year of fine-tuning their product, the Woods family invented the first pair of Glovestix, a now popular sports accessory meant to stop bad odor in its tracks.

Using two perforated plastic tubes lined with silver to kill odor-causing bacteria, the husband and wife team discovered the solution they were so desperately in search of. Today, the inventors have expanded on their original idea to include an entire line of odor-killing “stix” intended for items such as boots, skates, helmets, gloves, and even ballet slippers.

After appearing on NBC’s Today and QVC, the Woods family quickly sold out of GloveStix when they received 5,000 orders …2,000 orders over their initial goal! The duo is still inventing, currently working on different iterations of their original Glovestix.

*Davison had no involvement with the design of the featured product

The post Glovestix – A New Way to Beat the Stench appeared first on Davison.

As parents to five daughters, Jennifer and Gifford Briggs were no strangers to long hair clogging their shower drains. Not only does this pose a drainage issue, but it’s also at the bottom of every household’s to-do list.

Nobody wants to get down on their hands and knees to clean a drain full of soap scum, hair, and dirt. Having a large family, the Briggs grew tired of how slow their drain was. Not only was it slow, but sooty rings were forming in the tub because of the slowly receding water.

A slow drain, coupled with the amount of time it took in between showers (while waiting for the tub to drain) sent the husband and wife on a mission to develop a solution for a problem that plagues many households.

Sure, you could purchase expensive liquids to pour down your drain, but those damage pipes and can wreak havoc on a septic system. A hair trap may seem like the perfect solution, yet you’re still left cleaning out the hair trap – which isn’t much better than having to clean the drain in the first place.

Although there was a wide array of solutions on the market, none met the needs of a family constantly up against this problem; thus, the Drain Wig was born. A long metal string attached to a decorative topper was the perfect solution the Briggs were searching for.

Homeowners simply drop the string down the drain while the topper keeps it from falling down entirely. The unique hooked-chain design catches all of the hair as it goes down the drain, allowing for easy removal when it’s time to clean. The simple, yet effective hair trap is 100% disposable which means you won’t need to touch any of the mess or break out the rubber gloves.

Do you have an idea for a new invention or product? Confidentially submit your idea today!

*Davison had no involvement with the design of the featured product

The post Drain Wig: Clean Drains in Seconds appeared first on Davison.

Apple recently announced its latest product, CarPlay. This slick, Siri-enabled device will interact with your iPhone in the car. The latest invention isn’t a standalone in-car operating system; rather, it’s a “second screen” iOS interface that is optimized for the car.

CarPlay will allow for a deeper integration with iOS devices than any in-car system to date.

The system will make its debut at the Geneva International Motor Show and cars like Ferrari, Mercedes, and Volvo will be shown with CarPlay built in.

Now, in order for CarPlay to work, the system operates with a Lightning-connector that connects to the iPhone. Users are limited to using the system with the iPhone 5, 5s and 5c, which all need to be connected to the car in order for the features to work.

But, nonetheless, you can think of this system as a car-infotainment system by substitution, because everything still runs through the iPhone.

CarPlay uses a system based on streaming H.264 video in order for the screen mirroring and car-touchscreen interaction with the phone to work.

The physical connection of the iPhone to the device will be tethered via a Lightning cable, which is a proprietary computer and power connector that was invented by Apple in order to find a better way to connect Apple mobile devices like iPads, iPhones and iPods to host computers, cameras, external monitors, USB battery chargers and other devices.

The new system was designed with the idea of providing ease for users to gain access and use their iPhone’s services and software via Siri. CarPlay offers access to hands-free calling functions, in addition to Siri search, messages and maps. The latter of the features means that Apple will have the opportunity to push its own maps app over those of its competitors (cough, cough, Google).

Finally, CarPlay will work in conjunction with other apps like Podcasts and some music services from third-parties like Beats Radio, iHeart Radio, Spotify and Stitcher. Based off of what we have seen so far, many believe that the evolution of this new Apple invention will be a gradual, hand-selected roll-out, which is similar to how Apple handled adding Apple TV software partners.

