Is Innovation Dead?

Do you ever wonder what someone like Benjamin Franklin would be busy doing if he were alive today? Have all the cool things already been invented? Certainly new features are always being added to things like our cell phones, but we have been using cell phones for years now. Why don't we all have communication pins like the crew of The Starship Enterprise? What about the flying cars that we saw on the Jetsons? I know - I am dating myself there.

Innovation is not really dead. It may feel that way, however, because there is so much already out there, that new inventions really need to be impressive.

There are some new, interesting gadgets, though. For example, there are digital binoculars that act as a camera and binoculars. I frequently wish I could take pictures of the things I see through my binoculars, so to me, this is a great invention. It is from Pentax and it is called DigiBino, DB100. Check it out at www.pentaxusa.com.

Lego has an interesting new toy that is part computer game and part racer. Called Spybotics, these gadgets strike a balance between imagination and participation. At about $60, they are worth a look, at www.spybotics.com.

And the Band-Aid Company has just started advertising a liquid bandage for those spots that a typical Band-Aid just won't stick. Now, that's clever.

Then, of course, you have the somewhat less practical innovations, like the mechanical ice cream cone. All you have to do is stick out your tongue and you are automatically fed the ice cream. Hmmmm…. Who thought we needed that?

Someone thought it would be a good idea to breathe in the oxygen given off by plants, so they invented a plastic dome that completely covers the head. Inside there are two potted plants, on shelves, just sitting there giving off oxygen. It is unclear how successful this will be, but I haven't seen anyone using one, yet.

You can find even more of these by doing a web search on the word innovation. You will find some interesting stuff.

But seriously folks, there are still true innovators out there. One example is a new company called Vocada. They have developed a completely new product that lets you attach documents to voice messages. Check it out on the web site. They currently hold 2 patents that might be a bit more useful than the automatic ice cream cone.

The Sony Ericsson P800 is a cell phone, a digital camera, and a web device. It will allow you to snap a picture and immediately email it.

A company called Wherify Wireless www.wherify.com has developed the first GPS Personal Locator for children. It is a device that looks like a watch, and in fact is a watch, that cannot be removed without a special key. The GPS tracking system allows parents to check a web site to see the exact location of their children, at any time. It is publicly available as of late June and is the first of its kind.

While it is a bit scary to think that there is a market for such an item, the innovation is exciting. I think I can do without the automatic ice cream cone, but there are some truly innovative products out there. You might just have to look a bit beyond your own spectacles, or public library (both Franklin innovations).