From repelling guns to Ironman suits, what’s my number one engineering concept?
by Jeff Reinke, Editorial Director, PD&D
Earlier this week, Product Design & Development published a news item regarding the concept of a space elevator, and a $900,000 NASA-prize winning attempt that was able to climb about 3,000 feet of the 22,000-mile distance that would be needed for it to actually arrive at the targeted destination. This struck me as an interesting idea, but one that lives only on the periphery of the real world.
Yesterday, our own Meaghan Ziemba took the concept a step further in expressing her apprehensions about such a mode of transport. This was made even more interesting as many of you offered a real-world examination of trying to accomplish such an other-worldly task with physical components, in lieu of a Star Trek-like “beam me up, Scottie” mechanism.
All the discussion got me thinking about some of the coolest product concepts I’ve seen that simply lack the minor ability for real-world engineering to actually produce them. Thankfully for Meaghan, this is kind of where I see the space elevator right now. The difference is the concepts below have some awesome real-world applications, even if they do prevent me from sneaking on to the trade show floor a couple minutes early.
The following are my top five product concepts and the simple measures that modern engineering needs to solve before they can hit the mainstream:
5. Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz’s evil Kick-inator 5000
For those of you unfamiliar with the arch nemesis of Perry the Platypus, check out the link above. But basically, the evil genius invented a special, mechanized boot that connects at the knee and covers the foot, enabling the wearer to dominate the kick ball scene by launching the ball miles with a single stroke.
Now don’t get me wrong – I held my own on the kick ball field of battle but this would still be pretty awesome for any future engineers who might want to move up the draft board when picking teams at recess. Although I’m sure the lightweight materials and mechatronic components are already available, the primary issue could come from the sensing elements in enabling the user to appropriately time the kick.
What if a leaf or some other debris got in the way of the rolled ball’s trajectory? This could only elevate any kick ball-associated issues and make the user look even worse as they not only miss the pitch, but are now open to criticism about their odd footwear.
4. Ironman suit
Come on, the whole thing is simply awesome and imagine how it would change the face of military operations, airport security and even those esteemed professionals that absolutely refuse to let anyone enter the tradeshow floor one second before the allotted time – regardless of what your badge says or how much you paid to exhibit (okay, maybe that’s my own personal issue). The problem is that even one would cost billions to make, and consume more energy than the national grid can actually support. However, I still think this concept here might be more deserving of that $900K.
3. Batman’s repelling gun
It’s a classic and relatively simple in terms of materials and overall design. My question is how do you maintain the proper pressure in ensuring that the projected grappling hook hits its mark before you do?
I’m assuming the power source is of a replaceable, pneumatic nature, but would new developments in miniaturized hydraulics or fuel cells with electronic controls be a better route in terms of performance and, more importantly, reliability? We know Bruce Wayne has the funds to support either endeavor, so maybe he’s just looking for the right design engineer to take it to the next level.
2. The nanomites from G.I. Joe
If you didn’t see the movie, at least check out the link to these bad boys in action. Miniature robotic parasites that simply consume and destroy whatever they touch. They’re fired like a bullet and can be turned “off” via a specific sound transmission. These are the things that took down the Eiffel Tower in the movie previews and actually allowed me to focus on something other than the Cobra Baroness … for a minute anyway.
Advancements in nanotechnology make the potential for these robots seem feasible, but the mechanized capabilities to go through metal or any other material, regardless of their numbers, won’t be a reality without better and even smaller-scale control functions. Additionally, the ability to wirelessly transmit on high enough frequencies to disable millions of miniature robots is a bit outside the realms of our capabilities right now. But at least you know the deal with nanomites, and knowing is half the battle.
1. Light Saber
Still the champion in my book, and before we get inundated with links associated with actual developments in producing a real light saber, the bottom line is that it’s not ready … yet. Lasers, light, etc. still can’t be harnessed in a controlled manner with an end point that bookends the source and desired end point.
The difference here is that as soon as we do, I don’t care how much it costs, I will have one and there will be a new force in carving the Thanksgiving turkey, starting the grill, lighting a cigar or even making a grilled cheese.
So what’s in your top 5? Post a comment or e-mail me at jeff.reinke@advantagemedia.com