What are /r/Inventions' favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

Not sure if this was what you were thinking: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/853175871/octofire-8-port-168-amps-84w-turbo-smart-usb-charg

Clearly the need for usb "power strips" is growing rapidly and there aren't that many that do it well. So having some more choices is always good.

While it is a great idea, I am sorry to say it is not unique and you are not the first. If you want to do something with it you will need to do it better and / or cheaper than the others and go from there.

Nailed it with the silicone suggestion, get these they’re awesome and noiseless

Barvivo Drink Coasters Set of 8 /w Holder - Tabletop Protection for Any Table Type, Wood, Granite, Glass, Soapstone, Sandstone, Stone Tables - Perfect Soft Coaster Fits Any Size of Drinking Glasses https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DVV9B6T/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_A22B5M843GP8PPARMHNA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

There is stuff like this and this that do pretty good jobs.

That's very well put. There is some value, if you DO and PAY for some intellectual property protection. It's called licensing, and it's the only idea marketplace I can find. But I wrote a blog about why licensing is less attractive than just doing it yourself. {Licensing your idea}[https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-licensing-worst-way-get-your-product-store-shelves-george-cook] Hope that link turns out okay. I'm still new to this platform.

There are these. You put in a bottle and a bunch of ice and it rotates the bottle and sprays ice cold water on it also. Takes about a minute or two.

Not really anything in the way of a cold torch but scientists do use lasers to cool down molecules, but I don't think that's going to scale up.

You should read the Bible of Innovation: https://www.amazon.com/Innovators-Dilemma-Revolutionary-Change-Business/dp/0062060244

Narrow-minded people, either expert or otherwise; won't be able to innovate even if their life depended on it.

Wide-minded people are able to step away here and there, think outside the box, and unpack what's going on so that they can see what's obvious but unseen.

How to patent something: https://www.amazon.com/Patent-Yourself-Step-Step-Filing/dp/1413317197

How to build a business (around a patent or not): https://www.startupschool.org/

Unfortunately running a successful business is not like "ain't by numbers"

These were more popular back the day of black and white tv,

Tiffen #1 Black & White Viewing Filter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009UTCC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_H90RJ1YPHQT6XB4CKC16

Interesting video about the filters, https://youtu.be/70LbnsHHeQE

you can get help, but beware of how to compensate for the help and what type of agreement you have.

it's a bit tricky to put into a Reddit comment, consult a lawyer or at the very least read/study this https://www.amazon.com/Patent-Yourself-Step-Step-Filing/dp/1413317197

Can you use a gyroscopic hand exercise ball as a power source? Would be cool to make it self powered or rechargeable while also eliminating wrist and hand fatigue.

I think this would be very niche need. If the space you are working in has that bad of ventilation to cause genuine health concerns I would talk to a trusted HVAC specialist.

My tone is probably because this came across like one of the all too many nutjobs who think CO and CO2 are the same thing.

Personally the VOC mentioned in the study and Radon would concern me more than CO2.

To get the levels you are saying ypu get this tool says about a 6 foot cube..I hope you are not talking a room that small. https://www.omnicalculator.com/ecology/co2-breathing-emission#:~:text=Yes%2C%20we%20use%205%25%20of,air%20during%20one%20breathing%20cycle.

Yea, there are home commercial products that give you a warning light as well, I own this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FYWU2IS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I think home automation enthusiasts could rig up something to do this (like at r/homeassist), but the autoclosing part of the fan could be tough

Thanks for the response. I hadn't thought about MTBF. I have every intention of making this thing modular enough to swap the electrical bits out.

I should have phrased my question more around the legalities of selling something with electrical components in it.

For example: Suppose my furniture just has a standard outlet box in it like you'd find in a wall... I can install a 120V outlet in it with a faceplate, and wire it directly to a heavy duty extension cord. If all of these pieces are independently rated/certified, does my product need to meet any certification for safety on its own? (I am talking about the UL stamps I see on everything electric)

Or take this for example: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1704062015/nuplugtm-the-most-convenient-outlet-for-your-smart/posts

This guy designed this outlet device and is manufacturing it. Did he have to get it "Approved" as a safe electrical device by some regulating body before shipping it?

If you haven't already read One Simple Idea, that's a good place to start. If you don't have the money to hire a lawyer, I recommend using Patent360 to get a provisional patent to provide you protection for a year while you're out looking for partners to help you out.

The rest of it is reaching out to people you think can help you until you find a willing partner.

This is more what I'm talking about.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/partyrobotics/bartendro-a-cocktail-dispensing-robot

There's some changes that would need to be made. The drinks are exposed to air. This is bad as they are not chilled and could spoil if left out for several days. I think the drinks should be on top of the device in a chiller box so that they are gravity fed to the mixer. Of course you'd need a pressure relief valve on each of the feeder tubes...

However, I really do dig the simplicity of their design.

Edit: WANT! http://partyrobotics.com/products/

I think you could make the cap bag inserts like instant cold packs using water and ammonium nitrate. That way you could port the bags with you and activate them on demand.

