If you’re working on an invention idea or product improvement, studying how everyday products changed can help you spot opportunities, refine features, and create a more practical solution.

Where do some inventors get the inspiration they need in order to revolutionize a product? The simple answer would be nature. Nature has solved most of the problems we face with evolution over the years. While most products change many times between concept and production, occasionally a product makes it all the way to market before it’s changed, looking nothing like the original product. These are just a few examples of how some items we now know and love had a bit of a rocky (and sometimes dangerous) start.

THE PLAYPEN

You’ve probably seen a photo like the one above depicting a toddler sitting in a cage hanging from a window. This cage is attached to an apartment window in the city, with only a few wires and handles keeping the cage secure. Baby cages were a way to give babies fresh air in the city without making parents (gasp!) take their kids outside. Eventually, however, safety concerns caused the baby cage to lose popularity. The concept was retooled to use wood instead of metal, have a soft floor, and (thankfully) only be used on the ground. These versions are still in use today, now called playpens.

THE TOASTER

As long as there’s been fire, there have been people cooking over it. Toasting items over flames has remained a popular pastime–if the enduring legacy of toast is anything to go by. Originally, toast was made by placing bread on long forks and holding it over an open flame or grill. The first electric toaster would place the bread against a heating mechanism on one side, requiring the cook to manually turn it once it reached the desired doneness. It wasn’t until the early 20^th century that a toaster was developed that toasted both sides of the bread at the same time.

PLAY-DOH

The popular molding dough for kids was originally marketed with the slogan “Good, Clean Fun!” This is no accident. Play-Doh began life as Kutol Products’ wallpaper cleaner: a mixture of water, salt, and flour. Cleo and Noah McVicker first introduced the cleaner in 1933 and Cleo’s son Joseph saw how students were using the compound as modeling clay in 1955. The following year, Rainbow Crafts (a subsidiary of Kutol) was established with their trademark product, Play-Doh.

THE VACUUM

Imagine a vacuum so large it required a horse-drawn wagon to move. This was the reality with the 19^th century’s first “portable” vacuum. Unlike its predecessors, which were powered by hand, this behemoth used a motor and gasoline. A truly portable vacuum was introduced in the 20^th century, once again powered by hand. These units were soon electrified by James Spangler, with disposable filter bags following in time. Bags and the traditional upright, cylindrical design wouldn’t last long, however. Now we don’t even need to manually operate our vacuums. The Roomba can find the mess and clean it up without human interaction–until it’s time to empty it.

THE FRISBEE

A favorite of college kids and beach-going families alike, the Frisbee wasn’t always the flying disc we use each summer. The disc itself was invented in 1871 by William Frisbie, owner of the Frisbie Pie Company. Students at the university nearby would throw the empty pie tins, yelling “Frisbie!” to warn others to catch it. Wham-O, the same company behind the Hula Hoop, later rebranded their existing Flying Saucer toy to “Frisbee,” an homage (albeit misspelled) of the pie company’s name.

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WHY IT’S IMPORTANT

You may be thinking that your invention idea is enough to sell on its own even without sketches. It’s unlikely, and it just makes every subsequent step harder. Additionally, sketching has far more benefits beyond being a visual aid to help you tell your story. Sketching is an excellent brainstorming activity and can help you further visualize ideas you may already have. It’s cheap and effective, even when it’s not enormously detailed. Remember: sketches are not drawings. They’re simple, with minimal detail.  You don’t need color or multiple pens and pencils. It’s just the basic concept laid out in visual form.

Having sketches of your work also makes it easier to communicate. Some concepts are difficult to get across verbally. Having an image as a supplement makes communication less of a chore. It also aids in collaboration, as colleagues can actively see and comment on your project. People may interpret your words differently, but a sketch is more universal. It also allows for faster iterations and changes, even if you have an existing prototype. That’s another thing to keep in mind: sketching isn’t prototyping. Prototypes take time, money, and effort. Sketches require far fewer resources.

