Genius Ideas That Should Exist Everywhere - Part 2

If you take a look around you, almost everything you can see is the product of an idea a person had at some point. But there are some amazing ideas out there that are yet to have their heyday. From the "why didn’t I think of that" kind, to the "shut up and take my money" variety, let’s explore some genius ideas that should exist everywhere.

Parking Garage Slides

There’s nothing worse than having to park on the 5th floor of a parking garage, knowing you’ll inevitably have to walk all the way down and back up again. In Boise, Idaho, however, architects made the way down quicker and way more fun, by building a 5-story spiral slide to the ground floor. As long as you weigh less than 330 lbs., you too can get in on the fun. Getting back up to your car, sadly, remains a chore for now.

Self-Parking Chairs

In 2016, engineers at Nissan took regular office chairs and catapulted them all the way into 3020. By linking each chair to Wi-Fi and decking them out with motorized wheels, the engineers created an army of chairs that tuck themselves away at the clap of the hand.

Nissan reportedly developed the system as a novel way of showing off their self-parking technology, but there are sadly no commercial options available yet. For now, you’ll have to stick to duct-taping lawn chairs to Roombas.

Solar Roadways

An American company, Solar Roadways, has launched what could be a revolutionary change that uses one of the most underutilized common spaces: roads! One of the biggest drawbacks to solar energy farms is the amount of space they require, but Solar Roadways simply overlay specialized solar panels on routes that already exist.

The sturdy, interlocking tiles are decked out with customizable LEDs to replace painted road decals and could well be one of the big ideas of the future. In time, they could even pay for their own installation with the most precious resource of all: renewable energy.

©Kumkum via Wikimedia Commons

Mobile Wind Turbines

Everyone’s familiar with the enormous wind turbines that line the countryside, providing power with few additional necessary resources. But engineer Nils Ferber’s ingenious take on the concept is a personal wind turbine small enough to collapse into a backpack, and powerful enough to charge a phone.

It’s designed for hikers and climbers who are likely to be away from civilization for an extended time. But it’ll also make sure battery life never gets in the way of your Pokémon Go obsession anymore.

Epiphany One Puck

This convenient little drink coaster is an amazing concept that sets out to charge your phone using your drink. The device creates electricity from the difference in energy between itself and your hot or cold beverage, which rests on top.

The charging rate is relatively low, but it’s perfect for its intended casual use as a charging coaster in homes and bars. Unfortunately, the device isn’t public yet, but it certainly should be. Accidentally leaving your phone at the bar becomes a lot less unpleasant when you find it there later, fully charged.

Nutty Narrows Squirrel Bridge

Are you tired of seeing roads looking like a vulture’s all-you-can-eat roadkill buffet? In the 1960s, a construction manager named Amos Peters decided he would try to save a few of his furry neighbors. He built a bridge across a busy roadway in Longview, Washington that so many squirrels had previously become pancaked while trying to cross.

The Nutty Narrows bridge quickly became a beloved city landmark that brings happiness to the public, while allowing its users to continue existing in 3 dimensions. The idea’s just nutty enough to work, so let’s get these everywhere!

Radiator With Built-In Plate Warmer

This is an older invention that deserves a comeback. Radiators used to be used for more than just heating chilly rooms, and people occasionally added little compartments onto them, allowing the radiator to heat or dry whatever was inside. Warming up pies, and bread or even drying clothes inside saved time and money, given the radiator would already have been on.

Imagine toasty shoes from in there on a cold, winter morning. I wouldn’t advise warming your pies and shoes at the same time, though, unless you enjoy your food with extra stank on it.

Corner Drawers

For the lover of both aesthetically-pleasing drawers and corners, your prayers have been answered. Several companies are now selling corner drawers that look stylish and function perfectly. You may lose a little space compared to an open unit, but you’ll save time and reduce back strain by not needing to crouch to access the stuff at the bottom.

Sign Language Gloves

Sometimes, an invention’s ingenuity quite literally speaks for itself. Some University of Washington students managed to invent a futuristic pair of gloves that can translate the physical movements of sign language into spoken language.

They’re incredibly useful for helping those not familiar with sign language, or who are only familiar with one of the two main types of sign language, to communicate. And for people without the ability to vocalize, communication with non-sign-language speakers becomes viable in a whole new way. And, let’s be honest, they look incredibly cool.

The Lie-Down Chair

Take a look at this amazing seat that was designed to help mechanics go seamlessly from desk to brake line, without having to lift a foot.

This incredible product is intended to provide a safe way for mechanics to work underneath cars and other machines, all while looking like something straight out of the Terminator. These chairs are commercially available, and as long as you’re willing to cough up the dough, you too can go from standing to lying wherever you are, easier than ever.