Check out a demo of the Apple CarPlay in action!

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2014/03/apple-carplay-system/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_cable

http://techcrunch.com/2014/03/03/apples-new-carplay-system-will-turn-tens-of-millions-of-cars-into-iphone-accessories/

Media:

http://cdn1.appleinsider.com/14.03.03-CarPlay-2.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESPyq6P9CdY

The post Siri Takes the Wheel with Apple’s Latest Invention appeared first on Davison.

Daylight Saving Time, or DST for short, is a change in the standard time with the purpose of getting better use out of the daylight hours. This is done by having the sun rise one hour later in the morning and set one hour later in the evening. This idea has only been used in the past hundred years, but the idea of DST was conceived many years prior.

Let’s start with the origin of DST. Ancient civilizations were known to practice a very similar process to the idea of DST when they would adjust their daily schedules according to the sun.

The question of when DST was first conceived still floats around and so, too, are the ideas of who started this concept. Some say it was by Benjamin Franklin in 1784 during his stay in Paris. This is when he published an essay titled, An Economical Project for Diminishing the Cost of Light (that’s a mouthful). This essay proposed to economize the use of candles by rising earlier, in order to make use of the morning sunlight.

Others believe that modern DST was first proposed by an entomologist from New Zealand by the name of George Vernon Hudson in 1895. Hudson presented a paper to the Wellington Philosophical Society that suggested a two-hour shift forward in October and a two-hour shift back in March. Although there was an interest in the idea, it was never carried out.

Although these two theories continue to swirl around today, the invention of DST can essentially be credited to William Willet. In 1905, he came up with the idea to move the clocks forward in the summer to take advantage of daylight in the mornings and the light in the  evenings.

His idea proposal suggested moving the clocks 80 minutes forward each of the four Sundays in April and then switching them back by the same amount of time on four Sundays in October.

This idea caught the eye of Robert Pearce, who then introduced a bill to the House of Commons in February 1907. In 1909, the first Daylight Saving Bill was drafted and presented to Parliament several times and then examined by a select committee. Unfortunately, Willet passed away in 1915 before he could ever see his idea come to fruition.

Willet’s reason behind DST was so that people could enjoy the sunlight more. However, when his idea came to life in World War I, it was for a different reason, to conserve energy in Germany. Weeks later, the United Kingdom followed and introduced “summer time.”

As some believe in the United Sates, DST was intended to benefit farmers. However, the agricultural industry was strongly against the time switch when it was first implemented on March 31, 1918 as a wartime measure. The clock wasn’t what dictated the farmers’ schedules; it was the sun. So, DST was a very disruptive practice, because the farmers had to wait an extra hour to do their daily tasks.

Did you know that both Arizona, with the exception of the state’s Navajo Nation, and Hawaii do not observe DST? Also, the U.S. territories of the American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands also remain on standard time all year.

Just as an aside, many people make the term’s second word plural (Daylight Savings Time). However, the word “saving” acts as a part of an adjective rather than a verb, so, the singular form of the word is grammatically correct!

We hope that you enjoyed today’s little history and grammar lesson on the idea and invention of Daylight Saving Time! Don’t forget to push your clocks forward on Sunday, March 9!

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

http://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/history.html

http://www.history.com/news/8-things-you-may-not-know-about-daylight-saving-time

Images:

http://sharing.turnto23.com/sharekmgh/photo/2013/03/08/daylight-saving-time_1362751519169_384005_ver1.0_640_480.jpg

http://images.npg.org.uk/800_800/1/2/mw103312.jpg

The post The ‘Light’ at the End of the Tunnel: Daylight Saving Time appeared first on Davison.

The idea for the invention of the Olympic torch stems back to the ancient Greeks’ belief that fire was given to humankind by Prometheus, who believed that fire had sacred qualities.

