Where's the next Edison?

August 19, 2005 9:27 AM

What's the niftiest design or technology solution invented in the past few years by an independent inventor (as opposed to a corporation)?

I've got a pet theory that we're entering an age increasingly in need of the contributions of individual inventors, as opposed to the work that comes out of big clunky research labs. New tech these days seems to follow the money, as opposed to need. Solutions tend to be unnecessarily complicated, and unnecessarily expensive. Also, the perception of what the problems are often seems a little, well, off-base. I.e., a corporation's problems are not an individual's problems, necessarily. The flyswatter, for instance. Great idea. But my guess is some guy thought it up, not a DARPA-funded MIT researcher.

Anyway, it seems like I'm always coming across similar examples, a guy in California who reached 250 mpg by loading up the trunk of his car with batteries, or a surgeon in Africa who figured out how to make a better prosthesis, or some scientists in denmark who designed a fast-growing weed that turns red when growing near land mines. I'm interested in other examples like this: mavericks, kooks, cranks, visionaries, basement inventors who have a good, simple idea and then make it happen. Whether or not they actually manage to get to the large-scale production stage. Thoughts?

posted by Hobbacocka to technology (9 comments total)

Without a doubt, a true inventing genius is Trevor Baylis, inventor of the clockwork radio. As a bonus, he always seems like a really great guy when I've seen him on television. A hero that I'd love to go to the pub with.
posted by veedubya at 10:14 AM on August 19, 2005

Troy Hurtubise, hands down.
posted by greatgefilte at 10:29 AM on August 19, 2005

this guy who I just found out about today through a random mefi comment... but he's far from 'non corporate'.
posted by delmoi at 10:39 AM on August 19, 2005

James Dyson
posted by bonaldi at 10:45 AM on August 19, 2005

You might browse through the inductees of the Inventor's Hall of Fame. (They need someone to invent them a new design for their website.)
posted by caddis at 10:50 AM on August 19, 2005

Blind Man's Bluff has several chapters on Craven, facinating guy.
posted by beowulf573 at 11:10 AM on August 19, 2005

This was invented by one guy. He got it marketed through Fingerhut for a while, and at some point, was able to buy back their remaining inventory of his product for the just cost of shipping. Now he sells them from home.
posted by clh at 11:57 AM on August 19, 2005

Dean Kamen and his Segway have been overhyped but it is certainly an interesting invention. Dean is the prototypical independent inventor with his own lab and many important contributions, although one might argue that his brother Bart's contributions to treating luekemia in children are even more important to society.

Ah, build a better mousetrap and strike it rich.
posted by caddis at 12:59 PM on August 19, 2005

As far as inventions go, perhaps that molded plastic water barrel with the hole through the middle, allowing third world people to put a rope through the hole and roll the barrel along the ground?
posted by Alt F4 at 6:10 PM on August 19, 2005