OPTICAL HETERODYNE METHODS
IMPROVE COMMUNICATIONS (15)
Students of radio are familiar with the classical super-heterodyne technique for radio
receivers. In brief, this method mixes the incoming radio signal frequencies with another
fixed local oscillator frequency. The result is both a sum and difference family of
frequencies that can be more easily amplified and separated from the background noise.
It is now possible to apply this same principle in the realm of
optical frequencies. Such methods are now being used with new semiconductor diode lasers
that emit very pure light of nearly one single wavelength. When the light is mixed with
another laser of a slightly different wavelength a sum and difference set of wavelengths
are produced. This technique promises to take full advantage of the nearly one quadrillion
hertz bandwidth that optical communications can provide. Since each laser diode could be
modulated in excess of 30 gigahertz it will be possible to have tens of thousands of
different optical color bands that could each contain tens of gigahertz of bandwidth.
The possibilities are limitless. Just think, this
technique could allow a single optical fiber to carry nearly all the telephone, television
and radio communications that occur in the U.S. at any given moment. |
FLASHLIGHT WONDER WAFERS (16)
It never fails, you reach for a flashlight , click it on and are greeted with a dim orange
glow. Although there still might be plenty of energy left in the batteries, the battery
voltage is not sufficient to maintain proper lamp operation. To squeeze more energy out of
a set of batteries, I propose a voltage boost circuit that is inserted between the
batteries and the light bulb. I envision the device to be a wafer thin circuit board that
contains a switch mode power supply. The circuit would send a constant voltage to the
lamp, even as the battery voltage dropped. Since there are many kinds of flashlights,
there would have to be a number or different wafers that would be available to the buyer.
The wafer type would be based on the number and type of battery cells stored in the
flashlight.I imagine the devices
sold as an after-market product in blister packs that are placed next to flashlights in a
department store. The devices might also be offered in catalogs that cater to users that
depend on high quality flashlights. Policemen, firemen, paramedics and military personal
all may want their flashlights to deliver bright light. |
LINE POWERED COLD CATHODE
FLUORESCENT LAMP DRIVER (17)
Compact fluorescent lamps are becoming very popular for home lighting needs. They outlast
standard incandescent lamps and produce more light for less electricity. But, there is
still room for some improvements. Manufacturers of cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFL)
claim that their lamps last two and three times longer than standard hot cathode
fluorescent lamps. They also claim that their lamps can produce more light with less
electricity. Such features are why CCFLs are used in almost all notebook computers.
However, these lamps have yet to find their way into home lighting needs. I believe that
there must be a huge market for a family of CCFLs that are deigned to be powered from
standard line voltages and are designed so they can be placed in standard home lighting
fixtures |
PULL-STRING
ELECTRIC GENERATOR (18)
With potential problems associated with the Y2K computer bug, a spring powered radio from
a UK company called Freeplay Energy has been selling very well. These radio receivers will
operate for about 30 minutes after few turns on a crank.
I imagine that other markets exist if a small human powered generator was developed.
Perhaps the device would be about the size and shape of a C size battery cell. It might
have a string about 3 feet long with an attached finger ring. A clutch mechanism would
rewind the string after each pull. Using super magnets, the generator might be able to
produce several watts of power. Unlike solar cells, the device could charge batteries day
or night. The device might find applications for charging batteries used in cell phones,
notebook computers, camcorders or radios. It might be great for hikers or downed military
pilots. |
SNAP SPRING
POWERED RF TRANSMITTER (19)
Radio transmitters for keyless entry systems are becoming very popular. They are now used
for opening doors to garages, cars, boats, office buildings and homes. These short range
systems are typically powered by one or two coin style lithium batteries. But, the
batteries do have to be replaced periodically. I imagine a tiny string powered electric
generator that could be fitted inside a keyless entry transmitter that would allow the
transmitter to operate without any battery. The snap action of the generator would produce
enough energy to power the radio transmitter each time the button was pressed.
Perhaps the snap spring action would spin a powerful flat rare earth disk magnet that
would be surrounded by a coil of wire. A tiny diode bridge would convert the AC voltage
from the coil into DC that would be needed by the transmitter. |
MICROMIRROR
ACTIVE LIGHT REFLECTORS (20)
Plastic light reflectors are often placed on bicycles, car doors, road barriers and car
bumpers. The reflectors are efficient in sending light from a car's headlights back to a
driver's eyes. The reflectors are made by molding into the plastic material an array of
tiny reflective squares called corner cubes. A corner cube reflector has an optical
property that sends light hitting it back to the light source that is illuminating the
device.
I imagine a new type of reflector that can modulate (turn on and off) the light that is
reflected back to a light source. The reflector would use some newly developed miniature
mirrors that are fabricated onto silicon semiconductor wafers. The mirrors can be rocked
like a teeter totter on tiny hinges using small electrical control voltages. If the moving
mirrors are joined with stationary mirrors to form an array of corner cube type
reflectors, the light reflected from the array can be controlled as the mirrors rock in
and out of position. The speed of light modulation might range from once per second to
100,000 per second. Advertising signs, road side indicators, attention getters and long
range communications systems are examples of possible uses for this technology. Click here for illustration.
|
ARCHIVING
SERVICE USING OPTICAL TAPE RECORDERS (21)
One of the latest data storage techniques uses a thin plastic tape that is rolled up
inside a cartridge resembling a VHS video cassette. These systems claim to be able to
store 1000GBs of data. This storage density is high enough to open up some new markets. I
imagine a service that archives all kinds of data and stores the data on this new medium.