The Greeks held their Olympic Games in 776 B.C. and just like today, the Games were held every four years at Olympia. Albeit, the first Olympics honored Zeus and other Greek gods, the Olympics now obviously do not. At the time, the Olympics marked the beginning of a period of peace for the often-warring Greeks. The runners, also known as the “heralds of peace” at the beginning of the Games, would travel all throughout Greece, declaring a “sacred truce” to all wars between rival city-states. The truce would remain during the entirety of the Games, so that spectators could safely travel to the Olympics.

Now, the constant burning flame is used solely during today’s Games; however, throughout Greece at the time, the burning flame was a regular fixture.

Today, the journey of the Olympic torch begins well before the actual Games commence. It all begins with an invention idea that is stowed away in the mind(s) of the designer or group of designers. The Olympic Committee receives several design proposals that are reviewed in order to determine who will turn their idea into a reality and build the torch.

Just like any invention, a lot of thought goes into the process and the team whose design is selected must invent a torch that is both aesthetically pleasing and, most importantly, functional.

Inventing an aesthetically-pleasing torch seems to be the easy part; while, the functionality part takes a lot of work to ensure that the torch will not only stay lit across the distance, but also make it through some tough conditions.

The modern Olympic torch originated with John Hench, who was a Disney artist that designed the torch for the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California. From that point on, his torch design idea laid the foundation for all future torches.

Since then, future designers have tried to invent a torch that represents the host country, as well as the theme for that particular Olympics.

It takes about a year or two for the idea of the torch design to come to fruition. Once the torch is built, it is then tested rigorously in all sorts of weather conditions. Once it passes the tests, the torch is then replicated several times, because it isn’t just one torch that makes the journey into the Olympic stadium; it’s thousands. There can be anywhere between 10,000 to 15,000 torches that are created in order to accommodate the thousands of runners who carry the torches through each leg of the relay.

Despite the fact that the ideas for the torch design vary every four years, the torches must always contain some basic elements:

• Fuel to create the flame
• A fuel delivery system that will get the flame out of the top of the torch
• An aerodynamic design that is both lightweight and safe for a runner to carry

The 2014 Winter Olympics will come to a close on Sunday, February 23, and the torch that’s been lit throughout the duration of the Games will finally be extinguished. But, you better believe that the creative minds of designers already are bursting with ideas that “spark” their imaginations for the creation of the next Games’ torch!

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

• Infoplease.com
• Howstuffworks.com

The post The 2014 Winter Games are ‘Hot’ appeared first on Davison.

Aside from chocolates, flowers and a nice romantic dinner, jewelry also can be lumped into the category of classic Valentine’s Day treats. But, this year, if you are considering buying that someone special something special in the form of jewelry, take a look at this!

Rather than heading out to your local jeweler, how about you fire up your 3D design software! If you don’t have 3D printing capabilities of your own, perhaps, you can turn to Cambridge startup Matter.io to help you with designing and creating custom jewelry with a 3D printer.

But, unlike most 3D printers that generate objects that are made of plastic, chief executive Dylan Reid went a step above that idea and to make jewelry from metals such as brass, bronze, steel and sterling silver. These materials are more durable and are hopefully reminiscent of your strong bond with your significant other.

Some of the common 3D printers are MakerBot and Formlabs that mold liquid resins into plastic objects. However, Matter.io uses high-end printers that utilize thin layers of powdered metals, which are then zapped by lasers. Next, the metal filaments are heated and cooled and that is what creates the solid shapes. The laser-zapped powder is then layered and produces a piece of jewelry.

Or, what if this is the year you pop the question to your better half? Well, there’s a 3D printer for that, too!

There is one jeweler in the Big Apple that has big plans this year. One tech-thinking New York jeweler, by the name of American Pearl, is using 3D printing in order to let customers create their own customized pieces of gold, platinum and silver more quickly and cheaply than the traditional jewelry-making process. So, if popping the question is a last-minute decision for you this Valentine’s Day, you are in luck; because, you don’t even have to travel to New York to get the ring, you can order it online from your computer.

