| Do you want to create money-making new | | | | have to stay level for the sake of the |
| inventions? Not me. I just like to dream them | | | | drinks. Using these, one slow person won't |
| up. Here are some of the new ideas I would | | | | hold up the whole line at the drive-through, |
| love to see created in reality. I hope a | | | | because there can be several lines. The |
| reader or two will do something with them.New | | | | customers send money in through this conveyor |
| Inventions For OutdoorsFree-standing tents | | | | system, and get food back the same way. Just |
| without poles: The idea here is to have two | | | | pull up to whichever lane is empty. I'm |
| inflatable sleeves that criss-cross over the | | | | waiting to see this invention.Magnetic |
| top of a dome-style tent. Perhaps the | | | | painting kits: This new novelty invention |
| rigidity would be insufficient for windy | | | | would consist of a flat "canvas" of magnetic |
| nights, but it's worth a try. Make them | | | | material (steel?), and an assortment of many |
| inflatable from inside, and you could quickly | | | | colors of iron dust or small shavings. Just |
| crawl inside and out of the rain to inflate | | | | apply the metal dust carefully to create any |
| it.Rail-runner bicycle attachment: This is a | | | | "painting" you can imagine. It would be |
| new invention I want to try, but one that | | | | something like a Buddhist sand mandala, but |
| will not be popular with the railroad | | | | slightly more permanent. Spray the finished |
| companies. Wouldn't it be great to be able to | | | | painting with a "fixer," and you could even |
| bike along train tracks? They go many places | | | | hang it on the wall.Invisible walls: This is |
| that roads don't go. The idea here is a | | | | a new invention that would be just plain fun. |
| device that holds the bicycle wheels on the | | | | Make a wall with properly placed cameras, |
| track as you pedal along. Easy removal would | | | | using the other side of the wall was the |
| be necessary, of course, for the occasional | | | | projection screen for these cameras, and the |
| passing of a train.Kites inflated with | | | | effect would be that of looking right into |
| helium: If its been done, I haven't seen them | | | | the other room - an invisible wall. I'm not |
| yet. With some lift from the helium, these | | | | sure about the practical applications, but an |
| kites could be flown in any amount of wind. | | | | "invisible ceiling" would provide a nice view |
| Designed right, they would still fly | | | | at night.Magnetic signs for windows: |
| something like a kite, and with more | | | | Thousands of businesses use large magnetic |
| maneuverability if designed like a stunt | | | | signs for their vehicles, with their company |
| kite, with two strings. The first prototype | | | | name and logo on them. Of course these can |
| might be a kite with a small helium balloon | | | | only be used on metallic surfaces. To stick |
| attached. If somebody makes this, I'll buy | | | | to car or building windows, they need a |
| one.Other New InventionsDisposable t-shirts: | | | | similar flat magnet or steel mesh material |
| Dollar stores have t-shirts on the shelves, | | | | that is placed on the other side of the |
| so we know they're getting cheap. Why not | | | | glass, to hold them in place. This may be one |
| invented a line of shirts that are | | | | of those "unpatentable" ideas, but the first |
| low-quality, but good enough, and cost very | | | | to trademark a catchy name and market them |
| little to manufacture? Sell them in boxes of | | | | widely might do well with new inventions like |
| 12, as "disposable clothing." Where's the | | | | these.Steve Gillman has been exploring new |
| market? Those who want less laundry to do on | | | | ideas for decades. Visit his site for |
| long trips, or those who want to have some | | | | invention ideas, business ideas, story ideas, |
| cheap things to wear while doing dirty | | | | political and economic theories, deep |
| jobs.Fast-food tube: These could be like the | | | | thoughts, and more. |
| tubes at bank drive-throughs, but they would | | | | |