A single cassette would be able to store about 2000 audio CDs or about 200 full length
movies. It could also store over 1000 magazines, one million novels, ten million
photocopies of bank checks and over 250,000 high quality color photographs. As the
technology improves with multiple store layers and ultraviolet laser reading heads the
density should exceed 10,000GBs per cartridge. The system should overtake the more
conventional microfilm and microfiche storage techniques still being used in most
libraries. |
AUTOMATIC ELECTRICAL DEVICE
TIMER (22)
I imagine this device to be plugged into a standard 120vac power outlet. The electrical
appliance the needs to be controlled would plug into the device. A simple manual dial on
the device allows the user to select the maximum time the appliance can be turned on
before being turned off automatically. Curling irons, TVs, radios, computers and small
space heaters could be plugged into the device. Once the appliance is turned on, the
timing device will interrupt power to the appliance after the desired time. A few on/off
cycles of the power switch on the appliance would reset the time for a new period. The
timer could save energy and might add some safety to certain electrical appliances that
should not be left on. |
PULSED MEDICAL OXYGEN DELIVERY
SYSTEM (23)
Patients suffering from emphysema often need a constant supply of pure oxygen. The usual
method is a steady flow of oxygen from bottle holding compressed oxygen that bubbles the
gas up into the patient's nose. However, only about 20% of the gas emerging from the
plastic tube is ever breathed by the patient. About 80% of the gas is wasted since the
patient only receives oxygen during the time he or she inhales. I imagine a device that
detects the pressure changes in the plastic delivery tube when a patient inhales and
squirts a short jet of oxygen directly into the noise at just the right time. Such a
device should reduce the cost of oxygen consumed and should extend the time a patient
could receive oxygen from a small tank.
|
ULTRA
SENSITIVE SOLID STATE RELAY (24)
Solid state relays are often used to control power to electrical devices. They are
generally selected over mechanical relays due to their reliability and ease of use when
being controlled by some electronic circuit. However, for many battery powered circuits,
commercial solid state relays demand too much control current. But, by using a combination
of a high current triac and a very sensitive low current SCR, a solid state circuit can
control hundreds of watts of electrical power from as little as 100 microwatts (2v 50ua)
of control current. For an example of such a circuit, see the low power solid state relay
circuit within the Hobby Circuits section. |
HUMAN MOTION
ALARM SYSTEM - ELECTRIC FIELD CHANGES (25)
There are many ways to detect human motion. Ultrasound, passive infrared and microwave
methods are just a few examples. Some 25 years ago I developed yet another method that is
virtually unknown. The technique relies on detecting the small changes that moving humans
generate in the earth's natural electric field. The scheme is ideal for battery powered
alarm systems since micro power techniques can be used to hold the current drain to a very
low level. More about this concept can be found in the Hobby Circuits section under the
title of Electric Field Disturbance Monitor. |
GIANT WIND SAILS FORM WIND
ENERGY SYSTEM (26)
There is a lot of power in the wind. Humans have been taping into this energy source for
thousands of years. Wind energy is now the fastest growing renewable energy technology.
However, most of the existing wind turbines cannot be easily scaled to produce the kind of
energy a large city needs. To produce hundreds of megawatts of electricity, it would take
a large number of stationary wind turbines. I propose a completely different approach. I
imagine a number of gigantic wind sails that are flown high in the air and pull on super
strong ropes that are connected to a electrical generator. A more thorough discussion on
this proposed energy system can be found in Introduction To Wind
Energy. |
WATER HOLDING MATERIAL REDUCES
IRRIGATION (27)
Water is becoming more and more precious. As cities grow, a sizable amount of water will
be needed for lawn irrigation. To reduce the amount of water needed by a lawn, I propose a
service company that would apply a non-organic material to the lawn. The material would
retain moisture like tiny sponges so less water would be lost due to evaporation and
diffusion. Some materials have been already been developed that claim to hold thousands of
times their weight in water. I imagine using air pressure to shoot small beads of this
material into a lawn. During irrigation, the beads would absorb water, expand and would
slowly feed water directly to the grass roots. It is estimated that once applied to a
lawn, the material could reduce the amount of irrigation water needed by a factor of one
half to one third of the amount needed for lawns not using the material. |
AUTOMATIC CLERK DISTRESS ALARM
(28)
Convenient store clerks are often robbed without having a chance to press a panic button
or a holdup alarm, until after the event. I imagine a system that could sound an alarm
automatically. A battery powered device would be attached to the clerk. The device would
contain a heart rate monitor and a radio transmitter. When a sudden jump in the clerk's
heart rate was detected, a indication of stress, the device would transmit a message to a
special receiver that would automatically call the police. |
ELECTRONIC SCARECROW (29)
Pigeon droppings are not only unsightly, but they can also carry disease and damage
building support structures. Small home gardens are also prone to damage from foraging
birds, cats and raccoons. I propose a system that would shoo the animals away and keep
them from coming back and congregating. I imagine a battery powered device that would be
kept charged with a small solar cell array. The device would contain a broad pattern
passive infrared motion sensor, a white noise generator, an audio amplifier and a speaker.
When the system detected movements from a bird or some other animal, it would emit a very
loud and sudden shhhhhh sound, that would scare away the animals. |
INFRARED SECURITY CAMERA
ILLUMINATOR (30)
It seems like tiny television security cameras are being installed everywhere. In some
applications, it is desired that the camera be installed in dark areas that do not have
standard area lighting. Taking advantage of the fact that almost all black and white
cameras are most sensitive to invisible infrared light, I propose an invisible wide area
illumination system. I imagine a long life cold cathode fluorescent lamp that is equipped
with a special infrared light emitting phosphor. The lamp would efficiently illuminate a
broad area in front of the camera. Light blocking filters in front of the lamps would
allow only the invisible infrared light to pass. Click here to view an emission spectrum curve. |
BASEBALL THROWING DEVICE (31)
Have you ever skewered an apple with a stick and used the stick to throw the apple? The
stick's added leverage allows the apple to be thrown much farther than possible without
the stick. I imagine a similar device for throwing baseballs. Maybe the device would have
a light weight rod with a ball griping mechanism at one end. A pushbutton near the handle
would release the grip during the ball throwing action. I think such a device would find
uses in baseball practice sessions for both fly balls and hard ground balls. With some
practice it should be easier to use and more accurate that the traditional ball batting
method. |
DOORKNOB ALARM (32)
Many companies offer simple alarm devices for personal use in bedrooms or hotel rooms. A
metal chain attached to a box holding the electronics is placed around the inside doorknob
of a wood door. Anyone grabbing the knob from the outside is detected by the electrical
capacitance change that occurs from the human hand contact between the knob and the box.