It may seem like the future of technology with 3D printing is upon us; but, the CEO of the company has cracked an important piece that is necessary for making 3D printing a mainstream service for consumers. He is putting the power of creation into the hands of the buyer by allowing the consumer to pick the size, type of gemstone, metal, color, the piece’s form and fitting.

American Pearl uses a Solidscape T76 3D printer that creates a wax model of the piece. That same model is then used to invent a thermoplastic sculpture of the piece that is followed by a mold constructed of latex, rubber or silicon, to which they pour gold to fashion the final piece.

So, as a final reminder, this Friday is Valentine’s Day; and, maybe this year you can use your creativity to think outside the ring box and surprise your loved one with a new piece of 3D printed jewelry!

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

http://www.boston.com/business/innovation/blogs/inside-the-hive/2014/02/05/the-new-valentine-day-gift-printed-jewelry/8dySIKPblLaYwDNGVGWXYN/blog.html

http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2013/12/12/for-that-someone-special-3d-printed-engagement-ring/

Images:

http://c.o0bc.com/rf/image_539o215/Boston/2011-2020/2014/02/05/Boston.com/Business/Images/ObeliskPendant.jpg

http://global.fncstatic.com/static/managed/img/Scitech/american%20pearl.jpg

The post Invent a 3D Valentine’s Day Present appeared first on Davison.

If you’re not much of a reader, but love to learn, a human library may be just the thing for you.

Nearly 15 years ago, a group of Danish activists had the idea to start a mobile library project to literally loan out people, instead of books. The idea behind their Human Library project was to promote dialogue and understanding among diverse audiences.

According to the Human Library website, the “books” or people are available to “loan out” for about 30 minutes or so, and vary by age sex and cultural background. So, whichever “book” you may choose, you are sure to learn something new!

It turns out that those young activists in 2000 were on to something bigger than even they may have realized. Human libraries now have spread across various countries worldwide.

In fact, not too far from our Pittsburgh headquarters, the University of Rochester in New York hosted their first human library last Saturday!

While we don’t know where the next Human Library may be, we do know that we love a good story and this innovative idea could have quite the shelf life!

Learn more about the Human Library project here.

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

http://designtaxi.com/news/363268/Human-Library-Loans-Out-Interesting-People-Who-Would-Tell-You-Stories/

The post Human Library Gives New Meaning to Judging a Book by its Cover appeared first on Davison.

But, before the idea of ketchup was even thought of, Henry Heinz first packaged freshly-grated horseradish. Unlike the packaging design we see today, his first product was packaged in a clear bottle, so that customers could see the purity of the product. This, in essence, was the first of his many innovations that would later come down the line.

Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the most poignant moments in Heinz Ketchup packaging design history!

In 1876, the first bottle of Heinz Ketchup was created and made its debut. But, it wasn’t until 1890 that the iconic packaging design of the glass bottle that we see today began to take shape.

Ketchup lovers, eat your hearts out, because in 1970, the Heinz Company introduced some “big” changes in packaging design, when the 32-ounce “Keg O’ Ketchup” made it to store shelves.

Thirteen years later in 1983, the innovation of Heinz rose to the surface when the company released their innovative packaging design of the first squeezable Heinz Ketchup bottle.

Innovative packaging design wasn’t solely devoted to the original Heinz ketchup bottle; rather, in 2000, the company developed green ketchup in EZ Squirt bottles to appeal to kids. It wasn’t a surprise when the new packaging designed geared towards kids became a huge hit.

If you were to open your refrigerator at this very moment, chances are good that you would have an upside-down bottle of Heinz Ketchup. However, this innovative packaging design of the upside-down bottle didn’t appear on the market until 2001; and, since then, customers have loved the convenience and easy storage that this particular packaging design offers.

When you hear dip and squeeze, you might think you are in the midst of an aerobics class. However, in 2010, Dip & Squeeze Ketchup was born and offered fast-food consumers three times the amount of ketchup, as opposed to traditional 9-gram packages.  The following year, the product was introduced to store shelves everywhere and once again offered consumers an added element of convenience and the freedom to take Heinz Ketchup anywhere they pleased.