HOW TO IMPROVE

The most common piece of advice you’ll hear for any skill is “practice, practice, practice.” And it’s true: the more you work at a skill, the more you’ll improve. Painter Bob Ross once said, “Talent is a pursued interest. In other words, anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do.” Therefore, if you want to make better sketches, make as many as you can. Sketch whenever you have a free moment. Doodle in the margins of your notebook. Scribble on a napkin at a restaurant.

That being said, there are a few more specific tips we can give you. First, be messy. You’re not creating a masterpiece. It’s okay if there are overlapping lines or eraser marks. Taking field notes may also prove useful, depending on what sort of invention you’re working on. Consider practicing making pen sketches: it’ll prove useful if you’re ever without a pencil when inspiration strikes.

One common recommendation for artistic sketchers is to try precision, i.e. inventive, sketching. Using a different skill set broadens your options and gives you more freedom and experience. The same is true in reverse. Try recreating a garden scene or a loved one’s face in your sketchbook. It may not be the most flattering likeness, but it’s still practice.

If you’re especially passionate about polishing your sketches, you might want to consider taking a class in sketching. Plenty of art and business schools offer courses in inventive or production sketching. Websites like Skillshare also host seminars on the topic. This is a great step if you want your sketches to be above and beyond in quality.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The value of a good sketch can’t be overstated. It’s invigorating, helpful, and even fun. Having a unique, useful idea will always be the most important factor, but coupled with visuals, it becomes something more. It makes the product feel real long before the prototype phase. Sketching is a skill any good inventor- any good creative type, really- should consider having.

Many people struggle to draw a stick figure, but if you can get it down on paper it will be easier to talk about. If you have the time and you have several ideas a class might be a great place to start. Not everyone can be Bob Ross, but everyone can have an idea. Find out what kind of inventor you are today by taking our inventor quiz!

The post How (and Why) to Improve Your Sketches appeared first on Davison.

THE INTERNET

Granted, it’s somewhat difficult to patent a concept like the internet, but Sir Tim Berners-Lee made a conscious decision not to accept royalties. He believed the World Wide Web should be freely available to the masses, leading him to never seek a patent on the website he first launched in 1991. In fact, a major contributing factor to why he won the 2004 Millenium Technology Prize was because he recognized how much his creation would contribute to humanity. When accepting his award, he insists the internet never would have succeeded if he charged for his invention: “If I had tried to demand fees…there would be no World Wide Web. There would be lots of small webs.”

THE COMPUTER MOUSE

The computer mouse was patented, at least for a short while. Douglas Engelbart first invented the mouse in 1963, but the patent expired in 1987, just before it would explode in popularity in the mainstream. He never sought out royalties, however, and passed away in 2013. Still, his invention is one that we continue to use daily. Fun fact: the first mouse was carved out of wood and only had one button…because that’s all there was room for.

EMOTICONS

The very first smiley, as they were once called, was designed by American artist Harvey Ball. His task was to design an image to boost morale at an insurance company in 1963, but it quickly spread outside of the office. Ball declined to register a copyright and was paid only $45 for the original design. Of course, emoticons and smileys would eventually evolve into emojis, a movement in their own right. According to Wikipedia, Ball’s smiley has three unique features: “Narrow oval eyes (with the right slightly larger than the one on the left), a bright sunny yellow color, and a mouth that is not a perfect arc.” When Ball died in 2001, the land owned by his family was purchased by the city of Worcester, MA and the “Harvey Ball Conservation Area” was created with the aptly named “Smiley Face Trail.”

THE KARAOKE MACHINE

We have Daisuke Inoue to thank for the staple of Japanese bars and teenage sleepovers the world over. His invention, the karaoke machine, is one of the most accessible and recognizable pieces of technology available to people of all incomes. But he never patented it, leading him to never benefit from the sales globe-wide- or the slew of cheap imitators and knockoffs. The word karaoke, in case you were wondering, actually means “empty orchestra” and the most popular song requested by budding singers is “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson.

THE ASSAULT RIFLE

Whether you agree with the existence of AK-47s or not, you must acknowledge their importance in history. In 1947, Mikhail Kalashnikov invented the weapon and it went into production. The original manufacturer for the gun has the patent, however, not Kalashnikov. He claims he created it for the good of his country and wanted no profit off it. Kalashnikov, who died in 2013, was also a lifelong poet and author of six books.

