product evolution

Many inventions don’t start as brand-new ideas—they start as improvements. In this article, we’ll look at how existing products evolved over time and what inventors can learn from redesign, safety upgrades, and better user experiences. If you’re working on an invention idea or product improvement, studying how everyday products changed can help you spot opportunities, …

Are you ready for some… protection?  With football season underway, let’s examine that ever-so-important piece of equipment players wear to protect themselves on the field… their helmets! Previously stuffing thick rags under their hats, football players began sporting leather helmets in the 1940s.  But, as competitors began to run faster, throw farther and hit harder… …

As summer winds down and temperatures begin to cool, we’d like to take a minute to recognize one of America’s favorite summer pastimes, the game of golf.  After all, August is National Golf Month, so why not take a minute to “drive” home a few of the game’s firsts? We begin with the origin of …

Ok, so, it might be a stretch to believe a tree branch could help fight cavities, but history shows ancient civilizations (we’re talking 3,000 BC!) may have used a “chew stick,” or thin twig with a frayed end, to clean their teeth.  And, chew sticks must have worked fairly well, as the bristle toothbrush, similar …

While most of us are familiar with recent developments in the telephone industry, and may even carry the latest iPhone, Droid or Blackberry models, it is likely that few may know where these gadgets got their roots and just how far they’ve come through the years. Over a century ago, in 1876, Alexander Graham Bell …