Now, most Heinz ketchup packaging designs are that of the squeezable bottle. However, glass bottles are still in diners and restaurants everywhere. In last week’s blog, we talked about companies that are following the green initiative and Heinz ketchup is another great example of a big brand trying to make a big difference in the environment. In 2012, the company released their PlantBottle packaging design, which is made from up to 30 percent renewable plant material and is 100 percent recyclable.

Throughout the world, Heinz sells over 650 million bottles annually. In addition to their iconic brand and their prominence on store shelves, audiences everywhere should keep an eye out during the 2014 Super Bowl, because Heinz will air its first halftime commercial in 16 years! We can’t wait to see how much creativity Heinz has “squeezed” into their 30-second spot!

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

• Heinz.com
• Fastcodesign.com
• Heinzketchup.com

The post Iconic Packaging Design: Heinz Ketchup appeared first on Davison.

Let’s take a look at some creative and out-of-the-box packaging designs and how these products stand out among other brands!

Toblerone- The triangular-shape of Toblerone candy has a very distinct packaging design and has become a symbol of Switzerland and airport duty-free shops.

The unusual shape of this packaging design is very commonly mistaken to be inspired by the Swiss Alps, more specifically, the Matterhorn. However, the candy’s creator, Theodor Tobler, based the idea of his packaging design on the Folies Bergere in Paris, whose dancers ended their performances in a pyramid formation.

In 1908, the Tobler Company came up with the honey and almond nougat recipe and its unique shape, which was patented a year later. It’s rumored that the person who granted the Tobler’s the patent was Albert Einstein, who at the time worked at the Swiss patent office.

EOS- So there you are in your local drug store, searching high and low for the perfect lip balm; you see different tubes, some in little cardboard boxes and others perfectly lined up, waiting for you to pick one up. Nothing catches your eye, until you see a little egg-shaped container that instantly puts a smile on your face. That’s exactly what Evolution of Smooth, otherwise known as EOS, was working towards when they created their egg-shaped packaging design for their product. Also known as the “Smooth Sphere,” EOS wanted to create a unique packaging design that would make the consumer smile.

Pringles Can- You’ve probably heard it before, “Once you pop, the fun don’t stop;” although they are lacking in the grammar department, the Pringles brand is excelling in the chip aisle. Aside from their taste and variety of flavors, Pringles are primarily known for their packaging, the tubular paperboard can that is lined with foil and a plastic lid. This package design stands out among the countless brands that package their product in bags. Throughout the years, Pringles have turned to advertising campaigns that compared their product to conventional potato chips. For instance, they were once marketed as the “Newfangled Potato Chips” and had a small silver pop-top to open the can. Since the 1980s, those pop-top cans have been replaced with foil tops. The Pringles remained fresh and unbroken and the package design of the can holds as many chips as a bag. Their curvy shape allows them to be stackable, which was the inspiration of their slogan, “Other potato chips just don’t stack up.” Touché Pringles; we see what you did there.

The stand-out packaging design of the Pringles tube was invented by Fredric J. Baur, an organic chemist and food storage technician, who specialized in research and development and quality control for Cincinnati-based P & G.

From triangular-shaped chocolate, spherical lip balm and a can of potato chips, these are just a few of the creative and out-of-the-box packaging designs that stand out among other brands because of their unusual shapes and sizes!

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

http://www.dailyglow.com/eos-lip-balm-the-egg-and-the-mystery-exposed.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pringles#Marketing

http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk/article/1141350/champions-design-toblerone

Images:

http://creativeroots.org/2009/06/toblerone-packaging/

http://www.essence.com/2012/04/06/miracle-worker-eos-organic-lip-balm-smooth-spheres/

http://www.bubblews.com/news/415838-pringles

The post These Products are Breaking the Packaging Design Mold appeared first on Davison.

From sparkly tinsel to tasty peppermint candy canes, the holidays, especially around Christmastime, are filled with joyful and merry inventions that add a little flair to your celebrations.