TETRIS

Strictly speaking, Tetris was patented- but the rights were owned by the Soviet Union. Alexey Pajitnov didn’t see any royalties until 1996 when he and Henk Rogers formed The Tetris Company. The name Tetris is a combination of the German prefix tetra- (which means four) and Patijnov’s favorite sport, tennis. In 1993, Tetris became the first video game in space when a Russian cosmonaut brought his Gameboy and Tetris game on a mission to the space station Mir.

MATCHES

Much like with Berners-Lee, chemist John Walker wanted to ensure his idea was free to the masses. His invention? The matchstick–able to create and transport fire with ease, even without a candle or other source nearby. The exact date of creation has been lost, but we know it to be sometime in the 1820s. In the 1970s, Walker’s hometown of Stockton-on-Tees attempted to commemorate him with a statute. Twenty years later, it was realized that the statute actually matched the likeness of a different man whose name was also John Walker and who happened to look similar to the town hero. The mistake was realized after consulting with the National Portrait Gallery and the statue was removed.

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES

In 1975, Cesar Milstein was given the chance to patent his medical breakthrough after being approached by Tony Vickers. Milstein agreed, but the National Research Development Corporation failed to file the patent due to being unable to “identify any immediate application.”  Today, six out of the ten best selling modern drugs are monoclonal antibodies. Milstein and his partner, Georges Kohler, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984 for their discovery.

MAGNETIC STRIP

We have Ron Klein to thank for the modern credit card. Before his creation, stores had to check numbers manually. Klein took the tape from reel-to-reels, created a scanner to read it, then affixed it to a plastic card. While he never patented the tech, his story was a successful one: his hundreds of other inventions have kept him rolling in royalties and is commonly known as “the grandfather of possibilities.”

FIDGET SPINNERS

Another case of “was patented, it lapsed, and then it exploded.” Catherine Hettinger first created the toy/fad but had to let her patent lapse when she couldn’t afford the $400 fee. Then, just last year, it became the hottest new meme and cheap rip-offs (and expensive luxury versions) were sold everywhere. A pity, because fidget spinners (when they’re of a decent quality) are fairly therapeutic. As a matter of fact, as smaller manufacturers began making fidget spinners, they were used as a tool for kids who struggle with behavioral issues such as ADHD, autism, and anxiety.

Should you seek out a patent for your idea? Maybe. But don’t be deterred if you can’t. After all, plenty of other ideas haven’t been, and they’ve survived just fine.

The post Inventions That Are (Surprisingly) Not Patented appeared first on Davison.

Before the Constitution, British colonial law and custom governed patents. Inventors could appeal to their local governments to secure commercial rights to their products. The earliest of these rights was in 1641, in Massachusetts, to Samuel Winslow for his salt-making method. By the end of the 18^th century, states began passing laws for general patents rather than relying on the case-by-case system. South Carolina holds the distinction for passing the first general patent act, “An Act for the Encouragement of Arts and Sciences.”

As for federal laws, the Constitution has a provision in Article I, Section 8: “The Congress shall have Power… To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.” This was followed by the Patent Act of 1790, which gave the right to issue patents to three figures. Only the Secretary of State, the Secretary of War, or the Attorney General could give their consent, and an applicant needed the approval of at least two before acceptance.

The Patent Act of 1790 was repealed or modified twice, once in 1793 and again in 1836. Both Acts made obtaining a patent much easier but at the cost of quality of the product being patented. It was the Act of 1836 that finally established the Patent Office and freed the Secretary of State from the overwhelming task of granting patents. Instead, a new role was created: the Commissioner of Patents.  The first commissioner was a man named Henry Leavitt Ellsworth. He was considered a forward-thinking man and early adapter to technology. Ellsworth granted patents for inventions such as Samuel Colt’s first revolver and Samuel Morse’s telegraph.

After 1836, only a few notable events occurred. A law was passed for patents to be submitted in double after a fire destroyed most of the patents, but this was dropped after the office started printing. In 1849, the Patent Office was shifted from the State Department to the Department of the Interior. It would remain there until 1925 when it was transferred to its current home of the Department of Commerce.