Almost all of the commercial devices sold use a more expensive and power consuming radio
frequency circuit approach to detect the capacitance change. But, a very inexpensive and
micro power technique can also work. A complete circuit schematic for such a device can be
seen within the Hobby Circuits section of this web site. The circuit should dramatically
reduce the cost of the device and allow it to operate for many years from one set of
batteries. Click here to see complete
schematic. |
ON-LINE ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT
SCHEMATIC LIBRARY (33)
I personally have designed several thousand electronic circuits during my career as an
electronics engineer. But, when I'm faced with designing a completely new circuit, I find
it very helpful to refer to my collection of electronic circuit schematics. My library
consists of perhaps a hundred circuit encyclopedias, several file cabinets full of
published schematics and countless application notes and manuals. But, my library is not
as organized as it could be. I'm sure that many circuit designers, including me, would
benefit if a large library was made available to them on-line through the Internet. I
imagine an Internet service that had perhaps 100,000 schematics on-line. The circuits
would be organized into many specific categories. Searches would also be made using key
words. Unlike many published circuit encyclopedias, the collection I had in mind would
include author information and complete circuit descriptions. Perhaps the site owner would
make money by several means. First, he could sell some banner advertising space to
electronic component manufacturers. Next, he might be able to talk some of those companies
into paying him for highlighting their components in some designs. Third, money could be
made by charging site service subscriber fees to those companies that what unlimited
access to the information on the site. Perhaps the average user would not be charged but
he might be limited to a fixed number of circuits he could download.
I liked this idea so much that I have launch www.DiscoverCircuits.com |
HOTEL DUST MONITOR (34)
Hotels and motels spend a lot of time trying to keep their rooms clean. Often, dust
removal is a scheduled task and may not always be needed. I propose a small device that is
positioned in a room that would alert a maid when it was time to dust. I imagine a small
battery powered box that would flash an LED light when it detected an accumulation of dust
on its smooth surface. I think a low power optical approach could work by detecting the
back-scatter of light caused by the dust particles accumulating on a flat surface. A
pulsed LED might serve as the light source and a phototransistor as the light detector. A
good design might allow the device to operate for many years on one set of batteries. The
device might also find uses in homes and businesses. Click here for a complete schematic. |
PICTURE FRAME DOOR ENTRY
ANNUNCIATOR (35)
Many shop owners use devices that alert them when a customer has come into their business
through an entrance door. Passive infrared motion detectors, optical through-beam object
detectors and even simple bells on the door have all been used for such an application.
But, some hallways and doors leading into an office are often too small for the these
usual devices. For those applications, I propose a device hidden within a picture frame.
The picture could be placed on one of the inside walls. It would detect when the person
walked by the picture and would sound a chime or some noise maker. The human waking by the
device might even be greeted by a human voice saying something. I imagine the device could
use a small passive infrared object detector or an active pulsed infrared detector to
sense the human walking nearby. Ideally, the device would be battery powered and would
operate for a year or more on one set of batteries. |
WIDE AREA OPTICAL INFORMATION
BROADCASTING (36)
Radio frequency broadcast stations are closely monitored and governed by the FCC here in
the US. Most radio and TV stations are restricted to certain kinds of information that can
be transmitted. No such restrictions or licenses are needed for a broadcast station using
optical methods. For many years I attempted to get some communications companies
interested in the idea of optical information broadcast stations. The idea is to transmit
high speed digital data (up to 1Gigabit per second) from many transmitting towers
scattered around a large metropolitan area. Each tower might have an effective radius of 5
miles in all directions. Such a wide area would mean only 4 towers would be needed to
cover an area of 400 square miles. Since an optical broadcasting system and a radio
broadcasting system could coexist on the same tower, many new towers would not have to be
erected. Preexisting radio towers could be used. The light transmitters would also not
require any FCC licenses. So far, no federal agency has been assigned the task of
regulating optical communications.The light being
transmitted from the towers could originate from arrays of powerful lasers. Optical fiber
cables could carry the light from the ground based light emitters to the top of the
towers. The light emerging from the lasers would be powerful, but would be intentionally
spread out to insure it would always be eye safe. Since the laser sources would emit light
with very narrow wave lengths, the matching light receivers could use equally narrow
optical filters to select only certain laser colors or wavelengths. This technique is
called wavelength division multiplexing and has been used for many years in communications
systems using optical fibers. The technique could be so selective that the number of
different light channels that could be transmitted and received could number in the
hundreds. Using such an optical approach, the data rate from each optical transmitter
could exceed 100 billion bits per second. Such a data rate is far more than possible with
communications systems using transmission cables.
The main objection potential investors had
for my idea was the communications interruptions from bad weather. It is true that during
some heavy snow storms and thick fog conditions the reception of the transmitted light
signals could be blocked. But, overall I felt that people subscribing to such a service
could tolerate a few interruptions each year. In spite of my arguments, I was not able to
find any investors. So, it is hoped that someone reading this might someday consider the
idea and make it a commercial success.
TERABEAM
IS PROVIDING A SIMILAR SERVICE |
CIRCUIT PREVENTS CLIPPED
SYLLABLE IN VOX CIRCUIT (37)
Voice operated relays (VOX) have been in use for some time. These circuits allow
hands-free operation of a radio transceiver. Instead of pushing a button to turn the radio
transmitter on, the operator only has to talk into a microphone connected to the VOX
system. The circuit detects the onset of audio and automatically switches the system from
a receive mode to a transmit mode. However, the switch is not perfect and almost always
inserts a short delay. The delay is usually sufficient to cause the first syllable of the
first word spoken to be clipped off. Users have gotten around these annoying delays by
uttering a word such as ahhhh or even blowing a puff of air into the microphone before
speaking. I propose an add-on circuit that would eliminate the need for such measures. I
imagine a box that would be connected between the microphone and the microphone input of
the radio transceiver. There would also be a connection to the push to talk control input.