Something like this already exists. It's a great idea but I don't know if your idea builds more on what's already out there.

CC0 I think was actually originally designed for databases as a legal tool to help academic institutions share information, but is widely applicable. It minimizes exposure to liability for the author, and gives confidence to those who want to use the information/idea that they legally can. It's described here but the basic premise is that:

• You dedicate the work to the public domain

• If you can't do that (which sometimes you can't, like I said before, it's complicated), you grant a permanent free license to the world to use it

• You provide no warrantee (to protect you)

Remember this only works if the idea isn't already protected/owned, otherwise you may be getting yourself into trouble.

Actually using it:

You could patent the concept, which is nice because if the patent is approved it gives you confidence (but not a guarantee) that it's well described and doesn't infringe on something already out there. Then you release a public statement (on your website, etc) saying you are dedicating the patent to the public domain by associating CC0 with it. The downside of this is that it will take over a year, and is pricey to go through the patent process.

Alternatively, use the website of your local patent office (it's uspto here, but that's not useful for Europe), or Google patent search (yes, it's a thing) to prove to yourself it's not already protected. Spending some money to consult with a lawyer here would also certainly be a good idea. If you're going to move forward, then you could describe the concept in a way similar to a patent and associate cc0 with that. CC0 doesn't have to be applied to a patent. This website is an option. The advantage of this is that you don't have to wait for a year+, and its much cheaper.

Either way, once something is public domain, you're safe to use it.

Edit: if you submit something in that site, CC0 is automatically applied to it.

I use a desktop app called Bear, for organizing. But its doesnt necessarily have any features for ranking that I'm aware of.

Sounds like you might benefit from some kind of kanban. https://clickup.com/features/kanban-board is a free one I recently heard of. I havent tried it. But I've used paid alternatives (like Jira) for ranking work tasks, and it was very usueful.

You probably could, but the connectivity would be tough. I don't know of a clock that will text you if you hit snooze.

One thing you could do is buy a bluetooth clicker for your phone and use a tally app on your phone that reads from it. I'm not sure if the tally apps work when the screen is off, but you could try. I'm assuming they would since a lot of people use tally counters to record people going into events and log hundreds of clicks over long periods of time.

That way, you'd just have the little clicker on your bedside table, and every time you click it your phone's app records the entry for your review later.
Some clicker like these. And then an app that has the features you want. I'm not sure if they record tallies along with when the they were recorded, but they may. You may have to search around to find the right app.
This is one that's rated well for Android, but I haven't personally used it.

Nah, like using clap-detecting sensors found in The Clapper but used for different/multiple electronics.

I imagine something like this but controlling it with claps either as an alternative or in addition to your smartphone.

What were you thinking, u/choamnomskee?

The very detailed book on this subject is called "How to Write a Patent Application" by Jeffery G. Sheldon.

It's published by the Practicing Law Institute, so it's designed for lawyers and their clerks.

One of the things you're going to find is that obtaining a patent is a very time consuming process with frequent dead ends. The best you can hope for is that you find that your idea is already covered by an existing patent and is, thus, ineligible for patent. This will save you hours of work and tens of thousands of dollars.

Beyond that, if your income is below a certain threshold, there are programs at the USPTO to help with the fundamental research that needs to be done before submitting a filing. STFW to see if you qualify for one of those programs.

Do you want me to build this thing for you? Haha. Use something called a grommet punch/press https://www.amazon.ca/Handheld-Portable-Grommet-Grommets-Sign/dp/B00B42Q1CE you can buy different ones for different sizes of grommet

It's not a terrible idea. I do like the concept and your description is well written.
I personally don't think it would sell enough to justify making a product, but that is just me. It probably would get some sales though.

The engineer side of me doesn't think it would work as well as you picture. You would have to exert a good amount of force spreading it in order to actually scrape and not just slide over the top of it. That is very difficult to do in two opposite directions without a good leverage mechanism. Like this one would work better because you can exert a great amount of force in one direction. Allowing your other hand to press against. this
So in the end, there are better solutions out there that would be cheaper. That won't stop it from having sales because some people don't know the other ones exist. But it will stop you from sizable enough sales to make it worth your effort. In my opinion.

Not OP...

What should an inventor requiring technical help of this sort expect to pay? Flat fee? Hourly? I would imagine the complexity of the design would vary greatly across projects.

Let’s say I need something like this...

https://www.amazon.com/WoodworkersWorkshop-Woodworking-Convertible-Folding-picnic/dp/B00LFLGQGA

...but I only provide a description & a napkin drawing. The contractor would need to handle at least some of the engineering.

How much for a solid works file? How much for an animation?

Thanks!

Kitchen Safe Mini: Time Locking Container (White Lid + White Base) - 2.0" Height https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N3VVMAB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_Q78A32HNFFG08H37YMBH?psc=1

found this on amazon- not sure how it could be improved - I guess you still need the willpower to only take one cigarette out before setting the timer.

Just an idea. Maybe use these for quick reload.

https://www.amazon.com/Creamright-Ultra-Purewhip-50-Pack-Whipped-Chargers/dp/B009OVU93E

Take one of those induction flashlights and rework it. Same motion, same idea, but I don't know anyone who has done what you're proposing.