People began to view patents as monopolies sometime during the 1890 depression (and this viewpoint repeated itself during the Great Depression of the 1930s). To combat these fears, Senator John Sherman proposed the Sherman Antitrust Act. Designed to prevent the restriction of trade or supply that would result in monopolies, it was signed into law by President Benjamin Harrison on July 2^nd, 1890. It should be pointed out that “innocent monopolies”- i.e., ones that occurred solely through merit- were still perfectly legal.

Not much changed regarding patents until 1952, when the entire structure was overturned. The applicant now had to describe their invention and their basis for its potential infringement. Additionally, the invention had to be useful, new, and non-obvious.” It was enacted to ensure the knowledge of an area wouldn’t be limited to only a select few.

The public stance on patents became positive again through the 1980s and 1990s, helped in part by the new Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. This was to replace the out-dated Court of Customs and Patent Appeals. Most notably, it sought to give inventors more protections over their ideas.

The last major change was in 2011 after the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act was passed. It swapped the system from “first to invent has the rights to the patent” to “the first inventor to file has the rights.” Before its passing, the United States had been the final country to use a “first to invent” system. The AIA also added reforms to prevent interference proceedings. Currently, utlity patents last for 20 years, starting from the filing date.

With the number of new inventions and discoveries each year, it’s almost certain patent law will evolve again in the future. For now, though, the broad and storied history of the protection of ideas is secure and working hard to keep visionaries and their creations safe.

Where would we be if in 1641 Samuel Winslow didn’t appeal to the Massachusetts local government for rights to his salt-making production process?
How about the Act of 1836 that created the Patent Office, and gave the position of Commissioner of Patents to Henry Ellsworth, a forward-thinking man? As you can see from above, inventors have always had different ways of thinking. Do you know your inventor personality? You may be an everyday Edison or perhaps a dynamic or critical inventor. Take our quiz below to find out which one you are!

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THE WHEEL (approx. 3100 BC)

While the inventor’s name might have been lost to history, their creation most certainly has lived on. The wheel is a natural inclusion on this list for how it revolutionized travel and trade. But it’s the wheel’s use outside of transportation that is truly remarkable. Many machines and devices use wheels, like pulleys, centrifuges, water wheels, and jet engines. Without the wheel, many inventions we now take for granted would’ve never existed.

THE AUTOMOBILE (1885)

Speaking of wheels, the most obvious use of wheels today is another boon that changed travel forever. Between the four wheels of the chassis to the steering wheel, the automobile gave people a chance to travel without spending a fortune or huge amounts of time. Henry Ford and Karl Benz may not have invented the car, but it’s their contributions that are most widely remembered and made automobiles accessible to the public. Ask yourself: how much harder would modern life be without a car?

THE COMPUTER (20^th century)

If you’re reading this, then it means you have one of two entries on this list: a computer. Again, there’s no exact inventor of the computer, but Alan Turing is largely considered one of the most influential people to computer sciences in general. Computers themselves have given us more than just video games and word processors; without them, we would’ve never landed on the moon or sequenced the human genome. Of course, most computers benefited greatly from the dawn of…

THE INTERNET (1960s)

AKA: The other component needed to read this blog post. Society is still reeling from the internet’s invention, with our approaches to communication, entertainment, and information all being upended. For this reason, it’s impossible to really describe just how it’s impacted the globe since the process is still ongoing. Nevertheless, the rapid change to global expectations on nearly all fronts makes the internet an obvious choice for this list.

COMMUNICATION (1836)

While we’re on the subject, communication surely qualifies as world-changing. While the term is broad, here it means “telephone, radio, and television” (although some might want to include the advent of language, both written and oral). Thanks to the telephone, you could speak to anybody, anywhere, at any time. The radio and television radicalized entertainment and newscasting, bringing it right into our homes without the need for a newspaper or cinema. While all three have suffered declines in popularity thanks to the internet, the internet wouldn’t exist without these forefathers.