The box would contain a special electronic circuit that would use a bucket brigade charge
coupled device as an analog delay. When the person first spoke, a relay contact would
switch the transmitter on, but the box circuit would generate a short delay between the
actual speech into the microphone and the signals sent to the microphone input of the
transceiver. With this device, the transmitter would be switched on before the speech
signals arrived. This device would give hands free VOX operation without ever missing the
first syllable. |
EARTHQUAKE ALARM (38)
Virtually every home has a smoke detector installed. Some may also have carbon monoxide
and natural gas detectors. In those areas that are situated on unstable ground I propose
that an earthquake alarm should also be installed in every home. Perhaps the battery
powered device would sense the unique vibrations associated with an earth quake. Maybe it
would be hung on a wall and would sound an alarm whenever it sensed the onset of the
quake. Using a low power design, I imagine the device to operate for at least a year
before the single 9 volt battery would have to be replaced. As in smoke detectors, I think
an earthquake alarm could give a homeowner a few more valuable seconds which could save
his life. |
OPTICALLY LINKED ID BADGES (39)
Active radio frequency identification devices (RFID) have been around for a number of
years. These device use radio techniques to transmit a coded message to a nearby radio
receiver for processing. The information transmitted from the badges would let the system
know where the employee was located within a building and even allow those employees to
have access to certain areas. It could unlock doors and turn on computers automatically. I
imagine a similar system but one that uses an optical approach instead of a radio method.
The ID badge would contain a thin lithium battery. A tiny infrared light emitting diode on
the top edge of the badge would send a coded message to a light receiver mounted on the
ceiling of each room of an office building. The message transmitted would only have to be
about 60 or 80 bits long to be unique enough to identify the individual wearing the badge.
The messages would be transmitted in short bursts that may repeat 20 times per second. If
the light pulses were sufficiently short, the average current consumption for the badge
would be low. The short information bursts would also allow the system to deal with
multiple badges within one room. A data burst collision between two badges would be
quickly cleared using a program within the badge circuit that would generate a slightly
random time between the data bursts. With a carefully designed system, each badge might
operate for a year on one battery. |
IMPROVED FLASHING LED
ADVERTISING BADGE (40)
These devices are being sold or given away everywhere. They are often used to promote some
product or service. I have seen them on beer bottle caps and campaign buttons. However, I
think there is some room for improvement in the circuit used to flash the LED. Most of the
devices I have seen are not very efficient. They can only flash the LED for a few hours.
Since the batteries are not easily replaced, the badge or button has to be thrown away.
Calculations indicate that with a properly designed circuit, the device should be able to
flash the LED continuously for several weeks. However, with a simple on/off switch on the
back of the device, the circuit should extend the usefulness of the badge to perhaps a
year or more. |
RAIN & SNOW DETECTOR (41)
Most weather stations only measure the accumulation of rain or snow by melting the snow
and recording the inches of water equivalent. They do not actually detect when it rains or
snows. I think an optical approach could be made to work. The system would detect the
precipitation by looking for the reflections off the snow flakes or water drops from a
pulsed light source. The amount of backscatter reflections would be a rough indication of
the amount of rain or snow precipitation. The device could be linked to a radio
transmitter that could send a signal to a distant receiver when the system had detected
rain or snow. |
OPTICAL FIBER LINKED
OSCILLOSCOPE PROBE (42)
In my 30 year career as an engineer, there have been many times when I wish I could
electrically float a probe for an oscilloscope with respect to earth ground, making the
probe electrically isolated from the scope. There were also some situations when I also
wished I could connect a probe up to a circuit and monitor the signals on the scope some
50 or ever 100 feet away. Perhaps both of these needs could be solved with an optical
fiber approach. I imagine a standard scope probe connected to a battery powered signal
processing box. The box would have an electronic circuit that would convert the voltage
signals into light pulses. The box would sense the light through an optical fiber cable to
a matching receiver box on the other end of the optical cable. The battery powered
receiver box would plug into the vertical input of the scope. Inexpensive plastic optical
fiber cable might work up to 100 feet while high quality glass fiber cable might push the
distance beyond 1000 feet. |
OPTICAL FIBER REMOTE DVM DISPLAY
(43)
A system similar to the above oscilloscope probe extension concept could be applied to a
digital multimeter (DVM). The DVM would be modified so it would send display information
to a battery powered box some 50 to 100 feet away. The display box would be equipped with
a digital liquid crystal display that would mirror the display on the DVM. Such a system
could take advantage of the features of the modern DVM but would allow the user to monitor
the measurements from some remote location. |
MAGNETIC PULSES SENDS SENSOR
DATA THROUGH WALLS (44)
There are many times when a sensor signal needs to be sent inside a structure with thick
concrete or wood walls. Drilling holes through the structure is often not desirable. One
way to transfer the information from one side of a wall to the other is with magnetic
pulses. The information could be digitally encoded so the inductive pulses could be
efficiently sent with the minimum amount of power. Temperature, humidity, wind speed,
pressure or material flow information are examples of the kind of data that could be
efficiently sent through concrete and wood walls without drilling holes.
