Good Thinking
Sometimes there are things that defy easy categorization, but that are simply good ideas. Here is where you'll find them.
Latest News
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Inexpensive student-designed prosthesis replaces amputees' missing fingers
October 17, 2023Prostheses that replace fingers are typically complex, expensive devices, the cost of which often isn't covered by medical insurance. The student-designed Lunet, on the other hand (no pun intended) is simple and can be made from open-source plans. -
Student-designed RoboCup keeps wheelchair users hydrated and independent
October 13, 2023For people such as Gary Lynn, cerebral palsy makes it nearly impossible to perform tasks like getting a sip of water without human assistance. He can now get those sips on his own, however, thanks to a student-designed device known as the RoboCup. -
Special wheelchair gets users standing and climbing stairs
October 06, 2023Most powered wheelchairs have at least two problems: they can't climb stairs, and the user has to remain in a single seated position. An experimental new robotic wheelchair, however, addresses both shortcomings. -
SOMA system will control prosthetic hand via ultrasound, not electrodes
October 05, 2023Currently, almost all powered prosthetic hands utilize electrodes that detect the user's muscle impulses and convert them into hand movements. A new system which is in development, however, should reportedly work better by utilizing ultrasound. -
Cashierless micro-store could soon pop up at EV charging stations
October 05, 2023Drivers of EVs looking to stock up on snacks while waiting for their vehicles to charge could soon find a cashier-free mini convenience store popping up at charging stations across the US courtesy of a startup based in North Carolina. -
Wacky Japanese sleeping pod lets office workers nap while standing up
October 03, 2023The Japanese have a history of producing outside-the-box ideas to help people grab a few z's, but even for that part of the world the Giraffenap is an oddity. It allows office workers to literally sleep on the job in an upright standing position. -
The ingenious cardboard bed
September 29, 2023Humanitaria has created a cardboard bed for the critical first 24 hours of a humanitarian emergency. The beds can be manufactured at 1,000 units per hour for a 10th of the cost, assembled 200 times quicker, and landed where needed 100 times faster. -
Folding-wheel carry-on Revolve Air wheelchair is now available for purchase
September 28, 2023When it comes to air travel, wheelchair users definitely face some challenges. That's where the Revolve Air wheelchair comes in, as it can be folded up – wheels and all – to qualify as carry-on baggage. -
"Mini Mansion" designed as an alternative to sleeping on the sidewalk
September 18, 2023While it's important to find homes for the houseless, the truth is that many people will stay living on the street in the meantime. The Mini Mansion is made with that fact in mind, as a portable and better equipped alternative to current options. -
Handheld device could soon keep dangerous drugs from going to prison
September 18, 2023In order to smuggle illegal drugs into prisons, people are now soaking materials like paper and fabric in such drugs, letting the materials dry, then passing them along to inmates. A new portable device, however, sees through that ruse. -
New spin on 159-year-old tech could easily visualize air leaks in homes
September 01, 2023Nobody wants to live in a drafty house, yet checking for substantial air leaks within a home can be a complex process. Scientists have now devised what could be a much easier method of doing so, utilizing a technique that dates back to 1864. -
High-tech pig pad designed to cool hot hogs
August 31, 2023Hog barns typically aren't the nicest places to be at the best of times, but try living in one during a heat wave. Scientists at Indiana's Purdue University have developed a self-activating hog-cooling pad for just such situations. -
New technique harvests antioxidants from olive oil processing waste
August 22, 2023A great deal of peel, pulp and stone waste is constantly being generated in the production of olive oil. And while that waste is often just dumped or incinerated, it could soon be used as a source of valuable antioxidants. -
Invisible QR codes embed object data into infrared tags
August 22, 2023QR codes are everywhere nowadays, but they don’t have to be. MIT scientists have developed an invisible tagging system called BrightMarker, which embeds fluorescent tags into objects that can be viewed and tracked through an infrared camera. -
Reimagine your beer can for cocktails on the go and kitsch upcycling
August 02, 2023The Draft Top is designed to take your beer can (and other drinks) to a new level. It cleanly and smoothly removes the lid from an aluminum vessel, allowing for better taste, less bloat, imaginative creations and, afterwards, some clever repurposing.
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