Innovation

Any marketer can get a product placement into a movie, TV show, or video game. But if you're really clever, you'll do just the opposite...find ways to turn fictional products into real ones. In this post we look at the new product development strategy called "reverse placement". read more »

I wanted to name my massage tools "Knuckles" because they are based on shiatsu massage, often accomplished with the knuckles of a massage practitioner's hands. But the word "knuckles" looked funny to me. When I transcribed "knuckles" more phonetically, the brand perked up! "Nukkles" said "fun," and "feel good," and it was zippy, and yes, it said the product feels like knuckles! read more »

Here are 10 tips to help you reach the perfect brand name for your new invention!

Just imagine instead of the usual scenario, shoes bringing dirt into the house, shoes that are made for cleaning up the dirt instead, as you walk around the house. Electrolux imagined it and came up with a concept for a nice clean pair - a definite "must have" for cleaning fanatics or the shoe obsessed. read more »

I'm a big believer that what you find to be true in one area of life often has far-reaching implications for other areas of your life. So I'm starting this series on little nuggets of truth, advice or experience that I come across that are relevant to the world of inventing, small business and entrepreneurship and that I hope will give all of you who have joined me in this often crazy, unpredictable and dangerously fun world something to think about. And what better way to start than with a little anarchy... read more »

Boy, have I got a good scoop. It's about poop. And pee. Think diapers. Think flushable. Think compostable. Think gDiapers - a new choice that offers fashion and function for the most adorable tush on the planet - your kid's! read more »

Ever wonder if anyone has come up with a new way to boil water?

Our Guest Blogger, Peter is a creative ad man and inventor, who has lived and worked around the world and is now based back in his native UK. He also runs Junkk.com , which he created as karmic korrection for a life persuading folk to buy stuff they may not really need, helping design, find and share ideas on reuse for everyday products and packaging that normally get thrown away.

Here's his article:

Ever since I was a lad, and waaaay before climate change was anything other than the one day in August we had a summer here in the UK, there were some fundamentals dinned into me about not wasting. Eat your crusts. Switch off the lights. Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. Actually, not much has changed, only I now tell my kids we're all doomed if they don't. read more »

For some people, gardening comes naturally. They have what's known as a "green thumb". For others...not so much and inadvertently kill plant after plant until they quit trying to ever garden again.

What if there was a way to build a relationship between a plant and its owner and help turn the owner's "death thumb" into a green one? read more »

Zaha Hadid is one of the most recognized names in architecture, and in this article you'll see why. Responsible for revitalizing the architectural scene in cities all over the world, Hadid created the Contemporary Arts Centre in Rome, Italy with the hopes of building not only a new relationship between structure and environment, but also between structure, art and spectator. The result is a breathtaking museum that brings a contemporary presence to Rome, but also melds nicely with the established architectural landscape. read more »

Want to know how future cars from GM may be propelled?

Our guest blogger, Chuck Arehart, is a Detroit-based freelance automotive writer with 18 years of experience in the industry. You can reach him at chuckarehart (at) comcast.net.

To get absolutely the latest news about GM's green propulsion development, he interviewed the folks at GM to get exclusive insights on what's happening for the readers of AmericanInventorSpot.com.

Here's his article:

Amid unstable fuel prices, an expanding environmental consciousness and market competition, General Motors unveiled the Chevy Volt concept vehicle at the North American International Auto Show in January. While styling is usually the major jaw-dropping factor with most auto show concept cars, that's not the Volt's mission. The power train underneath its futuristic composite skin is even more important to GM because it may define how future vehicles are propelled. read more »

Inventors need partners highly skilled in their fields, but flexible in their approach. Good listeners. Adventurers. Partners who create a plan for the product, not squeeze a product into a plan. read more »

Pets are part of the family too, right? Right! But, until recently, environmentally friendly products for pets didn't even cross my mind. Then this winter season a nine week old puppy came into my life and before I could turn away from his big sad brown eyes I was hooked and the search for safer and environmentally friendly pet products began. Here are just a few of them below. From chew toys, to pet beds, cleaner litter, healthier bath time and food- pets of all kinds can live green right along with us. read more »

In light of all the media attention with the recent retrieval of the two kidnapped Missouri boys, child safety has once again taken the spotlight. I’ve recently read quite a few articles educating parents about child safety and important information you can tell your kids about how to keep themselves protected. A great site to check out is YourSafeChild.com. The web site is features child identification products that are really a must-have for any parent. Here’s a look at the items they suggest: read more »

While humans may not actually reconstruct the universe as it is, earlier this week the New York Times and International Herald Tribune announced the intentions of a global group of physicists to re-create the environment of the early universe so they can better understand the Big Bang. After a hundred years of theory, discussion, and lab tests, the time has come to test results at a higher level. The machine the physicists plan to build is a super-sized linear collider that is ten times the size of the largest one that currently exists. So, where will it be built, and what do we hope this new $6.7 billion machine will tell us? read more »

If you are looking for ways to go green as a family, in my opinion, recycling and charity are the best ways to start, but if you need a little motivation to get you going, below are a few green items to consider on your journey there. read more »

Looking for a healthy way to have flavorful food?

Our Guest Blogger, Aditi Simlai Tiwari, is a never tiring, full time mother of two and part time writer. She is always looking for newer things to do and newer ways to do them in. She found some novel food tools that she wanted to share with readers of AmericanInventorSpot.com.

Here's her article:

Cooking can be a passion, a hobby, a therapy, or just a means to satisfy hunger. Whatever the reason for entering the kitchen, all of us endeavor to cook a tasty and nutritious meal, which if it is easy to do and fast to make, is like having all our prayers answered together. read more »

Looking for a new beverage to help celebrate special occasions?

Our Guest Blogger, Aditi Simlai Tiwari, is a never tiring, full time mother of two and part time writer. She is always looking for newer things to do and new ways to do them in. She found some innovative food concepts that she wanted to share with readers of AmericanInventorSpot.com.

Here's her article: read more »

Staples Invention QuestStaples has notified the semifinalists of the 2007 Invention Quest...sort of. In a clear attempt to generate more publicity for the 07 event, they have included this year a round of semi-semi-finalists, or "nominees" who get their names in local papers, but not much else. In this post, Tim Whitney leans on his experience as 2005 Invention Quest finalist to discuss why this may not be a good thing. Read on for the rest of the scoop on the 07 Invention Quest. read more »

Got the middle-age blues.
Can't drive, forgot my drivers
Can't read, lost my readers
Gotta feel my way around the keyboard,
My whole life's just one big blur.
Got the middle age blues.

Dang glasses, wherever you are,
get lost! I'm gonna change my
eyes for a brand new pair! read more »

Once in a while you come across a product that is incredibly ingenious, and well, obvious. This leads me to the usual head-knocking thought, “Why didn’t I think of that?” read more »