Pop-Up Toilets

In an oddly genius development, various European cities have begun integrating pop-up toilets into the city walkways. Their intention is to prevent public urination on public sidewalks from late-night partiers.

City officials raise them up at 10 o’clock every night and then lower them again in the mornings. It avoids the eye-sore of permanent public urinals, all while looking like a futuristic escape pod to a secret underground lair.

Wireless Charging Rooms

Have you ever had your phone die on you while waiting somewhere, only to realize you left your charging cable at home? Thanks to the miracle of modern technology, pretty soon, you may not need a cord, charging block, or even an outlet. In the murky depths of the research wings of Disney, scientists have developed a special type of charger that can be built into the very walls of certain rooms.

These rooms can wirelessly charge up to 10 devices at the same time simply by reverberating electromagnetic waves off of metal walls. While the idea of using electromagnetic waves to wirelessly charge devices isn’t really anything new, it’s never been properly applied on this scale before. Given that a working prototype exists, it may not be long before dead batteries are a thing of the past.

The Kallpod

For too long, restaurant-goers have been forced to wave at their servers like desperate maniacs just to inquire what the soup of the day is. The Kallpod has come to fix the problem by letting diners wirelessly summon their waiter with the push of a button. The simple buttons allow customers to request service, another round, or even the bill.

The request is sent to a wearable wrist device for the servers, so they can easily keep track of their queue of customers’ demands. They’ll still rightfully ignore you if you’re a jerk, but at least you’ll be able to tell. It isn’t overly complex technology, but it could certainly take a lot of awkwardness and time-wasting out of the restaurant or hotel experiences.

Hoverglide Floating Backpacks

This backpack is designed to reduce the strain on the wearer by adjusting the elevation of the load to keep it level. This is especially useful for outdoor users such as hikers who find themselves climbing uneven terrain, where the shifting weight of a heavy pack can be brutal. Motors placed in the frame of the bag automatically adjust the position, keeping it balanced even when running or jumping.

Bean Bag Onesies

These bean-bag onesies are the perfect solution for anyone who wants to sit comfortably, anywhere, on-demand, or cosplay as the love child of Kim Kardashian and Grimace. These onesies sell for a relatively steep price of almost $100 online, but who can put a price on instant comfort? They feature super-soft materials that keep the wearer warm and, more importantly, "thicc".

Scribble Pen

This unbelievably clever pen uses optical sensors combined with ink-mixing microprocessors to deliver a writing utensil unlike any other. It can mimic any color around you simply by scanning it and it writes beautifully on paper, hindered only by the limits of your imagination.

The pen is slated for release alongside a sister product, a stylus, that would allow you to use the same technology to write on electronic devices and software. Access to this product would be a game-changer for artists, designers, and animators, as a one-time investment to replace costly paints and pencils.

Dubai Police Hoverbike

Is it a bird? A plane? No, it’s a member of the Dubai police corps flying directly at your face on a hoverbike. Police forces in Dubai have officially adopted state-of-the-art hoverbikes into their ranks, with hopes to begin using them in action very soon.

These devices were developed by HoverSurf and boast 4 propellers and a max speed of 40mph. While they’d certainly be terrifying in the wrong hands, they’d give honest policemen a great way to get around congested cities, reducing the risks of traffic collisions. They’d be on the scene unbelievably quickly, and, more importantly, first in line at the donut shop.

Eye Drop Funnel Glasses

This hilarious combination of glasses and funnels is the perfect, totally unnecessary solution to administering eyedrops to the less-than-willing.

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By combining the familiar feel of eyeglasses with a funnel, it makes it easier to drip your drops in and look ridiculous while doing it. If these were compulsory, there’d probably be fewer wars. After all, you can’t fight if you’re constantly laughing, can you?

Lego Socks

Presumably after stepping on a whole bucket of Legos, an astute inventor took it upon themselves to save everyone else, by designing a pair of special Anti-Lego Socks. Built into the soles are rubberized mats that have holes matching the pegs on the tops of Lego bricks. You can avoid agonizing tragedy while gathering more and more Lego armor until you’re eventually invincible.

Ambulance Drones

In an effort to deliver urgent care quicker than ambulances ever could, researchers have begun developing ambulance drones. With one key driver of the technology being Karolinska Institute in Sweden, the basic premise comes from the fact that the average ambulance response time is about 10 minutes. In cases of cardiac arrest, this time is absolutely crucial, and drones offer the perfect solution.

They fly fast and come equipped with medical equipment like defibrillators, which can be easily used in a pinch, potentially saving lives. Once they figure out how to get them to pick up a pizza on the way, I’m sure these will catch on like wildfire.

I hope you were amazed at these ingenious inventions! You might want to read our whole series about genius ideas that should exist everywhere. Thanks for reading!