REFRIGERATION (1876)

What’s for dinner? Before refrigeration, whatever you bought or caught that day would answer the question. Iceboxes were the first attempts at mainstream refrigeration but had to be restocked with ice daily and couldn’t last as long in the summer months. Now, the cold is completely artificially manufactured, allowing us to store meats and dairy products safely year-round. It’s also possible to transport ingredients across the globe, even in the most brutal of heats. And we can’t forget the greatest benefit here: being able to eat ice cream in the summer.

THE PLOW (approx. 3500 B.C)

The planet is resistant to change. Trying to dig up fertile soil to raise plants used to be back-breaking and slow before the plow was introduced. It may not be as flashy as some other entries on this list, but the plow allowed people to plant larger plots of land and move from subsistence farming to farming for trade. Interest in trade caused further developments in transportation, numbers, written language, and the construction of shelters and markets for agricultural products. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to claim that the plow is responsible for a blossoming of human civilization.

THE LIGHTBULB (1870s)

Up at dawn, asleep by dusk: this is how humans lived before lightbulbs. Even with candles, the flames were limited in range and only lasted for so long. The creation of Thomas Edison (and Nikola Tesla, but that’s another story…) is less notable for its power of light, however. It’s how it introduced electricity to every home- something that many appliances we now take for granted need in order to run.

STEAM ENGINE (1781)

If you wanted to travel prior to the steam engine, you had to dedicate days, even weeks to get to your destination. With a train, however, journeys took less time and didn’t require stops at night for the animals. We can thank James Watt for adding an additional condenser to a Newcomen engine in 1769 for this steam-powered wonder, the face of the industrial revolution.

THE PRINTING PRESS AND MOVABLE (1430s)

Before printing presses, books were for the wealthy and royal alone. Johannes Gutenberg brought literature out of the era of hand-copied manuscripts and eventually revolutionized communication, education, and entertainment. Without the printing press, many later inventions wouldn’t be possible. Think about it…how could we put together Ikea furniture without those easy-to-follow instructions by our side?

Where would these life-changing inventions be if it wasn’t for the inventors behind them? Every inventor has their own personality and approach to coming up with ideas. Do you know your inventing personality? You may be an everyday Edison or perhaps a dynamic or critical inventor. Take our quiz below to find out which one you are!

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If ever there was an appropriate time to quote Will Smith, this is the season.  What do you think of when you think of summer?  Let’s sit back and unwind with a little history lesson of inventions that are staples in most people’s summertime experience.

1.) Ice Cream Cone. The first ice cream cone was made in 1896 by Italian immigrant Italo Marchiony. He was given a patent for his cone in 1903. However, it was introduced to the world during the 1904 St. Louis World Fair by Ernest Hamwi, who was selling a waffle-like pastry next to an ice cream vendor. The ice cream vendor ran out of dishes, and Hamwi solved the problem by rolling one of his waffles into the shape of a cone.

2.) Hammocks were used for many years by Native Americans, and Christopher Columbus made note of them in his native voyage saying, “A great many Indians in canoes came to the ship to-day for the purpose of bartering their cotton, and hamacas, or nets, in which they sleep.”

3.) Pool Noodles. The first foam water toy was known as a “water woggle” and was created by Koswell Holdings in the 1980s. Pool noodles are almost identical to the insulation used for pipes and people have used them inside buildings to save money. Our favorite alternate use? Sword fights.

4.) Flip Flops. Not far from the pool noodle display at the store, you’re likely to find a bin of flip flops. Flip flops date back to ancient Egyptians sporting them in 1500 BC, but they gained major popularity in the United States when World War II soldiers returning from Japan brought them back. Their popularity began to surge in the 1960s and, in 2009, flip flops were a $20 billion-dollar industry…that’s impressive considering you can usually buy a pair for a dollar.

5.) Perhaps one of the oldest summertime inventions, evidence of skewer usage was found at a 300,000-year-old site in Germany. Today, skewers make eating at fairs and theme parks a breeze because what’s easier than walking around with meat on a stick?

6.) Besides waiting 45 minutes after you eat to go swimming, the only other rule of summer is to make sure you wear sunscreen. That SPF number you see everywhere? It was created in the 1960s by Franz Greiter and has become the standard in measuring the effectiveness of sunscreen. SPF is the fraction of sunburn-producing UV rays that reach your skin. So, an SPF-15 means that 1/15 of the radiation will reach your skin after applying a layer of sunscreen.