Let’s take a look at some of the sweet and festive Christmas inventions that will fill you with joy and cheer!

Tinsel-. Although, it is still a little unclear about where tinsel was first invented, many people agree that it was first made in Germany in the 1600s.

Tinsel was originally created by hammering out a paper thin silver alloy that was then cut into strips. Its first use was not only to decorate Christmas trees, but, it also was used as a common decoration for anything that needed some extra shine and glisten.

At its inception, candles, lanterns and fireplaces were the main sources of light in homes and reflective surfaces were, many times, used in order to maximize the light in the room, thus making shiny tinsel a great light source as well.

At the time, the same tinsel was used year in and year out; and, although that was a good idea, the truth of the matter is, silver has the tendency to tarnish. By the 1920s, the invention received a facelift and there was ultimately a better way to make tinsel that wouldn’t tarnish; thus, aluminum base began to be used. By the 1950s, the aluminized paper proved to be a fire hazard when paired with lots of lights and decorations on a dry Christmas tree.

The tinsel that we use today is made from Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). Although there are environmental concerns about the new materials used to create tinsel, we can definitely say that this invention glistens with innovation.

Electric lights- Take a spin around your neighborhood during the month of December and you’ll be sure to see houses decked out in sparkly lights. These decorations have been around for quite some time, but the idea of illuminating trees started in the middle of the17th century when small candles were used to light them.

As you can imagine, burning candles on a tree probably wasn’t the smartest or safest idea; however, during the time, the candles did the trick to add a festive touch to the holidays.

By 1882, the first Christmas tree was illuminated by the use of electricity. Edward Johnson found a better way to light a Christmas tree without open flames burning on a tree. To find a solution to the problem of trees catching on fire from the open flames, Johnson invented the safer, more efficient invention of the very first strand of electric lights. His invention was first used when he lit up a Christmas tree in New York City with 80 small electric light bulbs.

The invention of electric lights on a string was mass produced around 1890 and by 1900, department stores began using lights for their Christmas displays.

Now, thanks to Johnson, houses, store fronts, Christmas trees and many more things continue to be illuminated by this bright invention.

Candy canes- What’s red and white and minty all over? If you guessed a candy cane, you are right! Although legends continue to swirl (pun intended) about the origins of this ‘sweet’ invention, the first historically-recorded mention of this holiday treat was from the year 1670 in Germany. It is said that the invention of the candy cane came to be when a choirmaster bent sticks into the shape of a shepherd’s cane to hand out to kids. However, the first mention of candy canes in America wasn’t until 1847 when a German-Swedish immigrant to Ohio used them to decorate a spruce.

In contrast to the candy canes that we know today, the original canes were all white. It wasn’t until the 20^th century that the red stripes were added. The invention of the candy cane began to catch on in the 1920s when Bob McCormack began using the candy as Christmas treats for the community in Albany, Georgia.  In the 1950s, his brother-in-law invented a machine that automated the process.  As years went on and technology advanced, McCormack’s descendants created packaging advances that allowed them to ship the fragile canes to people around the world, turning their company, Bobs Candies Inc., into the world’s largest producer of candy.

Glistening tinsel, sparkling lights and minty candy canes are only a few examples of some of the most festive holiday inventions that are commonly used around this time of the year.

‘Tis the season to use these festive inventions!

Copyright Davison 2013

Sources:

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-history-christmas-tinsel-tinsel-today-2026233.html?cat=30

http://inventors.about.com/od/cstartinventions/a/Xmas_Lights.htm

http://www.loc.gov/rr/scitech/mysteries/christmaslights.html

http://news.thomasnet.com/IMT/2010/12/14/the-origins-of-7-holiday-inventions/

Images:

http://www.hdwallpapersinn.com/festive-christmas-lights-wallpapers.html

http://rocktonchamber.com/candy-cane-craft-show/

http://tinsel.turbosquid.com/3d-Models/3ds/max/xsi/c4d/obj

The post ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Inventions appeared first on Davison.