|
SCALED UP SUPER CAPACITORS FOR
ENERGY STORAGE (45)
Super capacitors have historically been used to retain important digital data in computer
memory and telephone systems. They are used as small rechargeable batteries that store
electrical energy. These devices can cram enough surface area into a small package to have
capacitance that are measured in farads. Although they can't compete with chemical
batteries in energy stored per unit volume, they don't possess many of the shortcomings of
batteries. Unlike batteries, super capacitors have a very long life expectancy, they
contain no hazardous chemicals and can be recharged millions of times. I imagine that as
the technology improves, these devices will find their way into many applications normally
reserved for chemical batteries. Perhaps versions will be specifically designed to store
significant amounts of energy. Someday these devices might replace gasoline engine driven
generators for emergency power applications or even used to store energy produced by solar
cells for night time energy needs. |
HUMAN SPRINTER SPEED MONITOR
(46)
From high school track teams to Olympic training sessions, runners like to receive more
information about their performance than just their elapsed time for a running event. I
imagine a measuring system that would be linked to a notebook computer. The system would
monitor and plot every speed variation of a sprinter as he or she progressed through an
event. The battery powered system would be setup behind the runner. A tripod mounted laser
light source would bounce light off of a special light reflecting vest, worn by the
runner. Laser light bounced off of the vest would measure the distance from the tripod to
the runner's vest. As the sprinter runs down the track, away from the system, the distance
changes with respect to time would be recorded and processed as speed changes. The elapsed
time would be determined when the runner's distance from the tripod laser exceeded the
required event distance. |
LAWN MOISTURE SENSOR (47)
Have you ever noticed your neighbor's sprinkler system watering their lawn during or just
after a heavy rain storm? Their automatic sprinkler system is most likely programmed to
turn on the sprinkler every few days whether the lawn needs the water or not. An
inexpensive moisture sensor placed in the lawn could prevent such occurrences. I imagine
the sensor would measure the moisture and would inhabit the irrigation system from turning
on if the lawn does not need to be watered. Perhaps the sensor would work on a capacitance
change technique. Once installed, the sensor could save millions of gallons of city water
by preventing unnecessary lawn irrigation for automatic systems. |
TINY TV CAMERA DETECTOR (48)
Very small TV security cameras are finding their way into all kinds of markets. The ease
at which these devices can be applied can make some people nervous. These devices are so
small that they are nearly impossible to detect visually. For those that would like to
know if they are being monitored, some kind of electronic camera detector is needed. With
such as system, a room could be "swept" for any active TV cameras. Perhaps an
electronic circuit could be developed that would look for the tell-tail signals emitted by
any cameras in operation within a room. With many people worried about their privacy,
there should be a ready market for anyone who can develop a reliable method to expose
active cameras within a small room. |
DIAMOND FILMS KEEP SURGEON
SCALPELS SHARP (49)
A diamond is the hardest substance known. Films of diamonds can now be deposited onto a
variety of surfaces. Perhaps diamond films could be placed onto stainless steel scalpels
and polished to a sharp edge. The diamonds should help keep the scalpel's edge sharp much
longer. Other devices, such as kitchen, hunting knives and milling machine tools might
also benefit from such a hard edge material. |
BATTERY POWERED ELECTRONIC
AUTOMOTIVE COMPASS (50)
An electronic compass for an automobile is not new. Many cars have these systems built
right into a dash display. However, for those cars that don't have factory installed
units, the owner is usually faced with either a bulky electronic unit that plugs into the
cigarette lighter or an inexpensive fluid filled mechanical unit. I personally hate most
mechanical units, since after only one or two seasons they almost always begin to leak and
have to be replaced. I imagine a device that bridges the gap between a factory installed
unit and a cheap short lived mechanical unit. Ideally it would be powered by its own small
replaceable battery. Perhaps it would use the well known "flux gate" electronic
technique to determine the direction. A large liquid crystal display would indicate the 8
compass directions (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) in easy to read characters.
AVAILABLE FROM SEVERAL COMPANIES
|
WARNING BARRICADE FLASHER (51)
Traditional warning barricades are equipped with a box that flashes a conventional
tungsten lamp. They generally use a disposable 6 volt battery. Although the unit is
automatically turned off during daylight hours, the batteries have to be changed
frequently. I imagine a more modern version that uses highly efficient yellow light
emitting diodes (LED) in conjunction with a sunlight charged battery. The unit would be
equipped with a small solar cell panel that would charge the battery during the day.
Although the initial cost of each flashing unit may be more than the devices that they
replace, the overall reduced maintenance would ultimately makes the unit cost less.
|
SHOWER WATER TEMPERATURE DISPLAY
(52)
A shower that runs too hot or too cold is no fun. To insure the water is always just the
right temperature for you, I imagine a simple and inexpensive temperature display device.
The small battery powered device would be easily attached to the outside of the brass pipe
that routes the water to the shower head. A sensitive temperature sensor pressed against
the pipe would measure the pipe temperature and display the reading on an easy to read
liquid crystal digital display. No tools would be needed to install the device. The
efficient circuit would allow the replaceable battery to operate the unit for about one
year.
TOP |
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PORTABLE MP3 PLAYER FOR MUSEUM AUDIO TOURS (53)
I have often been disappointed by the lack of exhibit details when visiting a museum or a
zoo. Some places do offer the patrons audio cassette tapes players that might
provide some help, but these devices are awkward and don’t contain much
information. I imagine a system that takes advantage of a MP3 audio compression
scheme to store much more audio information in a solid state portable audio player.
Perhaps the system would use some off-the-shelf MP3 player components. The patron
would rent the players at a special kiosk at or near the museum. Perhaps each player
would allow one or two headphones to be plugged into the device. A 64M memory module,
inside the player would be able to store up to 10 hours of voice audio information
recorded as hundreds of audio tracks. Each track would provide audio information on
a specific exhibit. Each exhibit might have an alphanumeric code assigned to
it. To listen to the exhibit information the user would type the code into the
player, using a small keypad. A long-range bar code reader might also be used.
The service could be a revenue generating service offered to museum patrons with little or
no investment from the museum owners. |
HIGH TECH STREETLIGHT GENERATES
ITS OWN ELECTRICITY (54)
Let's imagine taking three new technologies and combine them in a new streetlight design.
Imagine using some new low cost highly flexible photovoltaic solar panels, some new
energy storage super capacitors and some new super efficient white light emitting diodes.
When combined, you could have a streetlight that generates its own electricity,
illuminates a wide area and requires virtually no maintenance for many years.
I imagine the flexible solar panels rolling themselves up at night
and unrolling themselves out during sunny days. The panels would be installed to
face south. A smaller fixed panel might be mounted on the top of the light as well.