7.) Swim Goggles. These have been traced back to the 14th century. Persians would use tortoise shells to cover their eyes when diving for pearls. In the 1960s, swimmers would make goggles themselves out of plastic cups they attached to their heads with elastic. But starting in the 1970s, goggles began evolving into the form we see now.

8.) Slip N Slide. The Slip N Slide was first introduced in the 1960s by toy manufacturers Wham-O. It was invented by Robert Carrier. It’s one of the most popular summertime activities, with sales reaching over 30 million. Measuring three feet wide and twenty feet long, It’s a great choice for cooling off when you don’t have access to a pool.

9.) Air Conditioning. Yeah, it’s fun to spend time in the great outdoors in the summer…but it’s also great to cool off inside. The first large-scale electrical A/C unit was invented and used in 1902 by American inventor Willis Carter.

10.) Lemonade Stand. Summertime is the best time for the budding entrepreneur to start a business. Lemonade stands pop up on most streets at some point in the summer, and, once again, we can trace the drink back to the Egyptians. It was Paris company Compagnie de Limonadiers, however, who, in 1676, were first granted monopoly rights to sell lemonade. Vendors back then carried the drink in tanks on their backs, which is much less adorable than 5-year olds selling it at a table with homemade signs, yelling at you to stop as you drive by.

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Creativity – the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.

Persistence – firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

By tapping into our inner creativity, we enable ourselves to brainstorm and think of original ideas. Is there a problem you’ve wanted to solve? Can you think of a better way to do something? Once we channel our inner creativity and think of an idea, it then comes down to persistence. Will you give up easily or decide it’s okay to fail your way forward? Do you believe enough in yourself and your idea to keep going?

The lesson is to keep believing in yourself and your idea! We know it’s possible to turn ideas into reality and create “a better way” for two reasons. Our professional team at Davison works with real idea people every day to help move their invention ideas forward. Also, simply take a look back throughout the years to remember the many great inventors and innovators who’ve done it before us. Use their powerful words to motivate the inventor and innovator within yourself.

“Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That’s not the place to become discouraged.”

– Thomas Edison

“I do not think there is any thrill that can go through the human heart like that felt by the inventor as he sees some creation of the brain unfolding to success.”

– Nikola Tesla

“The only true test of values, either of men or of things, is that of their ability to make the world a better place in which to live.”

– Henry Ford

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.” 

– Benjamin Franklin

Have these Thursday thoughts inspired the inventor within you? Confidentially submit your idea today.

Copyright Davison, 2017

Images:

http://www.biography.com/people/thomas-edison-9284349

http://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/almanac/hall_of_fame/henry_ford

http://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/almanac/hall_of_fame/benjamin_franklin

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Perhaps you’ve been in a situation like this before, you’ve just sat down to a meal at KFC and as soon as you pick up your first piece of fried chicken, your phone lights up with a notification of some sort. At this point, your hands are covered in grease and you’re faced with the decision to keep eating or attempt to use your phone without getting too much grease on the screen.

Well, the fast food chain noticed this problem and, in turn, wanted to find a solution. So, KFC came up with Tray Typers, which were Bluetooth keyboards that were installed into food trays. The trays would sync with the customers’ smartphones and tablets, so KFC lovers could enjoy their meal without missing a text.

This advertising campaign only lasted a week in its locations in Germany; and, during that week, each order came with the tray for those patrons who decided to dine-in.

The paper-thin, wireless Tray Typer was resistant to liquids and grease, so if a person accidentally spilled their soda or dropped a piece of chicken on their tray, it didn’t pose any problems. In fact, the keyboards were disposable and could be reused and recharged via USB.

As intriguing as the Tray Typers were, we won’t be seeing them in the United States.

Sadly enough, KFC lovers in America will just have to find a Better Way to eat KFC and use their smartphone on their own! But, as The Verge described it, this invention was “finger clickin’ good!”

