Examples of Imagineered Products & Service, Imagineering Got Ideas?, Imagineering On-Line Magazine

AUTOMOTIVE ANTI-TAILGATING, ANTI-COLLISION DEVICE (4)
For many years automotive equipment manufactures have been exploring ways to produce a collision avoidance device. Most prototype systems use either a microwave or an ultrasonic technique. However, I think an optical approach would work much better. My imagined device would use powerful light pulses launched from the front of the car. The pulses would be used to rapidly measure the distance from the grill of your car to the rear of the car traveling in front of it. By linking the distance measurement to the speed of the automobile the device could sound an alarm and warn the driver when his car is following too close for his speed. Also, by monitoring the rate of change of the distance the same device could warn the driver of an impending collision. A similar device might also be used by school buses to alert the driver of any children in their path. Perhaps fewer accidents would result if more vehicles were equipped with such devices.

NEW SHAPES FOR FLUORESCENT LAMPS (5)
Fluorescent lamps produce about four times more visible light per watt than conventional incandescent lamps. In addition, a fluorescent lamp can usually outlast 10 standard tungsten lights. With their high efficiency, long lifetime and more natural color, fluorescent lamps are frequently chosen over incandescent light for business lighting needs. In our homes, however, it is usually another story. Most homes still rely heavily on incandescent lighting. I think one reason for their limited use in the home is the rather narrow selection of sizes and shapes. Let's face it, most fluorescent lamps are just not designed for the decor conscience home owner. Few reading lamps, table lamps, floor lamps, flood lights, track lights and ceiling lights are suited for the available fluorescent lights. What is needed are fluorescent lamps and fixtures that are fashioned for home use. Perhaps fixtures could be designed with fluorescent lamps in mind. Maybe some lamps could be shaped into unconventional and more decorative styles. Lamps with special phosphors could also be made to produce a wide variety of different colors for added lighting affects. Special dimming controls might also be installed to give owners the freedom to vary the intensity of some lights. Perhaps custom power integrated circuits could be designed to produce miniature solid state electronic ballasts which could control a variety of lamp wattages at low cost. Since about 20% of the total electrical energy used in the U.S. is from lighting needs, there is no doubt that if more homes used fluorescent lamps there would be considerable energy savings and would reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

AUTOMATED EARTH RESISTANCE PLOTTING SYSTEM (6)
Geologists today rely on a number of measurement tools to aid in the exploration of underground resources. One measurement involves the mapping of top soil electrical conductance. A technique which is widely used today employs a complex grid of DC current sources and voltage detectors. Large gasoline powered DC generators are usually positioned on either side of the area to be mapped. With the generators running, a crew of technicians then push voltage sensitive probes into the earth at various points. The voltages measured at key map grid points are taken and later fed into a computer for analysis. The information gathered can provide clues to the nature of the soil and rock under the surface. As an example solid rock might conduct more current than dry sand. However, I think more accurate results could be obtained using AC current sources and a single inductive pickup device. Instead of producing DC the generators would inject high frequency alternating current (AC) through the area. An inductive current measuring device could then be used to detect the relative current levels below the surface as the device is traversed around the area. Perhaps the device would be mounted on special wheels and would hug the ground as it was moved about the target area. Possibly an all terrain vehicle could be used. Maybe an optical position monitoring system could be used to assign an X/Y map location to the data. The technician might then get a picture of the ground features below as the data was being collected. Interesting areas could then be given a closer look as needed. I suspect that the results would provide the geoscientist with more details of sub-surface rock features than present techniques are furnishing. The overall technique may also become cheaper to conduct than older DC methods.

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