Here, start with this: https://www.amazon.com/Shake-Light-40-Rechargeable-Flashlight/dp/B00HS5M706/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=flashlight+shake+to+charge&qid=1602345237&sr=8-3

so this may or may not be an improvement over https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HJD7RGQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Dl6xFbAPSKMWD

since you’re communicating over the web and storing access times, i’ll point out that you may need to consider HIPAA compliance, which can be a major pain and an increase in complexity.

I know there's digital frames that you can set pictures to just like your desktop background.

Example

Does that achieve what you're thinking about?

https://www.amazon.com/Backpack-Business-Charging-Resistant-Computer/dp/B07F2YJRN2/

Or you could use your own towel with one of these

https://www.amazon.com/6pcs-Heavy-Duty-Retractable-Key-ID-Badge-Belt/dp/B001VEK3I8/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=reel+with+clip&qid=1557502452&rnid=1084128&s=office-products&sr=1-2

https://www.amazon.com/Avantree-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Wireless-Headphones/dp/B077MXFJGQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530905506&sr=8-1-spons&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=bluetooth+transmitter+for+2+headphones&psc=1

Aha! I found something pretty similar but not as good as mine.

https://www.amazon.com/Labeling-Dispenser-Writable-Attached-Refrigerator/dp/B076JDF8TM

Similar idea though. I wonder if the fact that it's currently unavailable and 0 reviews is a bad sign.

I'd be happy to. Here are the parts I ordered from Amazon. Trim Pot Stereo Jacks I bought extra jacks and a kit of trim pots so I could try different values, but I ended up using just the 1K. I put the Trim Pot in series with the left speaker for my wife.

Here is a thermostat that will automatically change from heating to cooling as needed, such a thing exists. Minimum energy would be used if you allow the system to have a wide "off" range. For example, you could say that 60º to 80ºF is "room temperature", which would require much less energy typically than specifying 71 to 73ºF is room temperature.

This is rather neat but there are a few products like this already out there that sell well. See some below.

The winbag is a notable one, https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00W0Z54Y0/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509197186&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=winbag&dpPl=1&dpID=41Q6DoG2jeL&ref=plSrch

Trend do this, https://www.amazon.co.uk/Trend-D-LIFT-TREDLIFTA-Lifter/dp/B00E6PAAIW Trend also do door clamps and such.

I suppose the benefit of this product it does it all. In one. What is the retail price likely to be?

(I work as a designer in the Joinery industry in the UK)

this is actually a great idea. i saw many cups and mugs that changes color or displays a image whenever hot water is poured in it. maybe same materials can be used. example

I have an awesome book for you to read. It is low cost and written by the guy who did that marlboro marketing campaign. Ten bucks and a winner: http://www.amazon.com/Guerilla-Marketing-Inexpensive-Strategies-Business/dp/0618785914/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1447426619&sr=1-1&keywords=guerrilla+marketing

It talks about all the methods you will want to know as someone trying to get a good handle on marketing.

If you want some aid, pm me and we will work out something extremely reasonable. By that I mean less than your phone bill kind of reasonable.

Oh my god, your actually serious. Well someone has to tell you; the "chapstick machine" sucks. Your solving a non-issue, I have never heard one person complain about needing to touch the tube when applying chapstick. On top of that, it is one of the dorkiest looking things I have ever seen, I seriously doubt anyone would ever in a million years pay 20 fucking dollars for that POS.

Edit: also, like you said the issue is the people touching the chapstick in the store. The issue isnt really the person themselves touching the tube, or their pocket. A 48 pack of wet wipes cost 17$. Lets assume the average person goes through 4 chapstick tubes a year, that means it takes 12 years for the "chapstick machine" to be more cost effective then bacterial wipes; especially since anyone who cares about the germs on the chapstick tube probably already buys anti-bacterial wipes as part of their routine.

Double edit: germs spread along a surface, that means that once the chapstick is open, germs on the tube will spread onto the actual chapstick that you apply to your lip.

I HATE cleaning the toilet so I was thinking of ways to make it easier. This is my first attempt at solving that issue.

I remember when I played basketball in high school, we had a sticky board/mat in front of the scorer's table where we would wipe our feet before checking into the game. When the sticky mat got too dirty, you simply peeled off a layer and had a fresh pad to wipe your feet on. So I thought, why not apply that idea to a toilet bowl? The main problem I already see is the sheer number of available toilets and sizes and I need to find a way to have the sticky pad cover the inside of the bowl as well, not just the top. But hey, it's a first run!

If you zoom in on the picture, you'll see in the top right corner a number 1. There are 30 layers on this pad so even if you ripped off one pad every week, you wouldn't have to clean your toilet for over 6 months!

These are actually designed as a way to wipe your feet off when entering a clean room but they work well for my application. I bought them because they were cheaper than the ones for basketball and I could potentially get 4 trials out of 2 packs since they are so long. http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AODUQL6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Any thoughts or suggestions?