Perhaps the combined sunlight collection area of the panels would exceed 30 square
feet. The electrical energy produced by the panels would be routed to a bank of
super capacitors, which behave as a large battery. A sky light detector on top of
the assembly would determine when the light is turned on and off. A digital clock
inside assembly and a light intensity monitor on top helps determine when the solar panels
are to be rolled up or rolled out. A tiny wind monitor might also be installed to
roll up the panels during severe wind conditions. At night, an array of light
emitting diodes would draw power from the energy stored in the super capacitors and bathe
the area under the light with even illumination. Perhaps sufficient energy would be
stored to allow the light to operate for a week without sunlight. The overall cost
of the lamp assembly might be much more than conventional streetlights, but the money
saved in not requiring an external power connection and in the very low maintenance, might
save a city money over time. |
POP-UP PHOTOVOLTAIC SAIL FOR
ELECTRIC CARS (55)
Let’s imagine taking advantage of some new highly flexible photovoltaic solar panels
and see how they might be use in an electric vehicle. Perhaps these panels would be
mounted on the roof of an electric vehicle but would be rolled up into a tight tube when
not in use. The panel would be automatically rolled up when sun was not shinning, during
windy conditions or when the electric vehicle was in motion. When unrolled, the
solar panel might be perhaps 8 feet wide and 25 feet high. A rotating boom on the
vehicle might keep the panel facing the sun. Assuming a 10% conversion efficiency,
the panel could generate up to 2,000 watts of electrical power. During a typical
6-hour sunlit day, the panel could generate 12,000 watt-hours of energy. The energy
supplied by the solar sail would be stored in a bank of super capacitors, which would act
as an efficient battery. The extra energy captured by the solar panel would extend
the driving time of an electric vehicle, as long as it could be parked in the open. |
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SOLAR CELL STUDDED VEST CHARGES CAMCORDERS (56)
Some of the latest photovoltaic solar cells are highly flexible. Perhaps they could
be woven into a lightweight fabric that could be worn as a vest or as a cape to provide
electrical power while hiking, fishing or just standing in the sun. Maybe the total
active area could be up to two square feet. Assuming about 10 watts per square foot in a
bright sun condition, the vest could produce up to 20 watts of power. Such power
could be used to charge a battery in a notebook computer, charge a cell phone or power a
camcorder. The vest could also be laid flat on the ground to produce even more power. |
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ENERGY CONSUMPTION DISPLAY (57)
I imagine an accessory box that might be mounted next to a home’s thermostat.
Using gas and electrical sensors, mounted outside the home, equipped with small radio
transmitters, the sensors would transmit information to the display box. The box
collect the information and display it on a liquid crystal display. A small keypad
might also be used to program the display box. The user could display the daily,
weekly, monthly and yearly energy usage, as well as such information as line voltage,
current and power. Such a device might be very useful in helping a homeowner
conserve energy. He or she could get an instant indication of the electrical power
or gas being consumed. The display might also be helpful in tracking down so called
“leakage power” devices, often found in TVs, fax machines and audio equipment,
so they could be turned off. The device could be programmed for the local gas and
electricity rates, so the system could also display the average energy cost per unit time. |
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TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT ON-LINE MUSIC STORE (58)
Have you ever purchased an audio CD, take it home and discover that almost none of the
music tracks on the album are worth listening to? This has happened to me a lot and
I always feel cheated by the recording company. I would love to see a website that
would sell me legal MP3 music, which I purchase on a track by track basis. I hate it
when I forced to buy a complete music album, which contains only a few tracks I really
like. The one thing I would demand from the website would be a way for me to listen
to any music track before I decide to buy it. Maybe one way this technique could be
done, a way that might satisfy the music recording and publishing industry, is by
providing the buyer with an MP3 sample file that had far less than perfect quality.
Perhaps the stereophonic tracks would be reduced to one channel and would have the upper
and lower frequency range reduced. This technique is easy to do with the MP3 compression
technique and might produce a music sample good enough to assist the listener in his
decision to buy it or not. How much should each track cost? I think about $1.00 per
track would be about right. What do you think? |
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BETTER NEWSPAPER CLASSIFIED ADS
ON-LINE (59)
I have been very disappointed by the lack of information posted on most newspaper
classified ads. Most of the ads posted on the newspaper’s Internet site are
nothing more than duplicates of the ads printed in the newspaper. I think it is time
that these newspapers allow more information to be posted on their Internet version of the
ads. I can imagine the ads including information such as photos of the item
for sale, a much more detailed description and even email addresses for making contact
with the seller. I can see the automotive, real estate and employment sections also being
expanded. The amount of space required by the newspaper’s website would be minimal
but the information the buyer obtains would be invaluable.
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BASEBALL
STRIKE INDICATOR (60)
Isn’t it about time for America’s pastime to finally use some modern
instruments? The outcome of many a ball game has been decided on an umpire’s
ball or strike decision. I think a laser optical system could be used to accurately
detect the passage of ball over home plate. The same system might also measure the
ball speed and could compensate for different ball players’ height and stance.
The system would not replace the umpire, just give them some help. Then, both teams
would benefit from an unbiased ball or strike decision that would not change. These
systems could be used from the little league to the major league. I’m
sure there would be many people that would like this high tech solution but there may also
be some baseball purists that would hate the idea. |
BOXCAR
CONTAINER TRANSPORTS ENERGY (61)
At some point in the not too distant future, I imagine super capacitor technology will be
refined to the point where it can compete with and even overtake conventional battery
energy storage systems. The current first generation super capacitor technology can
only store about 15 watt-hours of energy per kilogram or about 6.8 watt-hours per
pound. But perhaps the 5th generation devices would be able to store a lot
more. By increasing both the capacitance per cell and the voltage per cell, perhaps
these devices could eventually exceed 1 kilowatt-hour of energy storage per kilogram or
about 0.5 kilowatt-hours per pound. Such an energy density would be less than 7% of
the energy stored in a kilogram of gasoline but might still be very useful in transporting
energy. Boxcar type containers could easily be shipped by truck, boat or
train. Perhaps the materials used to form the
capacitors would have half the density of water. A cubic foot of water weighs about 60
pounds, so maybe the energy storage material would weigh about 30 pounds per cubic
foot. Therefore, a cubic foot of material would store about 13 kilowatt-hours of
energy. A large cargo container, 8 feet wide, 8 feet high and 30 feet long would
have about 2000 cubic feet of volume and if stuffed with super capacitors would weigh
60,000 pounds or 28,000 kilograms. Such a boxcar could then store about 30 million
watt-hours or 30,000 kilowatt-hours of energy. If the average home needs about 50
kilowatt-hours of energy per day, such a box would store enough energy to supply the needs
of 600 homes for one day or a small community of 60 homes with enough energy for over a
week. A two-mile long train, hauling about 300 such containers, could transport
enough energy to supply 600 homes with enough energy for a full year.