Copyright Davison, 2015

Sources:

http://mashable.com/2015/05/20/kfc-tray-typer-bluetooth-keyboard/

http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/19/8624295/kfc-tray-typer-wireless-bluetooth-keyboard

Media:

https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/quckpYH7wY9MZoHkeMgwrrZUfm8=/1020×0/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3709142/KFC_TRAYTYPER_1.0.jpg

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Every day, a new innovative invention is being developed by people from all walks of life.

But, since last Monday was Presidents’ Day, we thought we would stick with the presidential theme and take a look back at a few of the innovations that some of our fearless leaders invented!

Let’s start with the only president who’s held a patent. We’re looking at you, Abraham Lincoln!

Did you know that Abe Lincoln, our 16^th president, became so frustrated with his own boats getting stuck on sandbars that he thought of a bellows-like mechanism that inflates to help lift the boat over obstacles? Though most of us might not be able to relate to this issue, Lincoln was definitely a forward-thinker and found a better way to overcome obstacles!

Among all of the presidents thus far, Thomas Jefferson is perhaps the most creative, despite the fact that he never patented his ideas. However, that’s beside the point. His idea of the wheel cipher, known as the Jefferson disk, was a standout. This invention allowed him to send coded messages back to his home, all the while he was serving as America’s minister to France. That sounds a lot like a precursor to texting if you ask us!

Have you ever thought while on a hike, “Wow, I really wish my walking stick had a microscope?” If so, you have the same mindset as America’s fourth president James Madison did when he came up with this unusual invention. This invention combined a microscope into a walking stick, which would allow nature lovers to get a closer, better look at the interesting things around them.  Take a look at this invention in the image above from Mashable!

Last, but not least, although Theodore Roosevelt never actually invented anything, he did inspire a childhood classic, the teddy bear. In fact, Roosevelt gave permission to use his name to toymaker Morris Michtom, who then based his design off of the editorial cartoons of Clifford Berryman. So, the next time you snuggle up with your teddy bear, just think, you’re holding on to a piece of American history!

These are only a few U.S. presidents that have had an invention idea; and, we must admit that from an invention that solves the problem of a boat getting stuck to the classic childhood toy of the teddy bear, these presidents are definitely an inspiration for innovation!

Copyright Davison, 2015

Sources:

http://mashable.com/2015/02/16/presidential-inventions/

Media:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Lincoln_patent_drawings.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Jefferson%27s_disk_cipher.jpg

http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyMDE1LzAyLzEyLzIwL3dhbGtpbmdzdGljLjQ0MWU0LmpwZwpwCXRodW1iCTg1MHg4NTA-CmUJanBn/a5fda4e4/936/walking-stick-microscope.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/231/493827383_4e113e6fd0_z.jpg?zz=1

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So, when Felicia Marshal came to Davison with a Better Way to alert parents, who may have forgotten a child in the car, we got to work.

We designed the Sound of Life alarm system, a two-piece system that sets off the car alarm when the engine is off, the doors are locked and a child is still sitting inside.

“It is triggered by any motion, any weight, any body heat… It would automatically sound your car alarm to let you know the child has been left inside,” said Marshal, when she recently took her Sound of Life idea to a Florida news station.

The NBC affiliate, First Coast News in Green Cove Springs, Florida, told Marshal’s entire story during one of their newscasts.

“One day returning from the store, Marshall said she was in such a rush to get the [groceries] out of the vehicle [that] she thought her mom had taken the child out of the car seat, but she did not and it went unnoticed for a few minutes.

“‘I had heard a lot of stories prior to that and it really didn’t bother me because I am one of those parents who says I’m always on top of everything,’ she said. ‘But once it happened to me I was thinking someone needs to do something about it.’”

Of course, that’s when Marshal took matters into her own hands and sought out our help. She also told First Coast News about that.

Pay close attention to Marshal’s story, particularly at the end, when they refer to the “Pittsburgh company” that designed the idea. Spoiler alert: it’s us!

Congratulations to Marshal, another Davison client who dared to invent and is following her invention dreams!

Read Marshal’s entire story here.

Copyright Davison 2014

Sources:

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/story/news/local/2014/07/29/mom-designs-alarm-child-hot-car-sound-of-life/13336301/

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