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GIGANTIC WIND SAIL PULLS ELECTRICITY GENERATING TRAIN (62)This
idea is similar to the one outlined in number 26. I imagine a very large wind sail
pulling a train down a set to tracks to generate electricity. Perhaps a special
track would be laid to take advantage of some prevailing winds. The train generator, along
with some smaller pilot trains, would deploy a very large sail. The sail would
capture the wind and pull the train down the tracks. Special wheels on the train
would lock onto the rails, preventing the train from being lifted off the ground.
Generators on the train would convert the motion into electricity. The electricity
would be fed to a power grid, using power cables positioned at the side of the train
tracks.
Assuming a track 50 miles long
with 10 such windtrains on the same track, a power generation system could produce enough
electricity for 350,000 homes during a 35 MPH wind. At a price of $100 per megawatt
hour, such a wind energy system could make over 200 million dollars worth of electricity
per year. For a more detailed description click here to go
to a discussion on wind energy. |
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MICROSIEVE MAKES BREATHABLE AIR ON MARS (63)
Many years ago I worked on some electronic controls for a medical product that generated a
continuous supply of pure oxygen to human patients that needed it. The unique
feature of the product was that the oxygen was produced by literally sifting the oxygen
from air. The air on earth is a mixture of 70% nitrogen and 20% oxygen. The system
used two canisters of a special ceramic material, looking very much like kitty litter,
that acted as tiny sponges. Nitrogen in the form of N2, being a smaller molecule
than O2, was pushed into the ceramic material using a rotary air compressor. At a
critical pressure, a valve was opened and the gas trapped in the canister was allowed to
escape. Since the sponge material was holding onto the nitrogen gas, a high
concentration of oxygen flowed out of the canister first. This compression and
decompression cycle was repeated between the two canisters. One canister was being
supplied with compressed air while the other was exhaling oxygen. The result was a
continuous supply of oxygen. I imagine such a system could be scaled up and modified
to supply humans living on Mars with a continuous supply of breathable air.
The air on Mars is mostly composed of
carbon dioxide with only about 0.13% of the total gas volume oxygen. Maybe the
system would use a series of microsieve beds that would first remove much of
the carbon dioxide from compressed Marian air and then continue to separate
out the unwanted gases until the remaining mixture was enriched with
sufficient oxygen to sustain human life. The method could maintain an earth
like breathable atmosphere for Martian habitats and even space suits with
the Martian air as the only source. This method would only require a
sufficient electrical energy source to run the air compressors and valves.
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HOME FOR SALE BROCHURE ON A DISK
(64)
Real estate agents are like golfers. They will try most anything if they think it
might improve their game. To provide a potential buyer information about a home for sale,
an agent will often attach a mailbox type bin to a home’s for sale sign. The box
typically holds many copies of a single page brochure, which describes the home for
sale. These brochures do provide some basic information like the asking price,
number of bedrooms and the number of square feet of living space. But, I think for a
just a little more effort, the agent could offer a CD-ROM disk in addition to a piece of
paper. The disk would provide a buyer with a lot more information on the particular
home for sale and perhaps information on other homes being represented by the agent.
The disk could be viewed on any computer. It could include videos taken from outside
and inside the home, photos of every room, detailed dimensioned floor plans, 3-D rendering
of the home and property, neighborhood photos, location of schools, crime reports,
location of major shopping centers, GPS coordinates, typical utility bills, information on
nearby neighbors, Internet access services available, data on the home’s furnace and
air-conditioning and a lot more. The goal of the disk would be to provide the potential
buyer with sufficient information so the need for an actual tour of the home would be
eliminated, until a the buyer was serious about the home. |
VIBRATION
AND MOTION POWERED ELECTRICAL GENERATOR (65)
There must be thousands of applications where a low power sensor or communications box
needs a steady supply of electrical power. Conventional batteries are usually the
first devices chosen, but they can only supply power until the energy in the battery is
depleted. To extend the operating time, I propose that a small electrical generator be
developed that could extract power from human, vehicle or machinery motion. Perhaps
a piezoelectric device would be used or maybe a simple magnet and coil combination.
The vibration and motion would be translated into electrical power that would charge
either a battery or a super capacitor. Cell phones, notebook computers, pagers and
automotive instruments could all benefit form such a system. |
CAMCORDER
ATTACHMENT FOR LOOKING IN HUMAN MOUTHS (66)
It seems that everyone has a television camcorder or a digital camera these days.
Even some new digital cameras allow the user to record short videos. I imagine
an accessory that snaps over the lens. The accessory would have a close-up lens and
a battery powered illuminator that would allow clear photos of the inside of a
person’s mouth. The system could capture photos of a cavity, a chipped or
broken tooth, a sore or any number of other things inside a person’s mouth. The
information may be helpful as evidence or in preparation for a visit to a
dentist. |
SNAP-ON
DEVICE POWER INDICATOR (67)
This simple device snaps over a power line cord and makes a periodic chirp whenever the
device detects current flowing in the cord. It could act as a reminder of a device
being left on. It would draw the energy needed for the sound chirp from the power
line, without the need of a battery. Since no direct electrical connect would be
made to the wires in the power cable the device would be very safe. |
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MICRO SIEVE BOOSTS OXYGEN LEVELS INSIDE HOME (68)
Many years ago I worked on some electronic controls for a medical product that generated a
continuous supply of pure oxygen to human patients that needed it. The unique
feature of the product was that the oxygen was produced by literally sifting the oxygen
from air. The system used two canisters of a special ceramic material that acted as
tiny sponges. Nitrogen in the form of N2, being a smaller molecule than O2, was
pushed into the ceramic material using a rotary compressor. At a critical pressure,
a valve was opened and the gas trapped in the canister was allowed to escape. Since
the sponge material was holding onto the nitrogen gas, a high concentration of oxygen
flowed out of the canister. This compression and decompression cycle was repeated
between the two canisters. The result was a continuous supply of oxygen. I
imagine such a system could be scaled up to supply a room or even a whole house with a
higher level of oxygen. For some people, such air might be a lifesaver. |
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NEIGHBORHOOD SPEEDER CAMERAS (69)
My house borders a street with a 25MPH speed limit. We have many children and people
walking their pets on either side of the street. In spite of the human traffic and
the blind curves on the street, too many drivers ignore the speed limit and race up the
street going 50MPH. I’d like to catch these speed demons. The city does patrol
the street from time to time and they do ticket speeders when they are caught, but I sure
wished my neighborhood association owned a speed camera system. I imagine a
simple camera system that is linked to a vehicle speed monitoring system. If a black
and white camera system were used, an invisible infrared xenon photoflash could be used to
illuminate the vehicle during the captured image. Maybe the camera would be
activated when the vehicle exceeded 35MPH.
Perhaps the system would be hidden
inside a birdfeeder or some other non-descript box. The camera system would record
the speed, time and date of the vehicle as well as a photo of the offender.
Information would be turned over to the homeowners association. After many each
infraction, the speeders would be mailed a warning. Additional infractions could
result in a fine.
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HANG ON THE WALL ELECTRONIC
CALENDAR (70)
I have seen commercial clocks and calendars in small displays, but I have yet to see one
large enough to hang on a wall. Perhaps the system would use a large liquid crystal
display that would show the time and a full calendar month of information. The day
of the week and time would be highlighted. Holidays, birthdays, special information
could be programmed into the unit. An infrared remote might also be offered to
control the display. Perhaps a serial port link could also be offered to import
custom information into each month. |
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BIG HOMES ON SMALL LOTS (71)
In many metropolitan areas, the cost of the land that a new home structure sits on is a
significant portion of the total cost of the home. All the homes in my neighborhood
are stacked very close together. These small lots normally restrict the size of a
traditional two-story home. Three story home are often forbidden by the local
building codes. However, if the home can’t grow up, perhaps it could grow
down. I propose a home design that contains two basement levels. In my home
design, a two level basement would increase the total livable area by something around
1200 square feet. Also, by extending the lowest basement level foundation beyond the
outside walls, putting it under the yard and lawn, additional living area could be
produced without producing any noticeable outside architectural changes. |
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DEVICE SUPPLES POWER TO HIGH TENSION POWER LINE SENSORS (72)
Many companies are now attaching sensors to overhead high voltage power lines. These
devices may monitor line, current, temperature, stain, sway and even ice collection.
Most of these systems rely on a low power radio transmitter to send the collected data to
a service truck driving by or to an aircraft fling over the lines. Almost all the
systems use a non-rechargeable lithium cell battery as an energy source. Even when
sizable batteries are used, these systems have to be replaced every few years. I
propose using a magnetic coupling technique in conjunction with super capacitors instead
of batteries. A portion of the magnetic field produced by the large current flowing
in the nearby power line would be tapped into, to generate sufficient electrical power to
keep a super capacitor charged. Should power be interrupted, the system could
continue to gather data for weeks, drawing power from the super capacitor. Using
such a technique, the system life expectancy might be extended to 10 or more years. |
REFRIGERATOR
AUDIO REMINDER AND INSULT PLAYER (73)
I have seen these gag gift devices sold in catalogs over the years and I still think it is
a good idea. The light inside the refrigerator triggers the device. The device
tells the person opening the door that they are fat and to close the door and stop
eating. The device could also be used to play a prerecorded message, reminding the
person of something. It could even used to remind the person to take a prescription
drug or to buy something at the store. |
BIG
WHEELED VEHICLES GENERATE ELECTRICITY FROM THE WIND (74)
Let’s imagine using a very large wind sail that is connected to a big-wheeled
vehicle. The large sail would capture some of the wind and would pull the vehicle
down a road. The motion of the vehicle would drive a generator. The generator
would charge up some kind of energy storage container. When the container was
charged it would be replaced with an uncharged container. A 20,000 square foot sail
could generate over 1000 kilowatts in a 30MPH wind. When the wind gusts to 50MPH,
the power output from the generator would increase to 4,600 kilowatts. These
systems could farm the wind in remote locations. For a more detailed description click here to go to a discussion on wind energy. |
IMPROVED
SECURITY SURVEILLANCE VIDEO RECORDING SYSTEM (75)
I’m shocked by how poor some of the images I have seen that were produced by a
typical video surveillance system, often used in a convenience store. In the event
of a robbery, the lack of quality makes it very difficult to capture the critical features
of the perpetrator. It is a wonder that anyone can make much use of the
images. I think some new technology could be used to solve this problem. The
cost per megabyte for computer hard disk drives is getting more and more affordable.
For about $300 you can now buy a single 160GB hard drive. I imagine four of these
drives connected to an inexpensive computer system, a high quality multi-megapixel
digital camera and a human motion detection device. Each digital image would be a
high quality compressed photo of an ATM machine or a convenience store floor. At an
average of about 500KB per photo and an image rate of 2 per second, each 160GB drive could
store 40 hours worth of images of human activity in front of the camera. Assuming
only 8 hours of each day would involve human motion, each disk could store about 5 days
worth of photos. With a 4 disk system, 20 days could be stored. Maybe the
system would purge the old images after 10 days. If critical images need to be
transferred, they could easily be recorded onto a standard data CD. |
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